This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Man Who Grew Up in Edmonds One of Eight U.S. Airmen Killed in Afghanistan

Maj. Philip D. Ambard, an Air Force major, was killed at Kabul airport.

Maj. Philip D. Ambard, an Air Force man who grew up in Edmonds and lived in Colorado Springs, CO, has been identified as one of eight U.S. airmen killed Wednesday in Afghanistan.

A financially distressed 50-year-old Afghani Air Corps pilot reportedly opened fire at Kabul International Airport after an argument, killing seven other U.S. military personnel and an American civilian contractor. The shooter, identified as Ahmad Gul, was killed.

Mr. Ambard, 44, was born in Venezuela and moved to Edmonds at age 12. According to DJ Jakala, spokeswoman for the Edmonds School District, no records have been found that he attended school in the district. He joined the Air Force after high school, and served in the Air Force for 25 years. He was assigned to the 460th Space Communications Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, CO. Ambard, a foreign-language professor, and the others killed were trainers and advisers for the Afghan air force.

Find out what's happening in Kirklandwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“The U.S. Air Force Academy family is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own, Maj. Phil Ambard, and our heart-felt condolences go out to his family and friends,” Lt. Gen. Mike Gould told the Denver Post.

Mr. Ambard's wife, Linda, an elementary school P.E. teacher in Colorado Springs, and a noted runner, posted the following on her Facebook page yesterday: “I won't be posting mileage for awhile. My husband lost his life in Afghanistan yesterday. I am getting ready to fly to Dover, DE, to bring my Phil home.”

Find out what's happening in Kirklandwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The previous day, Mrs. Ambard posted: “My heart is broken. I lost my best friend and husband of over 23 years today. He paid the ultimate cost so that all might live free.”

According to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Mr. Ambard's sustained excellence was recognized in 2006 when he earned the distinction of Company Grade Officer of the Year for the Dean of Faculty and the entire Academy. In 2007, he was sponsored by the Department of Foreign Languages for a Ph.D. program at Denver University, which he completed in 2010.

Mr. Ambard was scheduled to return to the Department of Foreign Languages in Colorado Springs in January 2012 after his year-long deployment to Afghanistan.

Mr. Ambard was a father of two children and the stepfather to three of his wife's from an earlier marriage.

Here is a list of the deceased, provided by the Department of Defense:

– Maj. Philip D. Ambard, 44, of Edmonds, WA. He was assigned to the 460th Space Communications Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, CO.

– Maj. Jeffrey O. Ausborn, 41, of Gadsden, AL. He was assigned to the 99th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph Air Force Base, TX.

– Maj. David L. Brodeur, 34, of Auburn, MA. He was assigned to the 11th Air Force, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK.

– Master Sgt. Tara R. Brown, 33, of Deltona, Florida. She was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

– Lt. Col. Frank D. Bryant Jr., 37, of Knoxville, TN. He was assigned to the 56th Operations Group, Luke Air Force Base, AZ.

– Maj. Raymond G. Estelle II, 40, of New Haven, CT. He was assigned to Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA.

– Capt. Nathan J. Nylander, 35, of Hockley, TX. He was assigned to the 25th Operational Weather Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, AZ.

– Capt. Charles A. Ransom, 31, of Midlothian, VA. He was assigned to the 83rd Network Operations Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Kirkland