When Wilford E. Smith became a U.S. Army chaplain in 1944, he had never worn a military uniform before. But after serving as a chaplain for 32 years in full-time and reserve Army units, a uniform fits him just fine. he retired as a colonel in 1976, but just completed a one-year term as national chaplain in the Reserve Officers Association on June 30.

He also served seven years on the U.S. Army Chaplains Board, three years as chaplain of the Utah Department of the Reserve Officers Association, and two years as president of the Central Utah Chapter of the ROA.A member of the Oak Hills 7th Ward, Provo Utah Oak Hills Stake, Brother Smith, 75, was only the second LDS national ROA chaplain. The first was Boyd Winterton, chaplain at the Salt Lake Veterans Hospital, who niminated Brother Smith for the position.

During the past year, Brother Smith's responsibilities have included conducting ROA national conventions and presiding over a ceremony where a plaque in the ROA building in Washington D.C. was dedicated in honor of a former ROA chaplain.

Brother Smith said the plaque is "also in remembrance of what chaplains stand for in the military."

And brother smith stood for honor and integrity throughout his years of service as a chaplain. His high standards earned him the respect of colleagues nationwide and helped foster a greater acceptance of Latter-day Saint chaplains.

He explained that during the 1940s when he entered the military, LDS chaplains were often looked down on or worried about "in spite of the excellent service that had been provided by many LDS chaplains during World War Ii. We were thought of as kind of a sect until we proved ourselves. That's all changed now."

Through the years, Brother Smith was around to see and be a partof the growing acceptance of LDS chaplains. He completed chaplains basic training at Harvard Univeristy in 1944, and was commissioned a first lieutenant and assigned to a field hospital in Illinois. The unit was sent to Okinawa in April 1945.

He also wrote to the parents of soldiers who were killed and sometimes just on special occasions to let family members know how a loved one was doing.

Brother Smith was well-qualified for his years of service as a chaplain. In 1944, the requirements to be a U.S. chaplain were to have a backelor's degree and three years experience as a minister. He had received a bachelor's degree in sociology, with a minor in psychology, and a teaching certificate from the University of Utah in 1943. With his 2 1/2-year mission to New Zealand from 1936-39 and a year of teaching seminary in Panguitch, Utah, he qualified and received his ecclesiastical endoresement from then-Elder David O. McKay of the Council of the Twelve.

Brother smith Increased his qualifications by taking a career officer course and other advanced courses iin administration, and by graduating from Command and General Staff college at Fort Leavenworth, Mo., in 1973.

He also balanced an extensive secular education and career along with the duties of a chaplain. following his discharge from the Army, he taught seminary in Provo, Utah. He attended BYU at the same time, working on his master's degree in educational administration, which he received in 1948. It was while studying for his master's degree that BYU hired him in 1947 to teach sociology, whith an emphasis in crime and social problems.

In 1952, brother Smith received a doctorate from the Univeristy of Washington in Seattle, Wash., in sociology.

He also taught at the Chruch College of Hawaii, now called BYU-Hawaii, and was also a visiting professor at other universities. He directed the BYU Semester Abroad program in Austria and France and can speak the Maori, French and bislama languages.

A tradition of military service seems strong in the Smith family. Brother Smith and his wife, Ruth C., have five children, three of whom serve in the military.

Brother Smith not only set an example of service to country for his children, but also service to God. His church assignments have included presiding over the Fiji Suva Mission from 1981-84, and being a high councilor, stake Sunday School president, and stake Sunday School president, and stake athletic direcotr. He is currently serving his second time as a bishop, as he presides over the BYU 1st Ward, BYU 6th Stake.