Lt. Col. F. Tallant Smith

Former Baker City resident F. Tallant Smith recently took the oath of office as lieutenant colonel in the U. S. Army at Fort Meade, Md.

Smith grew up at Wingville and attended Baker City schools before entering New Mexico Military Institute at Roswell, N.M. He graduated from NMMI in 1984 as a second lieutenant in the Army. Since that time he has accepted posts all over the United States and abroad, including Italy, where he first met his wife, Maj. Tara Keene Smith.

Tallant was promoted by Col. Bonnie Morrill, his commanding officer at Reserve Forces Directorate of the National Security Agency at Fort Meade.

His wife, Tara, and sister, Lt. Col. Sharon Smith, pinned on his silver oak leaf clusters during the promotion ceremony.

Smith is the son of the late Lloyd Smith, and Joyce and Dave Hunsaker. He is the grandson of Phyllis Badgley of Baker City.