Officer Christopher Robert Betts

My condolences to Officer Betts’ family and friends. To Officer Betts’ family you raised a fine young man. I was in the mighty 411th MP Company (Speed and Power) with Chris but we were not in the same platoon. I met Chris numerous times because he was our company commander’s driver. I knew Chris had a great sense of humor. Sadly most of the time he had to keep it under wraps during our interactions because our company commander was with him. I do remember we were once assigned to work an ammo detail together at a rifle range. We assisted in distributing ammo to soldiers for qualification. We must have given out ammo to over 100 soldiers that day. Chris had told me a pretty good joke that morning. I would hear Chris tell the same joke to almost every soldier we gave ammo to that day. I laughed every time he told the joke. I laughed every time not because the joke was funny (it was funny). I laughed every single time because of his delivery, how much joy he took in telling it and also his laughter.

Recently I viewed video footage of an Officer in our department struggling to keep a man suffering from mental illness from walking across a busy highway at night while pushing a cart. Fortunately our Officer was able to hold down the man until backup got there several minutes later. Luckily no one was hurt. Watching the video I couldn’t help but think of Chris. I later sent up an email to our Chief praising our Officer for his actions that day. In the same email I also paid tribute to Chris for his sacrifice. My Chief would send my email to my entire department. My entire department now knows all about Chris and the sacrifice he made.

In closing to Chris’ family and friends just know there are people in the Great State ofTexas that still remember and honor Chris.

Tony Nixon
Fellow soldier

December 22, 2018