One Brick Short

Major Andrew Olmstead, whose official DoD death notice appears here, is reaching after death through his blog.

Major Olmstead was a regular blogger for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, Colorado. It was through comments to his blog that friends and family found out about his humanitarian efforts in Iraq, his concern for the people and his belief that what’s going on is the right thing. It’s also where friends and family first heard about his death in combat and the death of a colleague, Capt. Tom Casey.

You can see the Rocky’s blogs and comments at http://blogs.rockymountainnews.com/denver/iraqiarmy/archives/2007/12/seeking_support.html#comments

Maj. Olmstead, a incurable blogger, wrote a missive to be published after his death. It’s poignant. It’s funny. It’s maddening and saddening. It’s the way all writers would like to leave, with the last word. He had this to say about his death:

“I do ask (not that I’m in a position to enforce this) that no one try to use my death to further their political purposes. I went to Iraq and did what I did for my reasons, not yours. My life isn’t a chit to be used to bludgeon people to silence on either side. If you think the U.S. should stay in Iraq, don’t drag me into it by claiming that somehow my death demands us staying in Iraq. If you think the U.S. ought to get out tomorrow, don’t cite my name as an example of someone’s life who was wasted by our mission in Iraq. I have my own opinions about what we should do about Iraq, but since I’m not around to expound on them I’d prefer others not try and use me as some kind of moral capital to support a position I probably didn’t support. Further, this is tough enough on my family without their having to see my picture being used in some rally or my name being cited for some political purpose. You can fight political battles without hurting my family, and I’d prefer that you did so.

“On a similar note, while you’re free to think whatever you like about my life and death, if you think I wasted my life, I’ll tell you you’re wrong. We’re all going to die of something. I died doing a job I loved. When your time comes, I hope you are as fortunate as I was.“

Read it for yourself at http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2008/01/andy-olmsted.html.

Godspeed Major Blogger. I didn’t know you, but I’ll raise a cola with a little 80s rock-and-roll for ya.