“American Sniper” Chris Kyle received high marks throughout his military career for leadership, teamwork, and courage under fire, according to his recently released military records.
Kyle, who served four tours in Iraq, was described as a “Combat hardened warrior!” and “Combat proven!” in his March 29, 2005 evaluation, obtained by the journalism collective MuckRock as part of a Freedom of Information Act request.
“Unsurpassed courage under fire while conducting sniper operations in support of [redacted] during the siege of Fallujah. His display of unparalleled bravery and skill as a sniper contributed significantly to the success of this strategic victory over the insurgents while reducing the risk of harm to coalition troops,” reads the evaluation.
“During a seven month deployment to Iraq, IS2 Kyle recorded [redacted] enemy KIA [Killed in Action] as a sniper. His contributions to success over the insurgency in Iraq cannot be overstated!”
Over the course of his career as a Navy SEAL Team 3 sniper, Kyle had 160 confirmed kills. Kyle himself estimated that he had probably killed 255 insurgents.
An Oct. 1, 2006 evaluation characterized Kyle as “One of the most effective combat snipers in U.S. military history.”
Kyle “planned and executed [redacted] Sniper Overwatch Missions in the city of Ar Ramadi. Personally accounted for [redacted] confirmed enemy killed and [redacted] enemy killed or wounded. Single-handedly thwarted a large-scale coordinated attack on a [redacted].
He was also described as “A complete warrior and natural leader” in the various reports, compiled throughout his nearly 11 year service career.
Kyle’s certificate of discharge, filed on Nov. 4, 2009, list his various service and combat awards. The report also shows he had accrued 54.5 days of paid leave.
Kyle was murdered on Feb. 2, 2013 at a Texas gun range by Eddie Ray Routh, an Iraq War veteran. Routh, who admitted to fatally shooting Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield, is currently on trial.
A blockbuster film based on Kyle’s life — the Clint Eastwood-directed “American Sniper” — has grossed nearly $400 million worldwide. The film is nominated for a “Best Picture” Oscar.