FROM STAFF REPORTS

WILSONVILLE – A Wilsonville man was recently promoted from naval lieutenant commander to commander at Pax River Naval Air Station in Maryland.

Cdr. Grady Duffey attended a second commissioning ceremony Sept. 15 at the home of his parents, Gene and Jeanie Duffey, in Wilsonville. Duffey received his commissioning from Capt. Tim Simpson, also from Wilsonville. Simpson is the son of Lenora and the late Ray Simpson, and currently is stationed at McDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., according to an email from Duffey’s sister, Dianne Whitson of Columbiana.

Duffey graduated from Coosa Valley Academy, Auburn University and Trident University International. He and his wife, Kandi, live in Callaway, Md. with their two sons, Spencer and Cameron. Duffey is also the brother of Terri Hooper of Huntsville.

Duffey recently was selected for Aviation Command and will “shift colors” in late 2013 for Naval Station Norfolk, Va., as he will report aboard U.S.S. George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) as the AIMD maintenance officer.

He recently received his MBA, and was selected as a member of the Department of the Navy Defense Acquisition Corps.

His military awards include five Navy Commendation Medals, six Navy Achievement Medals, one Joint Meritorious Unit Award, one Navy Unit Commendation, one Meritorious Unit Commendation (Navy), three Navy “E” Ribbons, two Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, three Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals, two Southwest Asia Service Medals, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, five Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, one Kuwait Liberation (Kuwait) Medal and various unit and service awards.

His qualifications include enlisted aviation warfare specialist and professional aviation maintenance duty officer.