"Death is part of the job"
The news that one hundred British soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan this year is another stark reminder of the human cost of the military operation.
No one knows this cost better than Christina Schmid, whose husband, a bomb disposal expert, was killed in Helmand Province on 31 October - the day before he was due to return home to Britain.
Oz - as he was affectionately known - has been hailed as a hero by all those who served alongside him.
And his young widow Christina has also emerged as an iconic figure - noted for her quiet dignity in the face of tragedy and the powerful speech she gave at his funeral in front of hundreds of mourners.
Matthew Bannister spoke to Christina Schmid about her husband Olaf and about coping with her terrible personal loss.