Back to Basics…The Lost Art of Basic Combat Fundamentals

[Ken White]

if it can be avoided...

[Pete]

*Nothing* migrates to Fort Riley if it can be avoided...

The Big Red One would be the last outfit in the world that would want to be left behind in a race to be starched and shiny-boots STRAC.

Question for Ken -- what was STRAC, anyway? Strategic Command? The figure of speech lived on way after the existence of the organization. In my time it had the connotation of being squared-away and ready for inspection.

[Ken White]

...what was STRAC, anyway? Strategic Command? The figure of speech lived on way after the existence of the organization. In my time it had the connotation of being squared-away and ready for inspection.

That was XVII Airborne Corps in the early to mid-60s. The STRAC appellation for squared away came from the propensity of the 82d and then 101st to spit shine anything not nailed down...

The Strategic Army Corps reported to US Strike Command, then commanded by one Paul D. Adams, noteworthy for relieving and firing more senior people than even did DePuy (and thus arousing the ire of the Personnel folks who actually had to work and scurry to find replacements...). He demanded and got results. Different world today...

[Tom Odom]

That was XVII Airborne Corps in the early to mid-60s. The STRAC appellation for squared away came from the propensity of the 82d and then 101st to spit shine anything not nailed down...

The Strategic Army Corps reported to US Strike Command, then commanded by one Paul D. Adams, noteworthy for relieving and firing more senior people than even did DePuy (and thus arousing the ire of the Personnel folks who actually had to work and scurry to find replacements...). He demanded and got results. Different world today...

Not only was Adams CINC US Strike Command, he was USCINCMEAFSA (Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia). Adams' personality conflicted with the equally large personality of Ambassador Godley in the Congo in 1964. Godley actually refused him country clearance.

Adams was also notable as a former member of the 1st Special Service Force (Devils Brigade)

[Ken White]

His acquisition of the MEAFSA title was a notable bit of bureaucratic guile. Nearly as I could tell, Adam's personality conflicted with most everyone. He never seemed terribly concerned. He was the ADC of the 25th in Korea and fought with everyone. He earned the ire of the entire 1st MarDiv when he was CofS Eighth Army -- except for one Platoon Sergeant whom Adams had given a bottle of Bourbon in Italy when he was the 1 SSF XO...

Never met Godley but I do know he and COL Laurent, the Belgique Para Cdo commandant in the fall of '64 were, um, not friendly...