COL Christopher R. Robbins USA, Retired 
Christopher Rutherford ‘Chris’ Robbins was born in Washington, DC on November 10, 1940, the son of Dorothy Marion Bradshaw and William Marion Robbins. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in Washington, DC and attended the University of Maryland from 1957 to 1958 before his admission to West Point on July 1, 1958 as a member of the Class of 1962.
At West Point, Chris was a member of his Class Committee for four years. He was active in many cadet clubs that varied from the Debate Forum to the Parachute Club. A proficient athlete, he was twice awarded two Army “A” monograms as a member of the Army Lacrosse Team.
Upon graduation from West Point on June 6, 1962, Chris began a military career of active and reserve service that spanned decades and saw him serve from CONUS to South Vietnam and Europe.
Chris’s service began at Fort Benning, GA, where he success- fully completed Airborne and Ranger schools and received the Expert Infantryman Badge. Duty as a platoon leader followed with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, KY from 1963 to 1964.
In 1966, Chris successfully completed Special Forces train- ing and completed Vietnamese language training. In 1968, he served with the 5th SF Group in Vietnam, where he was an SF advisor in an ARVN SF battalion. For his heroism in combat in June 1968, Chris was awarded the Bronze Star for valor; the ARCOM for valor; Purple Heart; the Air Medal; the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry; and the Combat Infantryman Badge for his combat tour.
From 1970 to 1972, he served in Frankfurt, Germany in the Office of the Inspector General V Corps. In 1974, he was assigned as the Corp’s OIC of the alcohol and drug control program for 60,000 soldiers and 40,000 dependents throughout central and northern Germany. The policies defined and adopted by his pro- gram became the standard for the entire theater of operations. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.
In 1975, he was assigned to Fort Devens, MA as the execu- tive officer for the Special Troops Battalion. Three months later while still a major, he became the battalion commander.
Chris was honorably discharged from active duty as a major in 1975. He was awarded his second MSM for his service. He then served in the Army Reserve through 1985. While in the Reserve, he attended the U.S. Army War College, graduating in 1985 in the top five percent of his class.
Following his retirement from active duty in 1975, Chris enrolled in Harvard Business School. He received his MBA with honors in 1977 and embarked on a new career in banking, finance and the
media. In his eight years at Manufacturers Hanover Trust and Citibank, he concentrated in investment banking and advisory services to U.S. energy and utility companies.
After joining the Army Reserve, Chris next moved to the world of media, co-founding and serving as chief operating officer of Sony Video Software Company, which financed production and distribution of feature films and television programs.
He later served as executive director for the international law firm of Kramer, Levin, man- aging a staff of 225 and responsible for strategy, operations, finance, and litigation coordination.
Chris capped his career as co-founder and managing director of Central Park Media Corporation, an inter- national distributor of documentary films, introducing exclusive
programs to the U.S. market.
In 1982, Chris served in the 364th Support Group and was
awarded the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, and in 1983 he was awarded the ARCOM for his service in that unit. While continuing to serve in the Army Reserve, he achieved the rank of colonel. He was awarded his third MSM upon his retirement from the Active Reserve in 1984. On November 10, 2000, after over 38 years of military service to our nation, Colonel Robbins was honorably discharged from the Inactive Army Reserve.
Chris’s personal interests were wide ranging. He was an ac- complished composer, singer and guitar player, copyrighting and recording many of the songs he wrote. He was an active and expert sportsman, enjoying skiing, tennis, golf, cycling, sailing, paddleball, swimming, and scuba diving. He was an avid histo- rian with an extensive library in classical and contemporary his- tory, philosophy, and political economy. Fluent in Spanish and German, he especially enjoyed his travels in Europe and South America. Interested in films, he favored philosophical and social analytical films produced in France and Italy.
Chris is remembered as an engaging friend and skilled lead- er. Throughout his life he continued his friendships with West Point and Harvard classmates, as well as professional colleagues from his work in the private sector. Chris currently resides in Great Neck, NY and throughout his life he has embodied the West Point values of honor and service and embraced its motto of “Duty, Honor, Country.”
This article was written by classmate, Tom Simcox, for the purpose of this Ring Melt biography book.
For What They Gave on Saturday Afternoon 