María Elvira Salazar: “I rise today in honor of MAJ Andrew Olmsted, who was killed on January 3 in an attack near Sadiyah, Iraq. Major Olmsted…”

“I rise today in honor of MAJ Andrew Olmsted, who was killed on January 3 in an attack near Sadiyah, Iraq. Major Olmsted was assigned to the 1st Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division out of Fort Riley, KS, but he and his wife, Amanda Wilson, lived together in Colorado Springs, CO. Andrew was 37 years old. He was the first American casualty in Iraq of 2008. Major Olmsted was a proud soldier whose sense of duty took him to Iraq--whose commitment to his fellow soldiers earned him their deepest respect--and whose compassion put him in the line of fire the day he died. Andrew was also an exceptionally talented writer. He shared his experiences and perspectives in Iraq with the world on blogs, including one he wrote for the Rocky Mountain News entitled 'From the Front Lines.' The thousands of readers who followed Andrew's deployment had the privilege of his frank, thoughtful, stirring, and often humorous take on the war, the Army, and politics. For a writer and reporter as gifted as Andrew, it is hard to find the words to properly honor his life and his sacrifice.”