People You Meet Along the Way...
Fields was as sharp a soldier as you could ever envision. Razor creases in his pants, shirts sharply pressed with the ever impressive military creases in the back, shoes like glass, hair always high and tight... courteous, professional, knowledgable, always helpful...the perfect VIP driver. His car was always spotless inside and out and carefully inspected and maintained daily. He was also one of the cleverest E4s I ever met.
On a late night mission, a pick up at Frankfurt International and deliver to the Visiting Officer Quarters at Patch Barracks, distance about 120 miles, Fields was tired. He had worked all day, took a dinner break, then headed to Frankfurt. Humming back to Patch in the middle of the night, his "principal" (that's security guy talk for the guy you are driving) started a conversation. This is always a bad sign. He worked the conversation around to his desire to see the famous Black Forest. He was only in Germany for a few days and his schedule was going to be hectic...not allowing him any time to do any sightseeing. Would it be possible, knowing it is a lot to ask since it is so late and so dark, but would it be remotely possible...if it isn't too far out of the way...to maybe swing through the Black Forest...just so he could say he'd been there.
Fields was very obliging, took an exit that deposited them in the darkest of woods, they drove along for a while...sure is dark...that's why they call it the Black Forest...day time it's still dark...thick woods...tall trees...where do they make the cuckoo clocks he'd heard so much about...of course they are all closed up this late but usually there are roadside stands through here...
After almost an hour, Fields got back on the autobahn and soon deposited the GS15 civil servant at his VOQ and headed for home.
He was called into the dispatch office the next day to explain what he was doing cruising around in the Black Forest in the middle of the night...this civilian wanted to tell Fields' boss what a fine driver he was and how much it meant to him to have that tour of the Black Forest even if it was night. Fields laughed and explained. They weren't anywhere near the "Black Forest"....they just got off the autobahn and drove through some dark woods, he had made up everything else. They hadn't been within 75 miles of the Tourist Mecca....but the civilian left with a great impression of the Command, especially the helpful and thoroughly professional driver that went out of his way to provide story for the folks back home. He had seen the Black Forest