Photo By Sgt. Alec Dionne | U.S. Army National Guard Maj. Ashley Coffey poses with a photo of her father, Retired...... read more read more
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CAMP RED HORSE, Thailand -- Following in her father’s footsteps in more ways than one, U.S. Army National Guard Maj. Ashley Coffey is continuing her dad’s legacy by participating in exercise Cobra Gold 2024.
“I was a part of Cobra Gold last year,” said Coffey. “It was our planning year and it was a great opportunity to really sit down with our Thai counterparts and plan out this exercise and how we’re going to execute our job. This year we get to see the fruition of that hard work.”
Coffey is part of the Special Operations Detachment - Pacific (SOD-P) for the Washington Army National Guard. She is the information officer and the personnel administrations officer for SOD-P. Coffey’s father, Timothy Coffey, retired from the Air Force after 27 years as a senior master sergeant. He served as a C-130 loadmaster with a special operations squadron based out of Okinawa, Japan.
Coffey’s father participated in Cobra Gold for the first time in 1989, when she was three years old. Before he retired, he returned to Cobra Gold eight more times.
“He’s done nine iterations, so it’s been a part of my life for a long time now,” said Coffey. “I definitely think with my dad being in the Air Force and me being in the Army, there are some differences. He got to see Thailand from the air and I’m on the ground but it’s been cool to see how my dad came from special operations in the Air Force and now I'm here all these years later as a part of the Special Operations Detachment for the Army and getting to have that tie and continuing that legacy.”
For this father and daughter, being able to participate in the growth of partnership between the U.S. and Thailand has been an honor for their family and to our nations.
“Being a part of Cobra Gold and special operations like my dad is an honor and a legacy,” said Coffey. “I’m proud to continue on behalf of my family and as a part of the Washington Army National Guard.”
Cobra Gold has been conducted 43 times starting in 1982. The exercise promotes peace and allows the U.S. military to train side-by-side with regional partners, enhancing the long-standing relationship with the Kingdom of Thailand. Between Coffey and her father, experiences with participating in Cobra Gold were passed on from generation to generation.
“I think there are a lot of similarities with how my dad experienced Cobra Gold,” said Coffey. “We’ve just modernized it and continued to deepen that friendship and bond with the people of Thailand and the Thai Forces.”
| Date Taken: | 03.04.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.05.2024 04:27 |
| Story ID: | 465345 |
| Location: | TH |
| Web Views: | 307 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Cobra Gold from one generation to the next, by SPC Abigail Clark, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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