Posted by John Grisillo on February 15, 2001:

Rob Olson. At any other time the mere mention of the name brings a smile to my face. I smile because Rob had a way of making others feel good in the worst of times and he helped us truly cherish the best of times. Rob exuded "BLT" (Believability, Likability, and Trust)and you knew it immediately upon meeting him. As a rule of thumb, most of us can effectively balance 5 - 6 roles in our life. By all accounts Rob and Holly have balanced their roles as spouses, parents, leaders in their respective fields, friends, mentors, community members and children of God in a manner that inspires many of us. I am sure that Rob didn't fully appreciate the reach of his actions. I missed an opportunity to share an example of his impact on others with him, so I will share it with you. One rainy evening last fall I was running in the streets of downtown Charleston,SC. A car with 4 college girls blew their horn at me and asked me to stop. One girl jumped out of the car and asked me where I got my shirt from. I was wearing an E-2 Brew Dog shirt given to me by Tim Mitchell. I explained to her that a good friend of mine was the Tac for E-2. She immediately and increduously replied, '"You know Major Olson?! I said yes and she began to tell me how Major Olson was her brother's hero and role model. She spoke with conviction. She further explained that her brother almost left West Point but Rob took a very personal and impactful interest in him. Her whole family felt indebted to Major Olson. Rob's leadership made the difference in her brother's decision to stay. As I continued my run I surmised it would make a major difference in the rest of his life. From Charleston, SC to West Point, NY to BIG Falls, MN to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii and points beyond Rob Olson made an impact on many lives and left on us an indelible mark through his pursuit of a life well lived. It occurs to me that Rob and Holly have brought the idealism of our class motto, "Our country we strengten" to the real world in very tangible ways. I join all of you with prayers and support for Holly, the children and their extended family.

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