This is my 200th post. I wasn't sure what I wanted to talk about until a little while ago when I came across an article on Major Olmsted, a long time and well loved milblogger serving in Iraq.

As a lot of you know, I have become very involved with troop support. Even if you didn't know right off the bat...the growing number of mil related posts probably gave it away anyway. I have a hard time recalling what it was like not to be involved, I love what I do so much.

With that in mind and coincidentally, yesterday Katana from Belleau-Wood and I posted the first of what I hope will be many posts dedicated to giving troops and those who support them a place to share their thoughts on a new site we decided to call Words from Warriors.

I have learned more about the war in Iraq on milblogs than I have anywhere else. I think it is fitting to post Major Olmsteds last words as a blogger in order to illustrate what prompts some Americans to serve their country and to serve it with such valor and dedication. I think you might be surprised about the things he said--his final words.

January 04, 2008
Final Post
"I am leaving this message for you because it appears I must leave sooner than I intended. I would have preferred to say this in person, but since I cannot, let me say it here."G'Kar, Babylon 5
"Only the dead have seen the end of war."Plato*
This is an entry I would have preferred not to have published, but there are limits to what we can control in life, and apparently I have passed one of those limits. And so, like G'Kar, I must say here what I would much prefer to say in person. I want to thank hilzoy for putting it up for me. It's not easy asking anyone to do something for you in the event of your death, and it is a testament to her quality that she didn't hesitate to accept the charge. 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. Rest of post can be read on his site and condolences can be left at Obsidian Wings.