Red speaks:

I first met Smitty when we went through Basic Training together at Fort Ord, California, in July of 1973. When we graduated, we were both sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky, to the Armor School for Advanced Individual Training. Following AIT, we were both assigned to Fort Hood, Texas and there our paths diverged. I went to the 1st Cavalry Division and he was assigned to the 2nd Armored Division.

Fast forward 5 years and I ran into Smitty in the NCO club at Camp Casey, Korea, where we were serving in different units in the 2nd Infantry Division.

We shared a couple of beers and a few stories and he related the following:

In 1975, Major General Fair commanded the 2nd Armored Division. He had a habit of going to observe his battalions in the field whenever possible. One night, after a function, MG Fair, in his dress greens, had his driver take him out to where the 1st Battalion 66th Armor’s Tactical Operations Center (TOC- Army speak for a field Command Post) was located. When the staff car could not approach any further, MG Fair told his driver to wait for him there, then got out and walked up to the TOC.

Smitty was the Sergeant of the Guard at the TOC that night. The soldier who was at the perimeter entrance was a brand new private who had only finished AIT a few days earlier. Smitty was making his rounds when he approached the guard post. He was horrified to hear the following exchange: “Halt!”

The figure approaching the perimeter stopped.

“Advance one to be recognized!”

Up until this point, everything was going just as it was supposed to, following the script just like in training.

As the figure approached, he reached the correct distance, about 2 meters, where the sign and countersign (challenge and response) could be given quietly without being heard at a distance.

“Halt, who goes there?”

When he heard the figure announce “Major General Fair” the soldier froze, his brain locked up and he was unable to say another word.

Smitty was unsure just exactly how long the two stood there like that until, as he quickly approached the pair, he heard MG Fair say,”Soldier, are you going to leave me standing here at Attention all night?”

To which the soldier replied, “Oh, no Sir, Parade Rest!”