Sgt. Schmid deserves the highest posthumous honor possible, in my opinion.
Posted on 11/03/2009 12:19:55 PM PST by PreciousLiberty
A bomb disposal specialist who had defused more than 60 improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan died when one went off as he tried to disarm it.
Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid, 30, was on his last day before two weeks of rest and recuperation after a five-month tour in charge of an improvised explosive device (IED) search team in Helmand province. He was due back there next month.
He died instantly when an IED that he was examining by the British forward operation base in the town of Sangin exploded on Saturday. The Ministry of Defence said that Staff Sergeant Schmid had a “natural aptitude” for bomb disposal work and had passed the course to become a “high-threat operator” this year. This qualified him to work in Afghanistan, regarded as the pinnacle of a bomb disposal specialist’s career.
He deployed to the country in June, and had rendered safe 64 IEDs. The Army has lost another experienced bomb disposal specialist this year. Captain Daniel Shepard, of the Joint Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group, was killed in Helmand in July. Staff Sergeant “Oz” Schmid joined the Army in 1996. He lived with his wife, Christina, and stepson, Laird, 5, in Winchester. His wife said: “Oz was a phenomenal husband and loving father who was cruelly murdered on his last day before two weeks off after a relentless five-month tour.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Sgt. Schmid deserves the highest posthumous honor possible, in my opinion.
I’ve never understood the mentality of signing up for a position that involved that level of russian roulette. Seems like one would have a better chance of survival being a ranger, force recon, or even SEAL (non-ordinance disposal).
As for now he is in a much happier place telling archangels to do 200 pushups per minute.
That’s exactly why he should be honored for heroism.
Heroes are those who’ll take risks no one else is willing to, regardless of their personal safety.
Good man died doing his duty. May he rest in the field of honor.
RIP, Staff Sergeant Schmid.
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