Godspeed Major Andrew Olmsted

Posted By Blackfive

Just a month ago, I was interviewed by Chicago Magazine where the reporter asked me what blogs I read - I gave her Mudville, Mike Yon, Acute Politics and Andrew Olmsted.

I just found out that, yesterday, Andrew Olmsted's unit was ambushed.  Andrew was killed.

I will put something up later.  But right now I need to work through my grief.  I know that you're pissed about that, Andy, I'll try harder.  I just have no words right now...

He has a last post up at his blog and you must go and read it.

...Soldiers cannot have the option of opting out of missions because they don't agree with them: that violates the social contract. The duly-elected American government decided to go to war in Iraq. (Even if you maintain President Bush was not properly elected, Congress voted for war as well.) As a soldier, I have a duty to obey the orders of the President of the United States as long as they are Constitutional. I can no more opt out of missions I disagree with than I can ignore laws I think are improper. I do not consider it a violation of my individual rights to have gone to Iraq on orders because I raised my right hand and volunteered to join the army. Whether or not this mission was a good one, my participation in it was an affirmation of something I consider quite necessary to society. So if nothing else, I gave my life for a pretty important principle; I can (if you'll pardon the pun) live with that...

Goodbye, my friend, and Godspeed.  I miss you already...

[I'm turning off the comments here.  You can go to Obsidian Wings and leave a Comment of condolence and support for his wife and family.  Andy does not want his death to be a political point so don't make one.]

Update:  The Rocky Mountain News report, written by David Montero, has done an outstanding job of trying to sum up Andy in a few hundred words...impossible, yet nicely on target.

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Comments

Godspeed Major Andrew Olmsted

Just a month ago, I was interviewed by Chicago Magazine where the reporter asked me what blogs I read - I gave her Mudville, Mike Yon, Acute Politics and Andrew Olmsted.

I just found out that, yesterday, Andrew Olmsted's unit was ambushed.  Andrew was killed.

I will put something up later.  But right now I need to work through my grief.  I know that you're pissed about that, Andy, I'll try harder.  I just have no words right now...

He has a last post up at his blog and you must go and read it.

...Soldiers cannot have the option of opting out of missions because they don't agree with them: that violates the social contract. The duly-elected American government decided to go to war in Iraq. (Even if you maintain President Bush was not properly elected, Congress voted for war as well.) As a soldier, I have a duty to obey the orders of the President of the United States as long as they are Constitutional. I can no more opt out of missions I disagree with than I can ignore laws I think are improper. I do not consider it a violation of my individual rights to have gone to Iraq on orders because I raised my right hand and volunteered to join the army. Whether or not this mission was a good one, my participation in it was an affirmation of something I consider quite necessary to society. So if nothing else, I gave my life for a pretty important principle; I can (if you'll pardon the pun) live with that...

Goodbye, my friend, and Godspeed.  I miss you already...

[I'm turning off the comments here.  You can go to Obsidian Wings and leave a Comment of condolence and support for his wife and family.  Andy does not want his death to be a political point so don't make one.]

Update:  The Rocky Mountain News report, written by David Montero, has done an outstanding job of trying to sum up Andy in a few hundred words...impossible, yet nicely on target.

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» Feeling the loss; RIP Maj. Andrew Olmsted from Rosemary's Thoughts
MAJ Andrew Olmsted was killing in action January 3, 2008, and I just do not have any words to say how sorry I am to his family and friends. ... He did leave us one last post which he gave to hilzoy to post in such a case as this. So at least he deafe... [Read More]