The Last Word

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.
-Major Andrew Olmsted

On Thursday Major Andrew Olmsted was killed in action in, making him one of the first three casualties of 2008.

Olmsted, who so eloquently explained why he went willingly to Iraq, was an avid blogger whose posts from the front lines gave personal insight into what has become an increasingly abstract and impersonal war. It was no surprise to any who had been following his blog that wrote a final post for hilzoy to publish in the event of his death.

I'm glad Andy -- generous as always -- wrote something for me to publish now, since I have no words at all.
-hilzoy

Though the post popped up in my feed reader on Friday morning and various people sent me links over the weekend, I couldn't read it until this evening. Every time I tried, the faces of my friends who are deployed in Iraq floated in front of me and my mind played tricks that these were their final words and not Andy's. But tonight I steeled myself and read his final post all the way through.

I'm glad I did. It's charming and heartfelt and funny and poignant and utterly devastating - an absolutely necessary read. Would that we could all have the opportunity to make so eloquent a final statement.

. . . 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.
-Major Andrew Olmsted

May we all be so lucky. Rest in peace, Andy.