Army Specialist Chris Coffland was in top physical shape that allowed him to fight alongside men and women half his age. He joined the Army Reservists last year, just a month before turning 42, the age limit for enlistment.
His friend from childhood, John Nozemack, says he was always thinking of other people.
"Chris also thought that here I am a single guy, I don't have a family, I don't have children, I don't have a wife. If I go, that means somebody else doesn't have to," said Nozemack.
The two had lunch before Specialist Coffland deployed. That conversation along with a recent e-mail left Nozemack feeling unsettled. From the war zone, Specialist Coffland wrote luck plays a big part in avoiding IED’s.
"Quite frankly, the conversation we had was that he was scared. Chris was a very brave, very courageous guy but he had just spoken with the guy he was replacing over there and he was afraid to go," said Nozemack.
Coffland spent his life coaching and playing football and lacrosse, starting at the Gilman School. He always wanted to learn about the world and other people.
In fact, he was working on his doctorate in anthropology, which lead him to Africa.
Nozemack's three children called him uncle Chris. To them, he was like family.
"He and I had been playing football and lacrosse since we were seven years old together. If there’s anything that Chris could do to make anything better, Chris was going to be the one to jump out and do it," said Nozemack.
And Coffland's friends and family say he probably volunteered for the mission that took his life Friday.
"He lived by the courage of his convictions. And Chris had his mind to make the world a better place, and Chris was going to do that come hell or high water," said Nozemack.
John Nozemack says Coffland started something with his kids. After a game, he would ask them what they did well and what they can improve. That part of his legacy will continue.
Mayor Shelia Dixon released a statement on the death of Specialist Chris Coffland, expressing gratitude for his service, and said city flags will be lowered in his honor.
A Maryland man has died in Afghanistan.
Spc. Christopher James Coffland, 43, died in Afghanistan, where he had been deployed about two weeks ago. He was in the Army Reserves and was trained in Army intelligence, according to family members.
He was en route to investigate an IED explosion when his vehicle was hit by another IED. Coffland, along with two marines, were killed. Two other people in the vehicle were critically injured.
Coffland was a local Gilman graduate. He went to Washington & Lee for college, and studied abroad for a semester in Gabon, in Africa.
He was a family man, a loyal friend, a football and lacrosse coach, and a university counselor. He traveled extensively, playing football in Finland and coaching football in Australia.
Coffland joined the Army Reserves at the last possible cut-off date, just a month before his 42nd birthday.
His body was returned to Dover Air Force base, where his family and a group of friends from Gilman honored him.
According to a statement by Mayor Sheila Dixon, flags in the city will be lowered in Coffland's honor.
