Lieutenant Colonel Olmstead commissioned from the United States Naval Academy in 2003. Trained as an Infantry Officer, in the Fleet Marine Force he has served as a Light Armored Reconnaissance Platoon Commander, H&S Company Executive Officer, and Fire Support Coordinator for 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Rifle Company Commander for 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Battalion Executive Officer for 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, and Assistant Operations Officer for both 6th Marine Regiment and 7th Marine Regiment. Additionally, he has served on Security Force Assistance Advisory Team missions in both OIF and OEF, served as a Company Executive Officer and Company Commander at Advanced Infantry Training Battalion – East, served as the Inspector-Instructor for D Company, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, and served as an Operations and Tactics Instructor and the Operations Officer for Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group. Prior to his current assignment as a Faculty Adviser at Command and Staff College, he served as the Current Operations Officer for Task Force 51 / 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Bahrain. During his career, Lieutenant Colonel Olmstead has deployed six times to the CENTCOM AOR, serving three tours in Iraq, two tours in Afghanistan, and one tour as part of SPMAGTF-CR-CC in Kuwait.
Lieutenant Colonel Olmstead has a BS in History from the United States Naval Academy and is the recipient of the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (two stars in lieu of third award), Navy Commendation Medal (one star in lieu of second award), Navy Achievement Medal with “V” device (three stars in lieu of fourth award), and Combat Action Ribbon (one star in lieu of second award).