Hero and 'Heroine' - Olaf Schmid gets GM
 

This is worthy of time in this forum about a man and a woman parted by the war in Afghanistan. Be warned, it will tug at your heartstrings.

Christina Schmid: "Olaf and I were everything to each other" - Telegraph

Very good piece, very sensitively written. An amazing woman, considering what she is going through.

Total, utter, respect.

It is humbling to read. Every politician out there should read it. Behind yet another statistic is a story of a brave man, a much loved husband an adored father and an irreplaceable son. This man, like all the others is not a statistic, he was real, and he has sacrificed everything for the whims of the politician. Olaf need not speak of his worthiness with God, but the politicians will have a lot of explaining to do. If there is a God (as the man that sent Olaf out there believes) then Olaf has spent a short time on Earth and experienced many moments of terror, but will now spend an eternity in peace, the same politician who sent him there (we all know his name), will spend a short life filled with power and privilege and an eternity filled with...terror. RIP Olaf and much respect Mrs Schmid.

Very moving. Possibly not the right place to ask, but: Watching the repatriations through Lyneham, and the subsequent cortege through WB, is there a significant time lapse between the 2 events? I ask because I find it strange that the families are in WB high street rather than at Lyneham, or is there sufficient time for them to be present at both places? It is, of course, the families choice to mourn where and how they want to, but I was just curious as to whether it was an either/or situation?

Mystic

It is exactly the right place to ask! I am sure if someone reads who is in the know or who has participated in the repatriations at Lyneham they will let you (us) know.

Roger S,

You are absolutely right that every politician should have to read the article. That woman is the complete antithesis of everything that GB and his bunch of cronies stand for - as was her brave husband.

How I wish that I could meet her face to face and tell her how much I admire her courage, how much I respect her and how much sympathy I have for her and her son.

here's a link to the lady talking to the press at Wootton Bassett, an incredibly moving speech, let's hope the politicians watch and reflect.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8343706.stm

An outstanding Soldier, and an outstanding lady. :(

Damn dust in here. Makes it so hard to type. Michael Yon's blog thingy has some increadible pictures of Olaf. There was a true hero. And you can see it in the pictures. How humble and professional. Huge respect to Mrs Schmid for being able to stand tall through this time.

An amazing woman. Up there, Oz will be proud of her.

I too found it strange that the lady turned up on TV in WB ahead of her husband's cortege.

But I suppose there is a simple explanation for this (and others before)

After the C17 bit, they go over the road to the Chaplains place for a period, and it must be at this stage that they have the option of going to Wooty B ahead of the cortege.

Notice that this is not a normal funeral cortege, its seems the only vehicles are the hearses. It is, of course, a repatriation, and delivery to (I think) John Radcliffe Hospital Morgue.

The repatriation I attended the other week had the families and Stn Cdr arriving about 10 - 15 mins before the hearses. It seemed to me that they were given the chance to get to WB to be with the familiy and friends who could not attend the private service at Lyneham.

Mrs Schmid - words failed me in my attempt to say more than I am humbled by her courage and dignity.

I second that.

As robins1 mentions above, this truly remarkable lady spoke with pride and love of her late husband at Wootten Bassett and I repeat the link here for those wishing to see and hear such raw courage:
BBC NEWS | UK | England | Explosives expert's body returned
Thanks for the Telegraph piece PPRuNe Pop, it reminds us that behind the brave men and women that do their dangerous work on our behalf are partners, husbands, wives, parents, brothers, sisters and most vulnerable of all, children. In the worry that they bear from day to day and sadly for some the grief that will have to be borne for ever they too do their duty on behalf of us all. Christina Schmid is an amazing ambassador of that great force that lies behind our Armed Forces -The Next of Kin!
Lastly a word of praise for the writer of the article, Elizabeth Grice. A beautifully written piece, Ma'am. I don't know if you have served or have lived in a military family, but you put your finger on the nub of it so well that if you have not you have none the less absorbed the very ethos of it here. Well done!

Now he is laid to rest. RIP 'Staff'.

Widow of Afghanistan soldier Olaf Schmid pays tribute to 'warrior' husband - Telegraph

Correct. Oxford's RBL branch ensure a good turnout as the hearse(s) pass through.

Utmost Respect
 

I slept in the next bedspace to Oz in Bastion some years back. He was the appropriate mix of "mad as a bag of frogs" and "consummate professional". He made the tent plenty of fun, yet earned the highest level of respect.

I was gutted when I heard the sad news, "Olaf Schmid" isn't a name you forget quickly (although it did take me a moment to recognise him in that shaggy-haired photo, he was shaved bald back then!) and this award is well deserved.

UN

Won't bring him back, but so well deserved. Hopefully will be of some consolation to his family. RIP