By By Rachael Leslie/Special to The Star
Oct. 21, 2001
NORFOLK, Va. A Meridian resident and longtime U.S. Navy sailor is playing a key role with the Navy SEALs.
Senior Chief Petty Officer Ernest P. McDuffie is assigned to the recently established Logistics and Support Unit, helping provide behind-the-scenes organization of communications and supplies for SEAL teams.
As an electronics technician, McDuffie, 42, plays a vital role in providing naval special warfare commands with the logistical support they require.
SEAL is an acronym for SEa, Air and Land. Navy SEALs are qualified in diving and parachuting; they also are experts at combat swimming, navigation, demolitions, weapons, and many other skills.
SEALs operate in small units called platoons. In addition to the maritime environment, SEALs also train in the desert, in the jungle, in cold weather and in urban surroundings.
Commissioned since 1962, this elite group of Navy sailors receive some of the toughest military training in the world. SEALs are responsible for carrying out clandestine operations and unconventional warfare throughout the world.
But they couldn't carry out their many training exercises and real-world missions without help from sailors assigned to the Logistics and Support Unit.
McDuffie son of W. Paul and Sybil McDuffie of Meridian, joined the Navy in June of 1977. Since then he has learned many things about life in general during his Naval career.