Butler County soldier killed in Afghanistan

Fairfield grad was on his first deployment. He’s 17th soldier from Butler County lost in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Three months after FAIRFIELD — arriving in Afghanistan for his first deployment, Hamilton native Nicholas Olivas was killed while on a patrol Wednesday morning.

His father, former Hamilton mayor and vice mayor Adolfo Olivas told the Dayton Daily News that his son was killed by an improvised explosive device in the Kharay area.

Adolfo Olivas said he and Nicholas’ mother and stepmother went to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Thursday to see his remains transferred from the plane that brought him back to the U.S. He said the family watched the dignified transfer on the tarmac from a distance.

Adolfo Olivas said his 20year-old son was a corporal with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. and had been deployed in Afghanistan since February.

His son enlisted in the Army after graduating from Fairfield High School in 2010.

The Department of Defense has not confirmed Nicholas Olivas death and no official release had been issued as of early Thursday evening.

Olivas was the youngest and only son of four children to Adolfo Olivas, who served as Hamilton’s mayor and vice mayor from 1984 to 2002, and Marian Olivas, a Butler County Sheriff ’s deputy.

“He was in the last wave of soldiers who were trained as interpreters,” Adolfo Olivas said. “He was up for that job and he excelled at that job.”

“Deep inside, he viewed himself as a protector,” Adolfo Olivas said.

Last year, Nicholas Olivas married fellow Fairfield graduate, Faith, and the couple welcomed baby Connor in January, his father said.

Adolfo Olivas said his daughter-in-law did not make the trip to Delaware. “She’s a trooper,” he said. “She’s taking care of her child. She’s holding up well and is surrounded by family and friends.”

As for himself and the rest of the family, Adolfo Olivas said they are holding up as well and “we’re supporting each other the best we can.”

Mr. Olivas said funeral arrangements were still pending but that his son indicated to him and his mother that he wanted to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Adolfo Olivas said his son was an avid fisherman and loved hunting.

“It was his quiet time; he liked doing it on his own and with friends,” Adolfo Olivas said.

At Fairfield High School, Nicholas Olivas was on the wrestling team. Ronald Masanek, the longtime wrestling coach at Fairfield, described Olivas as an “unselfish wrestler” with betterthan-average skill.

“He was very responsible, dependable and accountable,” Masanek said, who added Olivas moved between the varsity and reserve squads.

Masanek said the news of his death was a shock.

Fairfield High School Principal Billy Smith said Olivas was known to his teachers for having a positive attitude.

“He was the type of student who would stay after class just to talk,” Smith said. “He consistently talked about his excitement to serve the country.”

Adolfo Olivas said his son enlisted in the military in part because of having family members who also served.

“We’re all very proud of his dedication to his country and family,” Adolfo Olivas said. “He was quiet about it, but he was trained to be an interpreter and translate.”

Over the past decade, Butler County has lost 17 service members in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. In early May, Marine Sgt. John P. “JP” Huling, 25, of West Chester Twp., was killed in Afghanistan.

In 2011, Army Spc. Michael B. Cook, 27, of Middletown, was killed in Iraq; Marine Cpls. Adam D. Jones, 29, of Germantown, and Lucas T. Pyeatt, 24, of West Chester Twp., were killed in Afghanistan.

Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said the death has hit the department hard.

“We are a family here,” Jones said. “Marian is a wonderful employee and a perfect mother.”

Jones said he knew Nicholas in his youth when he attended department events with his mother. Marian Olivas has been with the sheriff ’s office from more than 20 years and has also been a Hamilton police officer, Jones said. She is currently the sheriff ’s office training specialist.

The sheriff and others were with Marian Olivas Wednesday just after she received the news from soldiers at her Butler Tech office.

“It just tears you up,” Jones said. “I’m still choked up talking about it.”

Jones noted his son also served in Afghanistan and Chief Deputy Anthony Dwyer’s son is currently stationed there.