Captain James Edward Chaffin

Captain James Edward Chaffin, III James Edward (Ed) Chaffin, III, 27, passed away while serving with the 82nd Airborne Division in Kandahar, Afghanistan on Tuesday, April 1, 2014. He was born to Elizabeth Rhodes Chaffin and the late James Edward Chaffin, Jr. on February 4, 1987 in West Columbia, South Carolina. Ed was a 2005 Honor Graduate of Brookland-Cayce High School in Cayce, SC, where he played football, was a member of the Interact Club, the National Honor Society, and the newspaper staff. A 2009 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, he majored in Comparative Politics and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. While at West Point, he was a member of the Russian Club and participated in a club trip to the country of Azerbaijan. Ed was an avid reader, who enjoyed reading about history, especially on military subjects. He had a passion for travel and experiencing new cultures all over the world, which took him to Thailand, Vietnam, and Greece just to name a few. He had a witty sense of humor, which was immediately evident to all who knew him. Even far away, he always rooted for Gamecock Football. He had a very caring spirit and a strong work ethic, making him an honored member of the armed forces protecting our freedom. Ed's first tour of service was in 2011 for Operation Iraq Freedom. His awards and decorations including two Bronze Star Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the basic Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge. and the NATO Medal. He is survived by his mother, Elizabeth (Beth) Chaffin of West Columbia; his sisters, Susan Chaffin Bilton (Jared) of Mt. Pleasant, SC and Nancy Chaffin of Charlotte, NC; and many classmates, friends, and fellow service members all over the world. His funeral will take place on Saturday, April 12, 2014 at Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church at 3:00 p.m. Burial will follow in the Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church Cemetery. Friends may greet the family one hour prior to the service in the church fellowship hall. Thompson Funeral Home of West Columbia, 200 State Street, West Columbia, SC 29169 is assisting the family. Memorials may be made to the USO of South Carolina, attention: Joanie Thresher, Director, 3250 Airport Boulevard, Suite 7, West Columbia, SC 29170 or the Brookland-Cayce High School Education Foundation - In Memory of Ed Chaffin, PO Box 2482, West Columbia, SC 29171.