Popular LHS grad and U.S. Marine dies in Afghanistan plane accident on Oct. 1

Ruiz during his days as an ROTC commander with former instructor Chief Allen Franklin.

Ruiz was currently residing with his wife Lorelyn and three children in the town of Menifee, California. According to the local newspaper in Menifee, they were residents of Heritage Lake. The mayor of Menifee, also a veteran, Scott Mann, wrote in an email Sunday, "Please join me and other Menifee residents who have stepped up to the plate and make a donation to his family."

A page has been set up for donations to help Ruiz's family in their time of need.  

https://www.gofundme.com/chrisruiz

Ruiz, after serving several years in the U.S. Marine Corps, was working at the time of the crash as a civilian contractor with AC First, a subsidiary of a larger contractor AECOM, which had a 5-year contract in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army, when the C-130 transport he was in crashed in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. The crash killed 11 persons including six U.S. service members.

Ruiz was an expert weapons technician, said Bob Shirron, president of AC First. "He had been with us just under a year." Shirron said Ruiz joined AC First after a 9-year hitch in the Marines. It was Ruiz's job to inspect and repair weapons systems for the Army. "Mostly we supply maintenance and supplies for the U.S Army," said Shirron.

Shirron heard about the crash shortly after it occurred. "The program manager in Afghanistan called me and told me about it. Chris was well liked there too," he said.

Ruiz's remains were scheduled to arrive in Dover, Delaware today (Oct. 5). The company has contacted his family.

Ruiz, Class of 2004, was a well-known student at Lemoore High School and very involved, particularly in the school’s Naval Junior ROTC program which he joined as a sophomore. He was so proficient that as a junior he was installed as the unit’s executive officer and was appointed the unit’s commander during his senior year.

Chris Ruiz with his wife Lorelynn.

Chris was also a member of the Lemoore Police Department Explorer’s Post. A talented student, Ruiz entered the U.S. Marine Corps following his graduation from Lemoore High School. He later went to work as a civilian contractor with a firm that maintains firearms.

Those who worked with him remember him well. “I had him and right off the top he demonstrated leadership abilities and a tremendous amount of self- confidence,” said former NJ ROTC instructor Rick Sedwick, a Master Chief, Petty Officer who worked at LHS for six years. “He looked like a leader, even then. It was so long ago. He was just a great kid. Everybody liked him.”

Another former ROTC instructor, Allen Franklin, was equally impressed with Ruiz. “Chris was one of the nicest kids and quite the persuasive leader,” said Chief Franklin, a 13-year veteran instructor in the program. “He always had a smile as if not much bothered him. He was such a great leader that a year after he joined our NJ program at Lemoore High he was selected to be the executive officer. It's the only time in the program that I know of that a junior served in that position. Our prayers are with his family.”

Navy Captain Harry Zinser, the unit's first lead instructor, said that Ruiz was the best commanding officer the unit ever had. "He was just so enthusiastic," said Zinser. "Sometimes you get a CO who is not really liked by everybody, but liked by some ... Chris was liked by everybody. He was just the best CO we ever had."

Zinser was in Utah fishing when he received the news. "It's just a heartbreaking thing to have happen. He was an all-around good student and was liked by everybody."

Chris Ruiz as a Lemoore Police Department Explorer.

Lemoore Superintendent Debbie Muro had kept up with Ruiz since he graduated. Muro was an assistant principal in 2004 and remembers him well as a fun-loving kid with a lot of charisma. "Chris was one in a million," she said. "He had a maturity and charisma at an early age that made you sure he was going to be successful. He was always focused to serve our country as a Marine. He showed leadership potential at LHS by serving as the NJROTC Cadet Commander."

They always kept in touch she said. "He was very proud of his wife and family."

Six crewmembers and five contractors assigned to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing when their transport aircraft crashed at takeoff. At least two Afghans on the ground also died in the crash, according to media reports.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. A senior official at the Pentagon said Friday the aircraft hit a ground object as it was ascending, lost control and crashed into a guard tower at the end of the air field. Afghan civilians in the guard tower were killed in the ensuing fire, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.