The Password
Once upon a time I was assigned to the
headquarters of the US Army's 1st Infantry Division. We
would go on what was called Field Training Exercises. These
exercises were to familiarize the headquarters staff with the
procedures that were to be followed during wartime. To simulate
wartime conditions, the exercises always took place in some dense
woods. One of the procedures practiced actually was more of a ritual
than a procedure that has been practiced by every army since time
immemorial: The daily assignment of a “challenge and a reply” -
code words which were used to separate a friend from a foe.
When it got dark, the headquarters area
was under blackout conditions. That is, no lights except
red-filtered flashlights were allowed outside of buildings, tents and
vans. These, one had to enter and exit through a double curtain that
blocked any light from escaping to the outside. Needless to say, on
a moonless, starless night it was pretty darn dark in among the
trees. Access to the headquarters was guarded, of course, and anyone
approaching by night when visual identification was impossible was
challenged with the challenge word. To be able to pass, one had to
know the proper reply.
As I had to enter the division
headquarters one evening after dark for a high level briefing, I
approached the guard point and was challenged with the appropriate
words: “Halt, who goes there?” I stated my rank and name and the
sentry said, appropriately: “Advance and be recognized!” I
gingerly stepped one step closer to the challenger who then said:
“Now,” at which time I took another step forward and the sentry
again said: “Now,” no longer in the required whispered tone. I
thought, what the devil does he want me to do, I'm already in his
face? At that point it came to me that some idiot had made the
challenge for the day the word “Now,” and I was expected to reply
to it and not step forward any closer.
