Nov 15, 2009 11:11 pm US/Eastern
Md. Reservist Dies In Afghanistan
HOMELAND, Md. (WJZ) ―
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The body of Christopher Coffland is back on U.S. soil after he was killed Friday in a roadside bombing.
CBS
The body of Christopher Coffland is back on U.S. soil after he was killed Friday in a roadside bombing.
Derek Valcourt reports those closest to the lifelong Maryland resident are remembering him.
Coffland graduated from Gilman High School in Baltimore 25 years ago, where he met many of the friends. Those same friends are hailing him as a hero.
Coffland decided to join the Army Reserves at age 41, just a month shy of the military's enlisting age limit. He was deployed to Afghanistan last month.
He met with lifelong friend John Nozemack before he left.
"Reality had sunk in to Chris when he spoke to the man he was replacing over there in Afghanistan. Chris was a brave man, but he was also scared because he knew what he was getting himself into," said Nozemack.
Coffland was trained in intelligence for a year before being sent to Afghanistan to gather intelligence on roadside bombs or IEDs.
Ironically, it may have been one of those bombs that killed him and two Marines in the Sayed Abud region on Friday.
Coffland's body was flown back to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware Saturday night.
On Sunday, his family and friends mourned for the man who spent much of his life coaching, traveling and even studying anthropology.
"Chris was one of those people who felt that he had a destiny calling him or something greater in life, another challenge," said Nozemack. "Chris went to save other people. Chris went so my children would have a safer world to live in and absolutely is a hero."
Coffland's parents live on the Eastern Shore.
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon praised Coffland's service to the country. She says city flags will be flown at half-staff to honor him.
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