Brad Hobbs writes:

Many of us knew Carl Oliver, but for those that didn't, a brief history...Carl grew up as an (ahem) M.A. (Russian), and spent most of his time
over in Kadena at the 90th. Eventually Carl ended up in San Antonio, and because he was a flyer, and he was needed, he answered the call, as
we all have. He volunteered for, and went to Saudi Arabia to be checked out as an RJ AMS. It wasn't an easy thing for him, but he stuck to it,
and he got his certification...riding the rack in probably the hairiest area that those who do what we do or have done do our business.

Carl volunteered to go back again. And it was there, after finishing breakfast in a tent that passes for the chow hall in a dust bowl in the middle of
nowhere, wearing Nomex with his boots on, walking to catch the crew bus to go in and "do it one more time" that Carl had a heart attack, and
died.

Many of us know that part of the story. Most of us don't know that Carl was one of us. He cross trained and became an MK on his way to San
Antonio, and worked in the Medina RSOC.

He may never have flown with a crew of his brother MKs. He may never have felt a tropical rain on his face in Panama, or looked out over the
beauty of the clouds over the Florida Straits...but I submit he was one of us, and I for one am sorry that he never got to share those things that all
the rest of us so fondly remember.