Rocky Blogger Major Andrew Olmsted Killed in Iraq - David Montero, Rocky Mountain News.
Army Major Andrew Olmsted, a blogger for RockyMountainNews.com, died Thursday in Iraq. His mission was to teach members of the Iraqi Army how to defend their country and provide security for their people. He was a veteran blogger and he was determined to make a difference in Iraq.
He was the first casualty for 2008 in Iraq. And a small part of Maj. Andrew Olmsted likely would've chuckled at that fact. It would be droll and play into his sense of self-deprecation.
Major Olmsted's Rocky Mountain News Blog -- From the Front Lines
Major Olmsted's final post on AndrewOlmsted.com.
"I am leaving this message for you because it appears I must leave sooner than I intended. I would have preferred to say this in person, but since I cannot, let me say it here."
- G'Kar, Babylon 5
"Only the dead have seen the end of war."
- Plato
This is an entry I would have preferred not to have published, but there are limits to what we can control in life, and apparently I have passed one of those limits. And so, like G'Kar, I must say here what I would much prefer to say in person. I want to thank hilzoy for putting it up for me. It's not easy asking anyone to do something for you in the event of your death, and it is a testament to her quality that she didn't hesitate to accept the charge. As with many bloggers, I have a disgustingly large ego, and so I just couldn't bear the thought of not being able to have the last word if the need arose. Perhaps I take that further than most, I don't know. I hope so. It's frightening to think there are many people as neurotic as I am in the world. In any case, since I won't get another chance to say what I think, I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. Such as it is.
Bound for War, Set to Blog - David Montero, Rocky Mountain News (23 June 2007)
Maj. Andrew Olmsted has had to grow a mustache. He has learned to take off his sunglasses when speaking to Iraqis. But he knows that, despite his training, he'll face the unexpected in Iraq - and he plans to write about it.
Slideshow Tribute to Major Olmsted - Rocky Mountain News