Capt. James E. Chaffin III, 27, of West Columbia, died April 1, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of a non-combat related incident. Chaffin, was a fire support officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Abn. Div. He was deployed with 2nd Bn., 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st BCT, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a brigade liaison officer.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan:
“Capt. James E. Chaffin III, 27, of West Columbia, S.C., died April 1, in
Kandahar, Afghanistan, of a non-combat related incident. The incident is under investigation.
He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.”
Source: DOD Press Release http://www.defense.gov/
Chaffin was commissioned as a second lieutenant in May of 2009 from the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Upon completion of the Basic Officer Leaders Course, he attended the Field Artillery Basic Officer Leader course at Fort Sill, Okla.
He arrived to Fort Bragg, N.C. on June 12, 2010, where he was assigned to HHC, 2nd BCT, 82nd Abn. Div., and deployed to Iraq with the unit in May 2011. He transferred to 1st BCT in August 2013.
For more information, media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office during duty hours at 910-432-0661 or after duty hours at 910-813-3891.