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Olmsted compassionate to the end

Army major was trying to spare three insurgents

John C. Ensslin and David Montero

Published January 7, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.
Updated January 7, 2008 at 11:41 a.m.

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He was the first 2008 casualty 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. Also killed was Cpt. Thomas J. Casey, 32, of Albuquerque. Above, Olmsted packs his equipment prior to a training exercise at Fort Riley, Kan. in June of 2007.

Photo by Javier Manzano © The Rocky

He was the first 2008 casualty 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. Also killed was Cpt. Thomas J. Casey, 32, of Albuquerque. Above, Olmsted packs his equipment prior to a training exercise at Fort Riley, Kan. in June of 2007.

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A sniper killed Maj. Andrew Olmsted as he was trying to talk three suspected insurgents into surrendering, relatives confirmed Sunday.

A sniper's bullet also cut down Capt. Thomas J. Casey as he rushed to Olmsted's aid during the small arms firefight in Sadiyah, Iraq, on Thursday.

"They were pursuing some insurgents," Casey's brother, Jeffrey, said. "Major Olmsted got out of his vehicle and was pleading with these three individuals to stop and surrender so that the team would not have to fire upon them and kill them."

"Unfortunately, there were snipers in the area, and apparently that's when Major Olmsted was hit," Jeffrey Casey added. "He didn't want to kill these individuals. He was trying to save their lives."

After the gunfire erupted, Thomas Casey went to help Olmsted, thinking that the three suspected insurgents were responsible for the shooting, his brother said.

"That's when he took his bullet," Jeffrey Casey said. "The fact that a sniper round caught him in the neck . . . that's just one of those fluke one-in-a-million shots."

Army officers relayed a brief account of the gun battle after they informed Casey's father, John, that his son was dead. Olmsted's father, Wes, also confirmed the account.

The fact that Olmsted tried to talk rather than shoot first wasn't surprising, his father said.

"That's him," Wes Olmsted said. "As a warrior - as my wife would call him - he never really wanted to fire his weapon as his first option. Now, I kind of wish he did."

Olmsted, of Colorado Springs, had been writing a blog, "From the Front Lines," about his experiences in Iraq for the Rocky Mountain News.

He and Casey were part of a team that was responsible for training Iraqi police and military forces.

Olmsted, 38, and Casey, 32, were the first two U.S. casualties of 2008 in Iraq. A third soldier, Sgt. 1st Class Will Beaver, was wounded in the neck during the gun battle, Jeffrey Casey said.

Casey said he and his father were golfing in Albuquerque on Thursday when his father let out an anguished howl after listening to a voice-mail message on his cell phone informing him that three Army officers were waiting at his door.

In stunned disbelief, Jeffrey Casey e-mailed Olmsted, hoping against hope that the officers who had come to the family's door were somehow mistaken.

"If you get this and the information turns out to be false, please have Tom contact us as soon as possible," Casey wrote, unaware that by then Olmsted also was dead.

On Sunday, the younger brother said the Army's account made sense, based on what he knew about Olmsted through his blog and what he knew of his brother.

"Absolutely, from what I know about Major Olmsted, I firmly believe that's the way it went down - and from what I know about my brother, I absolutely know that was the way it went down."

"Tom was just a stand-up individual. He always had his family's back, and in this case, his family was his (Army) team."

Wes Olmsted said the unit in Iraq had a memorial service for the two fallen soldiers Sunday.

"They're going to send us a tape of it," he said. "That will be difficult to watch."

In the wake of the deaths, readers have posted more than 125 comments on Olmsted's Rocky blog, some from as far away as Australia and New Zealand.

One comment came from Capt. John K. Thompson, who served with Olmsted and Casey.

"They both displayed tremendous courage under fire," he wrote. "I am proud to have served with them. They will be greatly missed. We were all blessed to have known them. They will always be my brothers in arms."

Wes Olmsted said the outpouring of sympathy from around the country has been "incredible" and that he is proud that his son's life touched so many.

He said his son really enjoyed writing a blog for the Rocky and another one called "Obsidian Wings." He said comments from people who read them have helped the family through their grief, though they are still in a state of shock and sadness.

Services for Olmsted are pending. Services for Casey are scheduled for Friday in Albuquerque.

Readers can leave their comments honoring Maj. Olmsted by clicking on the "Reader's tributes" link above left.

Comments

  • January 7, 2008

    1:36 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Military_mom writes:

    My deepest sympathies to the families of Maj. Olmstead and Cpt. Casey. May we always remember the sacrifice these courageous men and their families have made.

  • January 7, 2008

    3:59 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Scott writes:

    Incredible story about Major Olmstead. My most heartfelt sympathies to his family.

    Scott

  • January 7, 2008

    7:45 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jcrwsh writes:

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ,jcrwsh

  • January 7, 2008

    9:18 p.m.

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    gianwilson97 writes:

    Andy, you will forever be in our thoughts and hearts. We love you and we love you Amanda.
    "Go rest high on that mountain, son you work on earth is through" Vince Gill

    Ian, Gina and Elisha

  • January 9, 2008

    11:29 a.m.

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    NavyLT writes:

    I never knew this man. I wish I had.

  • January 10, 2008

    12:30 p.m.

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    dzweifel writes:

    As much as we should appreciate his willingness to prevent unnecessary bloodshed field-grade officers are not supposed to initiate what their subordinates are delegated to do.

    Maj Olmsted was considered an HVA or High Value Asset and therefore should not have exited his command vehicle in this instance nor could his company-grade officer.

    Our officer corps is required to allow their non-commissioned officers and enlisted to take the chances.

    I remember on more than one instance during the VN war when a door-gunner in a command helo
    said to his battalion CO, "I'll eliminate the risks for you, sir..." and by golly that senior field-grade officer never forgot his particularly outstanding gunnery sergeant because it was that subordinate's duty assignment.

    Now that's the way we keep our command staff from becoming another statistic.

    But one must iterate however... God bless him for his selfless devotion to his troops.

    Maj Olmsted's sacrifice and that of his executive officer will hopefully not have been in vain and his memory ought to galvanize those in the battalion to protect at all costs their leadership's command.

  • January 15, 2008

    8:06 a.m.

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    Tree_Hugger writes:

    dzweifel,

    Thank goodness things have changed a lot since Vietnam. I recently retired from the US Air Force after 21 years. I served three tours in Iraq.

    When I was a security forces fire team leader, I would have remained behind cover and given the insurgents 30 seconds to surrender. If they didn't come out with their hands up, I would have my M203 grenadier launch a 40 mm high explosive grenade into their midst.

    Putting one's life at risk to show mercy to murderous insurgents is fool's errand.

    (This is just how I was trained to handle situations like this, and I do not mean any disrespect to Maj. Olmsted. I wasn't there, so the situation might not be as simple as it appears.)

  • March 3, 2008

    1:42 p.m.

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    mrlancaster writes:

    Major Olmstead was a classmate of mine at prep school. I was saddened and made exceedingly thoughtful by the news of his death whilst serving in Iraq. I only hope we have the opportunity to try the current and former members of the Administration responsible for this travesty in Iraq in a court of law, and exact the kind of justice the death of a talented and Christian man like Maj. Olmstead deserves.