Young veteran speaks to CJHS

Coppinville Junior High School celebrated veterans, both young and old, Nov. 8, with a celebration featuring members of the student government association, the CJHS Expectations Choir and other distinguished guests.

Students lead a majority of the program, which featured musical performances and a short skit about the meaning and origins of the United States’ Pledge of Allegiance.

Retired Cpl. Andy McDuffie, of Dothan, was the guest speaker for the event and talked with the students about his service in the U.S. Marines from 2003-07.

“I think it’s fair to say that Veterans Day is pretty important to me and it’s pretty important in Enterprise,” McDuffie said.

McDuffie saw combat in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines out if Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii 

“We were doing a lot of training because that’s what Marines do when they aren’t deployed,” he said. “Then the next thing I knew, I was in Afghanistan.”

While in Afghanistan, McDuffie’s unit did a lot of humanitarian work in the villages that weren’t controlled by the Taliban.

“We would visit with the villagers and the village elders,” he said. “We would bring them things they needed and try to win the hearts and minds of the people so we could get information.”

After nine months in Afghanistan, McDuffie was scheduled to return home, but was instead redirected to his second foreign deployment in Iraq.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom, McDuffie and his unit of 16 Marines served as security for an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team.

“The EOD was basically the bomb squad, and anytime a bomb went off or could possible detonate, our mission was to protect these guys while they disarmed it.”

McDuffie served in the Marines until he was injured by an explosion from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

“We were patrolling with the EOD in a convoy,” McDuffie said. “The insurgents like to use cell phones to detonate explosives. So we keep signal jammers to prevent them from detonating.”

McDuffie said insurgents would often put IEDs in potholes or craters that were already in or near the existing roads, which is why Marine protocol dictates that convoys go around holes in the road.

When McDuffie’s convoy came upon a pothole that day, they did go around.

“We were in the last vehicle to go around the pothole and then the next thing I know, my Humvee is air born,” he said. “The IED had detonated and I radioed in saying, ‘Victor 5 hit, Victor 5 hit.’ Then I immediately started trying to check on my Marines. I was asking for a headcount, but I got no response.”

McDuffie’s hand was broken and nearly severed from a severe laceration.

He was also trapped inside of his inoperable Humvee.

“I couldn’t get my flak jacket off and I kept thinking it was going to blow up again,” he said. “Then we were taking small arms fire, and I couldn’t use my gun because of my arm.”

McDuffie was able to get out of the combat area, and military doctors were able to save his hand.

However, two of the Marines in his unit were killed during the explosion.

“I’ve lived a lot since then, I’ve dealt with it and I am the person I am today because of it,” he said. “One of the things I said when I was deployed was, ‘I’m leaving with 16 and I'm bringing 16 home with me.’ I went through some dark times dealing with the loss of my fellow Marines.”

After his injuries, McDuffie left the Marines to join the civilian world.

He now works for Eagle Eye Outfitters and lives with his wife Lindsay in Dothan.

McDuffie said he loves the military, and appreciates what Veterans young and old have done for the U.S.

“Veterans aren’t just old guys,” he said. “We need to remember to be thankful for those who came before us, veterans today and those who will serve in the future.”