General Vance had routed me through this concourse in full Service Dress because I wasn’t on my way to some routine briefing.

I was the Lead Inspector General Evaluator, assigned to carry out an unannounced readiness audit of an active Marine battalion as soon as I landed.

The formal dress uniform was mandatory because the assignment called for an immediate formal presentation at destination headquarters the moment I got off the plane.

My staff back home had kept the details off my preliminary briefing sheet on General Vance’s direct orders.

I folded page three back along its original crease, keeping the red stamp turned to the inside.