Newton Kansas – The city of Newton is mourning the loss of the latest casualty in Iraq. Eighteen-year-old Specialist Ronald Andrew Schmidt was killed early Sunday when his patrol vehicle overturned.

Barely out of high school, Specialist Schmidt was doing exactly what he planned; serving his country in Iraq. He enlisted with the Kansas Army National Guard when he was a senior at Newton High School.

"I would characterize Ronnie as very resilient, strong willed,” said Asst. Principal Roger Erickson.

Erickson knew Schmidt very well. He watched him grow from a typical high school boy into a young man.

Schmidt was a busy student at Newton High not only with classes, but he was with the wrestling team, and held a full-time job. He had a busy schedule that helped make him who he was. Erickson believes it was that drive to succeed that led Schmidt to the military.

"I think Ronnie was like a lot of kids, he saw it as a way to financially be secure and gain some training,” Erickson said. “Make sure he knew what he wanted to do with his life. It was a stepping stone to meet his goals."

Schmidt’s goal was to become a firefighter and while that dream won’t be realized, in Newton, many people say the young Kansas hero made his impact despite living such a short life.

Schmidt is the 10th Kansas Army National Guardsman to die in the War on Terror.