James H. Coffman Jr.

Coffman served during the US occupation of Iraq. While working as a civilian advisor, his unit was attacked on November 14, 2004. During this attack, he was commended for the leadership he provided his troops while outnumbered against a group of Iraqi insurgents. He continued fighting even after an enemy round shattered his shooting hand, continuing to fire with his other hand. After reinforcements arrived, Coffman refused to exit the battle despite his injuries. He was award the Distinguished Service Cross for these actions.

General Muntadher al-Samari, Iraqi interior ministry commander from 2003 to 2005, revealed the US role in torture carried out by the Special Commandos' interrogation units, claiming that Steele and Coffman knew exactly what was being done. Al-Samari described "the ugliest sorts of torture" he had ever seen, which included the severe beating and hanging of detainees, as well the pulling off of their fingernails. The Guardian report also claimed that the US backing of sectarian paramilitary units helped create conditions that led to sectarian civil war.

Coffman grew up in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1978. Coffman subsequently earned a Master of Science degree in National Security Affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School. He was also a U.S. Army Fellow at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and attended the Boston University Overseas Program for Master of Science in International Relations in Vicenza, Italy. In the course of his formal education Coffman has authored papers on ethnic conflict in the post-Cold War world.

Colonel James Henry Coffman Jr. (born 1954) is a U.S. Army officer who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for valorous conduct while serving as an advisor with the Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq attached to the Iraqi Special Police Commandos in Mosul, Iraq in 2004.