Major Christopher “Chris” Whitson is a native of Mount Ayr, Iowa. He earned his degree from Buena Vista University and commissioned into the United States Marine Corps in December 2008. Over the years, he completed several key schools, including Officer Candidate School, The Basic School, Infantry Officer Course, and the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) Leader Course, Amphibious Readiness Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit Staff Planning, and Air Command & Staff College. He began his career serving as a Platoon Commander and later an Executive Officer with 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (LAR).
From 2013 to 2016, he was the Operations Officer at Advanced Infantry Training Battalion-West. He later served as Company Commander of Bravo Company and H&S Company, 1st LAR Battalion, and was chosen to command the LAR Training Company from 2016-2020. Then, he served as Executive Officer at I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Support Battalion and as a temporary Executive Officer for I MEF Information Group (MIG). Upon completion of turnover, he was assigned his fourth Company Command for Headquarters Company from 2020 to 2022 of I MEF. More recently, from 2023 to 2025, he served as the Current Operations Officer and Assistant Operations Officer at the 3d Marine Littoral Regiment. Chris split his time between these positions and a six-month deployment as a Maritime Operational Advisor and Foreign Military Service Advisor to the American Institute in Taiwan. During this assignment, he formed and developed the Maritime Advisory Team as an assistant team lead for the joint Navy and Marine Corps built team.
Maj Whitson deployed in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM in 2011. He also served as a Liaison Officer at U.S. Central Command in 2014 and deployed with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 2016 as a Company Commander for a Western Pacific Tour. In 2023, he deployed as Current Operations Officer to the Philippines for Exercise BALIKATAN.
His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.