Army & Navy: Summer in the Mountains

In summer, the Army's mountain trooper sheds his skis and white suit—and his glamor. Then he looks like any other soldier except for a cocky ski cap, sole reminder of the days when he whooshed down slopes and tramped the peaks on snowshoes. Last week, somewhere in the West, he plodded up a narrow mountain path, holding the bridle of an opinionated mule. The view he saw was mostly the rump of the mule ahead; the sounds he heard were the clip-clip-clop of mule hoofs, labored breathing, an occasional heavy stumble over stone. And...