Christopher S. Girard, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (Ret.) of Chester, NH died on January 26, 2025. Col. Girard was born in Yonkers, NY. He was a graduate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Elementary School in Elmsford, NY; Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, NY and Fordham University in Bronx, NY. Col. Girard was commissioned a second lieutenant at the Air Force Officer Training School, Lackland AFB, TX in February 1966. He spent six years in ICBM missile operations at Whiteman AFB, MO where he was a missile combat crew commander in the LGM30F and Minuteman Mod. ICBM systems; Chief of the Current Operations Branch, and was in the first cadre of the Strategic Air Command Officers to be dual certified as officer controllers in a combined bomb wing/missile wing command post (B-58 Hustler and Minuteman Missiles). He the completed a career broadening tour of duty at U-Tapao Air Base, Thailand as a Transportation Officer during the Vietnam War. Col. Girard was later designated as a disabled Vietnam Veteran through the Veterans Administration. Following duty in Thailand, Co. Girard returned to missile operations at Grand Forks AFB, ND, performing duties as an Emergency Action Controller at the 319th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) Consolidated Command Post; as Chief, Emergency War Order Training Branch at the 321st Strategic Missile Wing; as the Command/Control designee on the Wing Battle Staff, and as a Positive Control Custodian.
Col. Girard then volunteered for duty with the Air Force office of Special investigations (AFOSHI), and was initially posted to Detachment 1810, Vandenberg AFB, CA. he graduated with the Class 74-C at the AFOSI Academy, Washington, DC with the Commander’s Award for the scholastic excellence. He was then sent to Loring AFB, ME as the Senior Resident Agent with the Defense Investigative Agency, and then to AFSOI Detachment 0106 as the commander. Col. Girard was then transferred to Headquarters, AFOSI, Washington, DC, and was later appointed Chief of the first headquarters-based undercover Agent Operations Branch.
In 1981, Col. Girard was selected to fill an AFOSI-Joint Service billet at the Defense Intelligence Agency as Senior Analyst, Counterterrorism and Threat Analysis Branch in the Office of Security. While there, he conducted counterterrorism, physical security and threat analyses to Defense Attache offices worldwide. He was also the senior DIA guest lecturer on terrorism to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense, European Command, the National War College, the Defense Attache College, and the military unit at Camp David, MD. Col. Girard was also the terrorism advisor to the National Emergency Airborne Command Post. During his tour of duty in Washington, DC, Col. Girard completed the Air University Air Command and Staff College via correspondence, and a masters-level program in National Security Management at the National Defense College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC.
Col. Girard’s final military assignment was as the Deputy Director of Intelligence at the Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, NC. His military awards include two George Washington Honor Medals from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, the Defense Superior Service medal, two Air Force Meritorious Service Medals, four Air Force Commendation Medals, two Presidential Unit Citations, two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, an Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, the Combat Readiness Medal, the Small Arms Expert Medal, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Master Missileman Badge, the Vermont Distinguished Service Medal and the Vermont Veteran’s Medal.
Col. Girard was a member of the Association of Former Air Force Office of Special Investigations Special Agents, the Military Officers Association of America, the Air Force Association, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the National Rifle Association.
Following retirement from the Air Force, Col. Girard completed a second career as a Senior Surveillance Officer with the Maricopa County (AZ) Adult Probation Department. He was a certified department instructor, a member of the Phoenix Gang Task Force, the Department of Safety Committee, was a fleet supervisor, and was a member of the Arizona Council on Compulsive Gambling.
Col. Girard is survived by his wife, Margaret, his best friend of 70 years; a son, Mitchell C. Girard, United Stated Coast Guard (Ret.) of Michigan, two daughters, Gretchen Doonan of Dedham, MA and Heidi Noeltner of Sudbury, MA; two brothers, Gregg of Chandler, AZ, and Pete of Casa Grande, AZ and three grandchildren, Connor Doonan, Jacob Girard and Nyala Zaffar. Col. Girard was predeceased by a son, Phillip Thomas Girard, born 12 January 1965, died 4 May 1965.
Calling hours will be held on Friday January 31, 2025 from 1:30 – 3:00pm in the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 15 Birch Street, Derry. A Catholic prayer service will begin at 3:00pm in the funeral home and conclude with Military Honors provided by the US Air Force In lieu of flowers, Col. Girard requests that he be remembered by random acts of kindness – to people, animals and the Earth.