Andrew Olmsted

Maj Andrew Olmsted has been killed in action in Iraq.

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.

We exchanged a few emails while over there, nothing of any grand eloquence or deep insight - mostly of "hey, when you going to be down my way? Let's get together over a few fake beers..." variety.

It didn't happen.

It never will.

Here's his final post - the one he had written "just in case."