UNCLEAR WHEN BODY OF FALLEN SOLDIER WILL RETURN TO LOYAL
Tuesday, December 28th, 2004 -- 9:33 AM
The U.S. Military has officially confirmed the death of 36-year-old Staff Sgt. Todd Olson of Loyal.Lt. Col. Tim Donovan, spokesperson for the Wisconsin National Guard, says officials with the Wisconsin National Guard will focus on helping the Olson family through the grieving process.
Today (Tuesday), Major General Wilkening hopes to travel to Loyal to meet with the family to offer support. The National Guard has appointed a Casualty Assistance Officer who will spend as much time with the family as necessary to help them with funeral arrangements, benefits, moral support, etc.
Critical for closure will be returning Todd?s body to his hometown for memorial and proper burial, but it remains unclear when that will happen.
At some point, Donovan says, Olson's body will be flown to Dover Airforce Base in Delaware.
"He'll remain there for a day or more and then be returned to his family in Wisconsin," Donovan explained, "It can take a week - it could take longer, too."
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