Mom of South Plains soldier who died at Army base says he’d still be alive if someone had checked on him

LUBBOCK, Texas — The National Defense Authorization Act is headed to the Senate after it passed the House by a 217 to 199 vote on Friday. A new part of this bill bears the name of a soldier from the South Plains who died four years ago on an Army base.

Private second class Caleb Grant Smithers knew exactly what he wanted to be when he grew up.

“It’s as simple as checking on somebody. Had Caleb been checked on he could have still been alive today,” said Heather Baker, Smithers’ mother.

After graduating from Frenship High School, per his mom Heather’s request, he enlisted in the United States Army in May of 2019 and by December was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina as part of the 82nd Airborne Division.

“He was everybody’s brother. He was everybody’s best friend,” said Baker.

Less than eight weeks later, the goofy, dedicated 19-year-old was dead.

“Jodey (Arrington), he called me at like, ten at night the second day Caleb had passed away and he is incredible to me. That was incredible to have him give me that call,” said Baker.

The local congressman pledged his support to help but before she knew what help she would need, Caleb’s mom had questions. And she couldn’t find anyone with answers.

“My path has been very difficult. I don’t want other families to have to go through what I have had to go through the last four years,” said Baker.

When she finally got the Army report about his death, the air left her lungs. A head injury from standing up into a military vehicle, two trips to the hospital, a soldier who lied about checking on him, a roommate who complained about a smell that would later be attributed to Caleb’s decomposing body and a cause of death: viral meningitis, though the medical report could not confirm whether that was related to his concussion.

Six and a half days went by before anyone checked on him. By then, it was too late.

“I felt as though he was the ultimate forgotten, being left behind,” said Baker.

Heather couldn’t accept that. And neither would the congressman.

“The death of this young man sadly enough could have been prevented,” said Lubbock representative Jodey Arrington.

Heather would enlist in a new fight to make sure her son’s death was not in vain.

She found an attorney and went to work.

“Senator Cruz helped us out with a letter and next thing you know, I’m sitting in the Army secretary’s office in January and then followed by another meeting with the Inspector General,” said Baker.

Heather says a story of her son’s days in training carried her through the waiting and the darkness.

“He pushes her in front of him and every time she would lose momentum, she would feel his knuckles in the middle of her backpack. And she said he leaned forward and said, ‘Don’t give up now, ma’am. You got this.’” (Baker)

In the same spirit, the “Smitty Check” was born.

“These Smitty’s will ensure that there will be people in similar situations who will not have such a disastrous and tragic end but will be able to live out their dream,” said Arrington.

Arrington added the Smitty Check as one of several provisions to the National Defense Authorization Act, the legislation that funds the military. It would require every branch of the United States Armed Forces to adopt the Smitty Check into standard protocol and hold people who don’t accountable.

“As Caleb’s mom, I can’t be more excited for him because he gets to reach back through time and save lives through the Smitty Check. It’s his name,” said Baker.

The Senate version of the NDAA is expected later this summer.

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