User:Christopher Blubaugh

FAMILY
Christopher Anthony Blubaugh (born November 26, 1977) is a Master Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Blubaugh was the first child of Gregory A. Blubaugh and Kimberly A. Blubaugh (nee Williams). He was raised in Mount Vernon, Ohio with his brother Travis.

Blubaugh’s grandfather, James Blubaugh, founded an automotive repair shop in 1970 and his father went to work for the family business after separating from the United States Navy in 1978. His mother’s father, Floyd Williams, worked at the local electric company for more than 40 years before retiring, and his mother has been employed at a local grocery store for the past 30 years. His parents divorced at the age of nine, but both continued to live in Mount Vernon and played an active part in raising their two children.

EDUCATION
Blubaugh attended Mount Vernon High School (MVHS) during his freshmen and sophomore years from 1992 to 1993. He then completed his junior and senior years of high school at Knox County Career Center (KCCC) where he majored in the Accounting (junior year) and Travel and Tourism (senior year) programs.

While attending KCCC, Blubaugh was an active member in the school’s student organizations. As a member of Business Professionals of America, he went to regional, state, and national competition levels and earned fifth place in the Entrepreneurship Competition at BPA’s national convention in 1994. Blubaugh placed third in the state level DECA competitions in 1995. Blubaugh earned a Travel and Tourism certificate from KCCC and his high school diploma in 1996. During his senior year, he concurrently enrolled at Central Ohio Technical College. He completed courses in Principals of Business and Management, Economics, Business Law, and Communications. Blubaugh also completed 22 semester hours of coursework at Campbell University in 1998. He is currently a student at the University of Maryland, University College, seeking a Bachelors of Science degree in Legal Studies.

While serving on active duty, Blubaugh intermittently attending online college level classes, focusing on legal studies. On May 13th, 2011, Blubaugh was awarded an Associate of Arts degree from the University of Maryland, University College.

MILITARY CAREER
Master Sergeant Blubaugh is currently assigned as the Staff Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge, Warrior Training Support Branch, Company B, Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California.

Recruit Blubaugh enlisted into the United States Marine Corps on January 27th, 1997. He completed recruit training with Platoon 3033, Lead Series, Company K, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina. After graduating recruit training in April 1997, Private First Class Blubaugh attended Marine Combat Training with Company G at Camp Geiger, Jacksonville, North Carolina during May and June 1997.

Private First Class Blubaugh attended the Small Computer Systems Specialist Course at Computer Sciences School, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia from July 1997 to October 1997. After completion of this training, Private First Class Blubaugh was designated with the Military Occupational Specialty of 4066, Small Computer Systems Specialist and transferred to the Fleet Marine Forces.

Private First Class Blubaugh’s first tour in the Fleet Marine Forces began in October 1997 with Marine Aircraft Group 26, Marine Corps Air Station New River, Jacksonville, North Carolina. He served as a computer specialist working with servers and PC's in the S-6 shop and was promoted to Lance Corporal and then meritoriously promoted to Corporal before being reassigned. Corporal Blubaugh was transferred to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 264 (Rein) for deployment with 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). He served aboard the maiden voyage of the USS Bataan (LHD 5) underway in the Mediterranean Sea from October 1999 to March 2000. He was promoted to Sergeant in February 2000.

Sergeant Blubaugh reported to Marine Support Battalion (later designated Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion), Naval Security Group, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland in April 2000. During this tour Sergeant Blubaugh attended the Advanced Networking Course at Marine Corps Communications Electronics School, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California and the Army Airborne School, Fort Benning, Georgia in 2001.

In June 2003 Sergeant Blubaugh was reassigned to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. He served as the station’s Video Teleconferencing Chief throughout most of his tour in Japan. Sergeant Blubaugh was promoted to Staff Sergeant in November 2003. In July 2004 Staff Sergeant Blubaugh was transferred to 1st Marine Division G-6, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. He served as the G-6 Data and Helpdesk Staff Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge. In November 2005, Blubaugh transferred to 5th Marine Regiment where he deployed to Fallujah, Iraq as the Data Chief, Communications Platoon throughout 2006 in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Staff Sergeant Blubaugh returned from deployment in January 2007 and was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant before being transferred to Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, MCAS Miramar, San Diego, California the following April.

Gunnery Sergeant Blubaugh served five years with Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38. He began his tour there assigned as the Data Chief and Staff Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge, Data Communications Platoon, Company B Detachment. Gunnery Sergeant Blubaugh deployed as the Detachment Commander to Al Taqaddum, Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM from July 2008 to January 2009 and led the communications detachment supporting the Aviation Combat Element and Airboss. After returning from deployment, Gunnery Sergeant Blubaugh served as the First Sergeant, Headquarters Company through the remainder of 2009. In March 2010, he was selected to deploy to Camp Leatherneck, Helmand Province, Afghanistan with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigrade as the Commanding General's Information Management Officer. Gunnery Sergeant Blubaugh returned from his deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in March 2011.

Gunnery Sergeant Blubaugh was transferred to Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California in April 2012. He was promoted to Master Sergeant in June 2012. Initially assigned as the Chief Instructor, Telecommunications Systems Chief's Course, he supervised the training of Classes 2-12, 3-12, 1-13, and 2-13. In June 2013, Master Sergeant Blubaugh assumed his present duties overseeing the three regional Communication Training Centers as part of the Warrior Training Support Branch.

PERSONAL LIFE
Blubaugh attended a recorded taping of the television game show, The Price Is Right, on April 4, 2007. He was selected as the fifth contestant from the studio audience, and immediately won the bidding to earn his way on stage to play a pricing game. He played the pricing game Stack The Deck and won the game and prize he was playing for, a new 2007 Chevy Aveo. Blubaugh’s spin on the “Big Wheel” did not beat the scores of the other two contestants, thus he did not advance through the Showcase Showdown.

Blubaugh began dating Leo Liffrig in January 2011. They have lived together since May of that that year. In November 2011, Blubaugh purchased his first home in the Normal Heights neighborhood of San Diego, California. In his free time, he enjoys woodworking, gardening and landscaping, and carpentry and other projects around the house. He is currently completing a renovation of his master bathroom.