Make way! Make Way! Make a hole there!

By The Armorer on January 5, 2008 | | Comments (15)

Milblogger inbound to Fiddler's Green...

DoD Identifies Army Casualties


The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Jan. 3 in As Sadiyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using small arms fire during combat operations. Both Soldiers were assigned to the Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

Killed were:

Maj. Andrew J. Olmsted, 37, of Colorado Springs, Colo.

Cpt. Thomas J. Casey, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M.

For further information related to this release, contact Fort Riley public affairs at (785) 239-3410.

Major Andrew Olmstead. You owe it to yourself, and yes, Andy Olmstead, to click that link over there. This is why - and it's not the best part:

What I don't want this to be is a chance for me, or anyone else, to be maudlin. I'm dead. That sucks, at least for me and my family and friends. But all the tears in the world aren't going to bring me back, so I would prefer that people remember the good things about me rather than mourning my loss. (If it turns out a specific number of tears will, in fact, bring me back to life, then by all means, break out the onions.) I had a pretty good life, as I noted above. Sure, all things being equal I would have preferred to have more time, but I have no business complaining with all the good fortune I've enjoyed in my life. So if you're up for that, put on a little 80s music (preferably vintage 1980-1984), grab a Coke and have a drink with me. If you have it, throw 'Freedom Isn't Free' from the Team America soundtrack in; if you can't laugh at that song, I think you need to lighten up a little. I'm dead, but if you're reading this, you're not, so take a moment to enjoy that happy fact.

Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam.

Update: Email I got in response to a note I sent out.

John, I read the whole piece on his website. Looks like the world is a bit poorer today. Just too bad. Jim

I say we are richer for knowing that we have such men and women who will strive for us, and for others.

And speaking of others, here are some others speaking of Andy:

James Joyner / Andrew Olmsted Killed in Iraq
Just A Grunt / To Honor Major Andrew Olmstead
Jim Henley / In Memoriam  —  I worry that my previous post was edgy.
Ampersand / G'Kar of Obsidian Wings, RIP
Redstate / The death of a co-blogger in Iraq
Billw / Iraq Blogger Major Andrew Olmsted Killed in Ambush
Phillip Carter / RIP, Andrew Olmsted
Rick Moran / ANDREW OLMSTED, R.I.P.
McQ / A BLOGGING FRIEND AND PATRIOT IS DEAD (UPDATED)
Brad DeLong / RIP Major Andrew Olmsted
Curt / Andrew Olmsted Has Died
Cernig / A Soldier And Blogger's Last post
Andy / A Sad Day in the Colorado Blogosphere
Confederate Yankee / A Blogger Dies at War
Noah Shachtman / Soldier-Blogger, RIP  —  Major Andrew Olmsted, a veteran Army officer …
Michael van der Galien / Blogger Dies in Iraq
Michael J. Totten / Andrew Olmsted Killed In Iraq
Stuart Benjamin / HEARTBREAKING POST: Andrew Olmsted, who blogged at Obsidian Wings …
TigerHawk /A blogger's legacy  —  The blogging soldier Andrew Olmsted …
Dave Schuler / Andrew Olmsted Killed in Iraq
Matttbastard / Andrew Olmsted
Chris Orr / The Death of a Soldier; I'm not sure whether I'd read …
Jesse Walker / Andrew “G'Kar” Olmsted, RIP
Mike / Tragedy  —  Andrew Olmsted, who was a friend to this site …
Lizardbreath / Andrew Olmsted  —  Olmsted was one of the posters at Obsidian Wings …
Tom Watson / A Blogging Soldier's Farewell
Spree / Andrew Olmsted-Soldier-Blogger- RIP
Alex Geana /A soldier speaks, from beyond the grave.
Alex Tabarrok / Sentences of Great Sadness
Virginia / In Memoriam: Andrew Olmsted
Simon / Blogger interviewed on Bloggasm has died in Iraq
David / Thunder Run - Blogger killed in Iraq.

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15 Comments

 
By Instapilot on January 4, 2008 7:41 PM
The price we pay to fight the Darkness. Alas, I doubt it's going to get cheaper...may his family and friends find comfort in his memory.
 
By jo on January 4, 2008 7:44 PM
My heartfelt sympathy to his family and all that knew him, and read him. Damn. Just damn. I am so sorry.
 
By leavenworth centurion on January 4, 2008 7:46 PM
He is a modern day Seigfried Sassoon, Edmund Blunden, Wilfried Owen. He is gone, but he will be long remembered.
 
By AFSister on January 4, 2008 8:42 PM
*heavy sigh* Damn. Just... Damn.
 
By Glenn M. Cassel, AMH1(AW), USN RETIRED on January 4, 2008 11:36 PM
My prayers to his family. G-d grand them serenity.
 
By fdcol63 on January 4, 2008 11:40 PM
MAJ Olmstead, We grieve for your absence in the lives of your family, friends, and the rest of us. We celebrate the life you've lived and the influence you've had on everyone around you. And we rejoice in the continuation of your spiritual journey. Godspeed.
 
By Rod Thorsen on January 5, 2008 12:55 AM
John, I'd found this earlier and printed it off, as well as "The Reasons Why". I have no words that work for what he has left us. What he has left, I'll be sharing locally, even when my boss recently told me my photo should be "most wanted" since I'm a vocal vet (he was kidding on the square being from CA but working up here in the summer). I've tried reading through it several times and still haven't made it all the way. God Bless and God's Speed Major Olmsted.
 
By Justthisguy on January 5, 2008 2:25 AM
I've just poured out a virtual libation for him at Lex's place, and an actual one rat cheer, just outside my front door into the Florida sand. I used beer, which I had in my hand. He mentioned Coca-Cola. I may go buy one of those and do it again.
 
By SpreadWord [Insensitive Clod] on January 5, 2008 6:39 AM
[Deleted as irrelevant to the post. I maintain a post, called the H&I Fires, where this sort of post is even encouraged. But not here. -the Armorer]
 
By Tim on January 5, 2008 7:47 AM
Reading that brought tears to my eyes. At first I was a bit surprised how the death of someone I didn't know could affect me so. Then I realized it's because I didn't know him. Or more precisely, because he didn't know me. He didn't know the vast majority of us. Yet still he went, he fought, and he died. For me. For all of us. No greater love, indeed.
 
By Barb on January 5, 2008 11:07 AM
Maj. Olmsted's final post is a good life lesson for us all - a fitting post for a life lived with vigor and love. My heart breaks for his family and friends. Tim - you pinned it well. Because he didn't know us, and went to fight, for us - no greater love is right. Well said.
 
By doubletapper on January 5, 2008 5:23 PM
He will surely be missed.
 
By Ledger on January 6, 2008 4:41 AM
Maj. Olmsted and Captain Casey, God speed. I did enjoy Maj. Olmsted “last post.” He was one hell of a guy. I hope his buddies get the thugs who did this. Two good officers in one swipe should not be taken lightly by Army.
 
By BillT on January 8, 2008 8:20 PM
*setting up the Coke fountain behind the bar at Fiddler's Green -- and polishing the crystal glasses...*