In 1907 the Philippines was home to

In 1907 the Philippines was home to the only fully manned, combat-ready infantry force in the U.S. Army. Additionally, the islands were the only location where soldiers received foreign-service credit on their records. The secretary of war, William Howard Taft, the only man in the Army who could change Arnold’s assignment, was himself in the islands overseeing the establishment of new Army posts. Although Arnold may have considered tracking him down and pleading his case in person, he must have realized that the secretary of war would not long remain overseas.7 It is much more likely that Arnold chose the Philippine Island assignment for the first two reasons. It was an opportunity for actual combat, and at the same time it filled the foreign- service block contained in his military records.