During intramural rugby, I hurt my neck. I had to go to the dispensary, and because I was experiencing severe neck spasms, they gave me some great drugs and sent me back to the squadron. I had such a problem walking that they had an airman escort me back.

Bill Kelly was my roommate, and he helped me get undressed, into bed, and placed the heating pad under my neck that the doc had given me. The heating pad would not stay in place, so he tied it around my neck with a uniform tie. I pretty much passed out until there was a hard knock on the door and a “ROOM TENHUT”. Unfortunately, the squadron commander, Dan Goodrich was escorting a group commander through the squadron on a random room inspection. When the group commander randomly chose my room, he knew he was being punished for all his past misdeeds.

As I was startled awake, I reflexively snapped into attention with a crisp salute, dressed only in my uniform tie and heating pad. Being distracted by my appearance, I don’t think the group commander noticed the condition of our room – all he could do was look at Kelly and say “this man is out of uniform”. As Kelly tried to explain, he hurriedly left the room with Goodrich in tow. The squadron passed the inspection.