CW4 (Ret) Christian McCoy was killed in Afghanistan on Monday, June 24, 2019. He died while working as a contractor for the Wexford Group / CACI attached to the 10th Special Forces Group in Afghanistan.
Funeral. A funeral was held on Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at the St. Charles Church, Pittsfield, Massachusetts. This was followed by a burial with full military honors at the Pittsfield Cemetery. Members of the 20th Special Forces Group (MA NG) provided a military escort for the family and pall bearers. Local law enforcement attended providing escort as well as the Patriot Guard Riders. The Massachusetts National Guard provided a flag folding and firing party. The 3rd SFGA CCWO was in attended the ceremony.
Obituary. The obituary for Christian McCoy was published on Saturday, July 6, 2019. An article about the funeral (with photos) was posted on July 9, 2019 by Stars and Stripes.
Go Fund Me – Christian H. McCoy. The McCoy family has established a fundraiser account to assist in meeting unexpected expenses as the family goes forward. https://www.gofundme.com/f/christian-h-mccoy
The news of the death of Christian McCoy was first reported on social media and then in a Newsweek article by James LaPorta (see references below).
Christian McCoy retired from the U.S. Army in 2018. The Wexford Group is a major U.S. defense coordinator. McCoy was part of a JIDO Joint Expeditionary Team (JET) – a program that is designed to counter the effectiveness of Improvised Explosive Devices or IEDs. Joint Expeditionary Team Members provide embedded support to tactical units conducting ground operations.
McCoy was born in Berkley, California but raised in Colorado. He graduated from Falcon High School in Peyton, Colorado.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1988; he enlisted as a Czech linguist. He joined Special Forces in 1993. His initial MOS in Special Forces was as a SF Communications Sergeant (18E). He later became a Special Forces Warrant Officer (180A) – retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer Four from the 3rd Special Forces Group. McCoy served with the 3rd, 10th, and 20th Special Forces Groups. He first served as a communicator, then as a ODA and Company Operations Warrant Officer. For a few years he served as a active duty advisor to C/1/20th in Springfield, Massachusetts (NG SF).
He served on active duty from 1988 to 1995, then in the Virginia National Guard from 1988 to 1995, and then returned to active duty from 1997 to 2018. (see Task & Purpose article cited below). Christian McCoy served on five combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, he served several long tours in Africa and the Balkans.
McCoy graduated from several demanding military courses to include Airborne School, SERE, Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC), Ranger School, Military Free Fall (MFF), Special Forces Warrant Officer Basic, Advance, and Staff Course, Sniper School (SOTIC), Air Assault Course, and HALO and Static Line Jump Master Courses.
Upon retirement he was awarded the Legion of Merit for retiring with 28 years of service in the U.S. Army.
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References:
July 9, 2019. “Retired Army officer died doing what he loved”, The Berkshire Eagle.
July 6, 2019. Christian McCoy Obituary, The Berkshire Eagle.
July 1, 2019. “Retired Special Forces soldier killed in Afghanistan while working as a defense contractor”, Task & Purpose.
June 27, 2019. “Retired Special Forces soldier with Massachusetts ties killed in Afghanistan”, The Boston Herald.
June 27, 2019. “A Second Military Contractor Killed in Afghanistan Marks a Lethal Week”, by James LaPorta, Newsweek.
Photo: Chief Warrant Officer Four Christian H. McCoy is awarded the Legion of Merit Award for retiring with 28 years of outstanding service and exceptional commitment to professionalism. McCoy’s parting words for 3rd SFG(A) Soldiers embody his commitment to the force. “Embrace everything about 3rd Group, embrace the professionalism, embrace the method by which we do business. You won’t find a better place anywhere.” Photo: From 3rd Special Forces Group Facebook, May 24, 2018.
