The Drummer (2019) - full transcript

From the Northern
Tier in upstate New York,

you're listening to the
sounds from Midnight Jazz.

And now, it's the hour to settle
in to our late night block.

Can I help you?

Lookin' for Mark Walker.

That's me.

I heard a couple
of soldiers on base

talkin' about this place.

They say you help
soldiers get out.

I'm a lawyer,

I try to make a case to
their legal discharge.



Like Specialist Tanaka?

You know Mike?

Yep, met him a few times.

Yeah, I'm the one
that handling his case.

I'm a vet.

Vietnam?

Yes.

Then you know about
going to Canada.

Why don't you have a seat
then and tell me your name.

No, I'm not sure I
wanna tell you my name.

Well, then it's gonna
be hard for me to help.

You behind this?

Yes, I'm one of the
people organizing.

Corporal Darien Cooper,
10th Mountain Battalion.



My next deployment
will be my third.

Have you received
your orders yet?

Not yet but it'll be soon.

I have a wife and
child to think about.

Then let us get
you an appointment,

and if you wanna bring your
wife, your family, that's fine.

I get a four day
pass next week.

Can I call you in a few days?

Of course.

I need you
to do the laundry.

They called me in for an
emergency faculty meeting.

Are your clothes in the
basket?

Yes, and I left some
money on the table

next to your lunch.

It has been
confirmed that personnel

of the United States
Army committed a series

of human rights violations
against detainees in Iraq

but it's not just overseas,

here's Dee Santos with
an alarming update.

Two soldiers on the
base have been accused

by another soldier of
raping an Iraqi woman

and her mother during a dawn
raid in the suburbs of Baghdad.

The Bush Administration has
been under attack lately

for letting the Army recruit
soldiers with criminal records.

This is Dee Santos
reporting for channel one.

Yeah, okay.

Walker.

How you doing Captain?

It's a morning,
like any other.

Coffee?

Sure.

See those guys out there?

Hard to miss.

All of 'em, they've been
picked up by the local cops

for drunk driving, all of them.

Are they getting
evaluated for PTSD?

Of course.

A Captain in here
yesterday, back from Iraq,

he had crashed his
motorcycle at the town dump

and blew up the
transfer station.

He'd just bought the
motorcycle the day before,

he'd never even
driven one before.

Can't say why.

Impulsive he said.

And so why is it so hard
for me to get your help?

If I get too successful
trying these cases

the Army will just put
me on the other side,

they'll make me a prosecutor.

That's not a pleasant arm.

What can I do
for you Mr. Walker?

Some of my associates
aren't getting night passes.

How many soldiers
are we talking about?

Mm, I don't
know, 10, maybe 20.

Well the General knows
all about your place,

and your history.

Call me, please.

I'd like
to hear more about

the instant with
your staff sergeant.

You went to him soon after
you started having problems

performing your duties.

Yes, I, after Robby my
best buddy got killed,

I couldn't sleep and I was
feeling really low, you know?

So I went to Staff
Sergeant Connolly,

I was worried I
was gonna mess up,

put me or somebody
else in danger.

Then what happened?

Well, he didn't
really say much

but the next time I was with
the guys in my unit he...

Go on specialist.

He got behind me and
pretended, you know,

I was a girl and
he was doing me.

And he told the other guys
I was acting like a pussy

and this is what
you do to pussies.

How did it go?

All right I guess.

I gotta get outta here.

Excuse me, Major,
I'm Mark Walker.

Mike Tanaka's attorney.

I know who you are.

I have Dr. Mennard here

who's come all the
way from Texas.

We have his written report.

Okay, that report was
submitted six months ago.

I think that the Doctor
has additional information.

I think it would be in
everybody's best interest

if he testified.

My client has been
treated very badly

and I intend to pursue this case

if he doesn't get
a fair hearing.

They asked me things
all the way back

to my fucking childhood.

When will I know?

Oh, the report will probably
come out eight or 10 weeks.

Thanks again for coming
all the way out doctor.

Of course.

Call you as soon
as I hear anything.

He''ll be in real trouble,

if they take away his benefits.

Yeah, we'll make appeals
at every step of the way.

He was AWOL for a year.

You convince him.

Fighting in a war and all
the bullshit that happened

to him over there
it's not enough.

The key is, proving that
Mike had a prior condition,

and they call this
a sanity here.

We were in the same platoon,
he hung himself in 1981.

They remind me to keep working.

Hello?

Oh, yes, that's me.

Is your granddaughter
in the army?

Okay, come and see me in
Watertown as soon as possible,

But won't they arrest her?

I can't let her go through that.

I need to go.

Thank you for your help.

Sh, sh, sh, do you
wanna say hi to Daddy?

Hey, how's my
little guy today?

So I was thinking
maybe we can all go out

and do something
today off the base.

Sorry babe, I got
stuff to do.

What stuff?

Christ, Maria, what?

Do I have to explain
myself to you now?

This happens to be
my job you know?

What's going on with you?

What happened?

They assigned me to march
in the Columbus Day parade,

it's such a fucking joke.

And have you called
the lawyer back?

Shh, no, I have to schedule
another meeting in person.

I think you should.

Maybe he can help us.

I love you.

I love you.

Jesus Christ!

Get dressed.

We have an appointment in
Watertown later this afternoon.

An appointment, what
are you talking about?

You can't hide
out here forever.

We're gonna go see a lawyer.

Its okay.

Its all right.

Hey, its okay.

Sh, sh, sh.

I'm not going to lie to you.

This is not a
short, easy process,

but it begins with you
turning yourself in.

They're gonna put me
on the first plane back.

I can guarantee you hearing,

but I can't promise
you the outcome.

So can you tell me why
you didn't report to duty?

Come on honey, you were
different after the second tour,

she stays in bed most days,

she'd still be there now, if I
didn't make her come with me.

I'll need a
psychiatric evaluation

if we're going to pursue
a legal discharge.

So they won't punish
her for deserting?

Right now, Cori
is classified AWOL.

I wanna keep it that way.

So then what am I hoping for?

For now, a way out of hiding.

Are they gonna say my
granddaughter's crazy?

Because it's the
war that's crazy.

I already talked
to the army psychs.

I did a tour in Vietnam.

You were drafted?

You know what I was
doing when I signed up?

Army gave me a purpose.

I can't tell you what to do,

but if you're going
to work together,

I need this to move forward.

You don't have to do this.

Just get it over with.

I signed up to pay for college.

They trained me to drive
in the support convoys.

I didn't see too much combat.

You saw combat?

I was a gunner in a
Humvee a couple of times

and the army called
it, combat support.

That's what they called it.

That's how they got
around the regulations

when they ran out of men.

Did that make you angry?

No, I was as good as the men.

I liked the responsibility.

Do you like working
under your superiors?

In the military you don't
have much of a choice.

You do what they tell you.

It just that it can be an
issue, especially for women.

Yeah, tell me about it.

What do you mean by that?

I had some problems
with my staff sergeant.

Can you elaborate?

He used to say shit to
me and I just ignored him.

But, he started touching me,

grabbing my butt,
shit like that.

I
told my CO and he said

that there were more important
things to worry about.

And in a fucked up
way, I agreed with him.

We were in combat.

People were-

- Nevertheless, what
he did was a crime.

The CO or the asshole?

Both.

I woke up one morning

and he was standing
right in my face,

with his fucking dick out.

And that's when I
fucking went nuts.

I would start screaming,

I went crazy.

I went back to my fucking CO

and he said he would
do something about it.

And a few weeks later,
the motherfucker,

was promoted to unit commander
somewhere fucking else.

I have to ask you this,

do you ever have
suicidal thoughts?

But I can't sleep.

You know what never
sleeping feels like?

I don't know why we're doing
this,

we're never gonna use
these fucking things.

Hey, we've got that Appleby.

We as his way, we probably will.

Heads up boys we
jumping into Baghdad.

Fucking Appleby only
cares about himself

those maneuvers were made
around Fallujah were bullshit.

Hey, we're on patrol, man.

Why you always ragging
on Appleby anyway?

Because we shouldn't have been
in the streets without backup.

He just wanted his units
get combat time.

So we'll he can earn
his fucking medal.

That's bullshit.

Hey guys were home.

Remember we aint
fighting no Haji's anymore.

Shut up.

Look, he put our
unit in danger.

He didn't give a fuck about us.

Yeah, you've been complaining
ever since we got back,

we were on a mission.

One of which I was proud
as hell to be a part of-

- What's that gotta
do with Appleby?

He almost got us killed so he could
shake hands with the president.

Hey, will you guys chill out?

Yeah again, I'll fuck you up.

Are you're gonna beat
the shit out of me?

Yeah, I'd like to see you try.

We have a little
of

Hey, what the-

- Guys.

All right that's enough.

Hey, hey stop.

Stop it you stupid fucks. If anybody sees
this we'll be digging holes for weeks.

Oh, God.

Fuck man, you
really clipped me.

Yeah, you damn right I did.

Yeah, well, I'm glad
we were able to discuss

this like men.

What are you laughing at?

Give me a heart attack.

Crazy mother fuckers.

Hey, what's going on?

Nothing man, just
get the shit done.

Evaluation should
be back in a few days,

and you're welcome
to take a look

before making any
final decisions.

But if you decide
to give yourself up,

I need to schedule
a press conference.

Why, we didn't
talk about that?

The army is lying
about how many soldiers

are coming back with problems.

Yeah but, I'm a nobody.

And they don't want
me to speak out.

If you stay silent,
nothing changes.

I looked you up online,
said you were radical.

Recently, or when
I was really one?

Nobody pays too much attention
to what I do any day now.

My mom was always going
to meetings and protests

when she was clean.

I remember she took me all
the way to Washington once

when I was 10 to
some abortion rally.

That's when we lived in Detroit.

I'm from Battle Creek.

No way.

My dad worked at
the Kellogg factory,

graduated from Wayne State.

Wayne State, that's crazy.

I almost went there.

I joined up instead.

Would you go back?

No one left to go back to.

Where is she now?

Your mom.

She cut out four
years before I left.

Even Roberta doesn't
know where she is.

It's really beautiful up here.

Spent most of my high
school years up in Syracuse.

I didn't even know a place
like this existed upstate.

Just never thought I'd
be in this situation.

Cooper?

Hey, I thought that was you.

Yo, shit man.

How you doing?

Wrestler?

Oh, yeah, it's
Jake these days.

Man, I can't believe it.

You, um, you know, like.

No, I'm just on leave.

Well you're not
allowed to be here.

Yeah, I know.

Listen, I gotta go
inside, drop something off.

Um, do you, I dunno, you wanna
like hang out afterwards,

get a beer.

Yeah.

Great, awesome.

Meet me out here
in ten, all right?

All right.

All right.

You need some people
to drive ahead in cars.

You just can't walk from
Ithaca to Watertown.

I have to go, thank you.

Christian, man, I'm glad
that you can make it.

Man, I know it's
been a lot of trouble

getting passes off the
base and everything.

No word on my petition then?

No, I'm sorry.

I'm here.

Christian, this is
Dee Santos, News One.

All right, lets go up on here.

The protesters are coming
in from Buffalo, Elmira,

Ithaca and Rochester.

So what I was hoping is
that we get some coverage

of them on the road.

How many people
are we talking about?

500 maybe.

That's all?

This is 2008, not 1968.

Okay, if I could get
information on the protester, s

I can get you some stuff.

Alright.

Look what the cat dragged in.

Nathaniel.

Hey Mr. New York lawyer,

If I'm a New York lawyer,

what the hell am
I doing up here?

Yeah.

What the fuck are
you doing up here?

Just doing my duty, baby.

Christian would you
give this to Dee.

So Mr. Wise cop, where
the fuck have you been?

You're my main field organizer.

I know, I had my cell
off for a few days.

I had a bad weekend.

I put up messages for you.

Anything happened?

I'm off the meds.

I've been working
up to it for awhile.

I'm impressed.

How you feeling?

Less tired?

And, I can get a hard on again.

At my age you need pills for
that too.

All right baby come on.

There's a lady who wants to
see you.

He was upset about
something this morning,

but he wouldn't tell me why.

And then I went in this morning

and saw he took a four day pass.

He asked about Canada.

Well I discouraged
everyone from going that route

it's not the same situation
as it was during Vietnam.

NATO regulations
require that everyone

honors the extradition treaty.

What does that mean?

There's no coming
back legally.

He would never,
this is not like him.

He believes strongly
in serving his country.

He's done two tours.

He's not the man
that I married.

No I wonder, yeah, what
happened

Yeah, I was in a
hospital in San Diego,

nearly lost my leg from
where the IED hit me,

and those motherfuckers,
they want to send me back,

said I was fine, you know?

No way I was going
the fuck back there.

So, you know I saw
this thing, right.

About the soldier that
wanted to change his status

to a conscientious objector.

They wouldn't let him,

he had a fucking
family and everything.

So, you know, he took
off, came up here.

The one with the court case.

Yeah.

He's trying to
figure out what to do,

he gotta a kid now, you know?

Yeah, I remember that.

You had a boy, right?

Yeah.

You do know we're no
better than goddamn

immigrants up here, right?

Like, people are
nice, but work-wise,

we're no better off than like
the Africans or the Mexicans.

Jobs I'm talking about,

it's shoveling snow,
washing dishes.

I just wanna disappear.

Wanna take my family and-

- There's no way
out like that, man.

This world has gotten way too,

like,

there's no place left
to hide, you know.

All right, where the
fuck is this waitress?

♪ I said it, don't stop ♪
♪ ♪ Nah, just don't see ♪

♪ Send this perpetual ♪
war for perpetual peace ♪

♪ I said it don't stop ♪

♪ Nah, just don't cease ♪

♪ We will in a wage war ♪
in than name of peace ♪

♪ You see the flash pictures ♪
of Saddam and Osama ♪

♪ And all of a sudden they ♪
linked up and he partners fam ♪

♪ Fuck the power of words ♪

♪ It's the power of the image ♪

♪ When our president,
can't even ♪

Mike, what are you doing here?

I got my papers yesterday,
honorable discharge.

Honorable discharge?

That's great.

The general appeals
sign the orders?

Shit,

did you call Louis?

I'll do it as soon
as I get to Austin.

I wanted to clear out
as fast as possible.

We have to schedule
a press conference.

I bought a ticket on
the bus to Syracuse.

I'm taking the first
plane out in the morning.

Mike, we have
to publicize this.

People have to know.

I'm sorry, Mr. Walker.

I'm really grateful to
you and Dr. Mennard.

But I don't wanna make
a big thing outta this.

♪ Sitting at the table while ♪
we can't get a plate though ♪

I just wanna go home.

Hey, we
understand, okay.

You've been through a lot.

Thanks.

I should get going.

Thanks again.

♪ To say the list the ♪
will play this back ♪

♪ They've pushed it
on every tun right ♪

Bus to Syracuse?

Come on Walker, he
was fucking traumatized.

I'm trying to build a
soldier anti-war movement.

Not just get soldiers
out through AWOL.

He couldn't stand in
front of a microphone

for a million bucks.

I got to check
out these soldiers

before I take on the case and
I...

These soldiers have to
be willing to be a part

of something bigger
than themselves.

They were a part of something
bigger than themselves.

♪ I'm living my life out of ♪
my own beat ♪ ♪ I'm a drunk ♪

Hey.

Yeah.

Man, you can drink.

Yeah, its for show.

You sleep all right.

Yeah.

I like this place man,
how did you find it?

Housing for a friend that
I do some work for, you know.

Its all right, its just,

honestly, it can get noisy
as fucking Baghdad out here.

I need to get
back to my family.

Listen man, it's gonna
be tough, all right?

But you guys are gonna
make it here, you know?

Yeah, I don't know.

What

I mean, would you
rather go to prison?

I said, I don't know.

I might just go back.

To where?

You wanna go back to Iraq?

You do know why we're
fighting over there, right?

It's to secure oil
rights for fucking Exxon.

I don't give a
shit about that, man.

They can divide up the
treasure however they want.

I just wannt this last tour

and get the fuck out of there.

Oh, please, that's
such a fucking cop out.

And what you did isn't?

We both took an oath, man.

Fuck you, man!

I thought the reason
why you came out here

was because you were
against the war.

You know, the way I see it,

army eats
everybody fucking up.

Good, bad,

you're just not
ready to see that.

Maybe you should
talk to another lawyer.

What other lawyer?

He's vet.

He knows about
this kind of stuff.

And I trust him.

Hi Walker, it's Maria.

Just wanted to let that
Darien is back, thank God.

And he's safe.

Everything's back to normal.

Just wanted to give
you the heads up, okay?

Thank you again for seeing me.

Bye.

Who was that?

Wait, I thought you were
asleep, you scared me.

Who were you talking
to on the phone?

I left a message for
that lawyer Walker.

I went to see him when I
didn't know where you were.

Why?

I didn't... I was scared,

maybe I thought he
would know something.

I just went out there
to check things out.

And what'd you think I was gonna
do? I'm not that fucked up.

Baby, baby, look at me.

I would go wherever you
want me to go, right?

Do you really wanna run away?

My orders could
come through any day.

So why don't you call Walker,
maybe he could help you.

No, after this shit
I've been through,

I'm not leaving with
dishonorable discharge.

Dishonorable discharge?

What makes you think
that that's gonna happen?

Well, I'm not taking a fucking
chance, Maria, all right?

Okay.

Hey, hey?

Hey, I'm talking.

Don't you fucking walk away
from me when I'm talking to you.

Darien?

Darien, Darien!

Relax, relax, relax

Baby, its okay.

Mama's here son.

It's okay, it's okay.

Hi.

Are you here to see Walker?

Yeah.

I don't think there's
anyone in there.

You have an appointment?

Yeah, 3:00 PM.

You in the service too?

Where you stationed?

Camp Luka in Avijan.

Generator city.

Never got there.

You didn't miss much.

I'm Darien Cooper.

Nice to meet you.

Cori.

Wanna try the door.

Yeah.

Walker?

You here?

Walker?

Oh, shit, call 911.

Its okay.

No hospitals.

I'll go get some water.

I don't know how fucking long
I've been in this bathroom.

What happened?

I'm not sure, blacked out.

We should call a doctor.

No, no, no.

Give me a hand, okay.

Ready?

Yeah.

Three, two, one.

On the couch?

Oh, yeah.

Okay.

I got it here.

I'm sorry.

What time is it?

A little after three.

I can come back later.

Maybe it's best.

This is not good for both of
you to be here together here.

What difference does it make?

I'm gonna be out
tomorrow anyways.

I've been AWOL for six months.

Walker's scheduled a press
conference here tomorrow nights.

And after I'm giving myself up.

Why?

So that people could
know what happened to her.

No, no, no, I get that.

I mean, why'd you leave?

I don't know, just lay in bed.

Miss my flight out.

I knew how serious it was.

Yeah, I should probably
go, like you said.

Can you come back later and
we don't have a lot of time

to block you with deployment.

Army thinks I'm
perfectly fit to go back.

Maybe I am.

But you know that
doesn't mean anything.

They sending everybody back.

Good luck tomorrow.

Thanks.

How are you feeling?

Better.

Ooh, yeah.

You don't have to say anything
you don't want to tomorrow.

What do you mean?

The psychiatrist she said,

wrote in her report
that she has some issue

with your staff sergeant.

Yeah, they definitely don't
pay for that shit in basic.

Did she see him again?

Yeah, he was around,

I need some air.

Be careful, this is an army town

and you don't
wanna be picked up.

Dirty fucking habit.

You done already?

I need to walk.

There's a lake about
half a mile that way.

There won't be anybody
there this time of day.

Thanks.

You should go on in.

I really wanna thank
you for coming out tonight

to offer your support for
specialist Cori Gibson.

Come on.

Who up into six
months ago was in Iraq

with the 414th
Transportation Company.

Specialist Gibson was
ordered back to Iraq

for a third tour,
suffering from PTSD.

She went AWOL.

To stop that by now?

Plus she's gonna turn
herself in tomorrow morning-

- I understand you orders-

- For Drummer, in order
to pursue her case

for a legal discharge.

Specialist Gibson.

You're interrupting, sir.

We have orders to take
Specialists Gibson back to base.

Go back, well continue
this right here.

Miss Gibson's gonna turn
herself in tomorrow morning.

The judge advocate is
familiar with this situation-

- I don't know anything
about that sir,

we have orders to take
Specialist Gibson back to base.

Christian, get Layton on
the phone for me, please.

Sir, you can do
whatever you want,

but I will have to call
the civilian police

if you try to interfere.

I'm sorry, you're gonna
have to go with them.

I don't understand.

We'll figure this out
when I get to the judge.

Cori?

Oh my.

Cori, Cori?

Cori, is there
anything you wanna say?

Cori?

Come in tighter.

I'll be at the base
first thing in the morning

to figure out what
happened, okay?

We trusted you.

Mr. Walker, do you
have anything to say?

Any comment?

Now, I see you
had an exemplary record.

What went wrong
when you came home?

I just couldn't go back sir.

That's obvious,

but we'd like to know why.

Have you always
been a quitter?

Let her answer captain?

I don't know
how to explain it.

I just couldn't go back.

This is a fucking
waste of time.

Watch the language.

Women like you give
all of us a bad name.

Did you get along with your
fellow officers in the unit?

For the most part sir, yes.

What do you mean
for the most part?

I had some trouble
with my staff sergeant

and my commanding officer, sir.

What kind of trouble?

I didn't agree with the way

that they handled
some things, sir.

That's too bad, but
it's not your place

to challenge your
superior officer.

I know, I know that captain.

So what was the problem?

Nothing captain.

How did you feel when your
unit went back without you?

I wish none of us
had to go back, sir.

He's asking if you felt guilty

about abandoning
your fellow soldiers.

I'm concerned that you're
not telling us everything.

I'm not sure what you
want me to say, sir.

Just the truth specialist.

I have sir.

Then you are a coward.

You're signed up for this job

and you should finish
what you started.

What Captain
Rodriguez is saying

is the army will not
punish you for going AWOL.

If you decide to
rejoin your unit.

Where's Walker?

Where's my lawyer?

Where is she?

Someone should be
bringing her over.

What the hell
happened last night?

How did they know about
the press conference?

It wasn't exactly a secret.

Good morning,
Captain Leighton.

Captain, I thought you'd be
bringing Specialist Gibson.

No captain, General
Peels just told me

to be at your office at eight.

My client is under
extraordinary duress.

She is depressed and
possibly suicidal.

Captain Hall checking with
the mental health clinic.

I want to call the
MP headquarters.

She's got to be
somewhere on this base.

Morning, Major Hazleton.

Good morning, captain.

We're trying to locate a
soldier Specialist Gibson

who was arrested
off base last night.

The AWOL soldier.

Yes, we were told she
was taken to your unit.

She was assigned to mine
when she got back from Iraq.

We know that.

Where is she now?

You're the lawyer I saw
on the news last night.

I am Specialist
Gibson's attorney, yes.

You think you're
giving her good advice?

Major Hazleton.

Can you tell us where
Specialist's Gibson is now?

I tell my soldiers to stay
away from that coffee shop

you running in town.

Did something
happen to my client?

She was acting
mentally incoherent

by the end of the interview.

So I had her taken to
the local hospital.

I should have been notified.

I did her a favor.

She was facing a court martial.

I fucking can't
believe this shit.

Don't act like you're not
using her for your own cause.

Can I help you, sir?

Can I help you, sir?

I'm Specialist's
Gibson's attorney.

I just came from the base.

What's going on here?

All the beds in the
psychiatric ward are full.

We're waiting to hear if the
specialist will be sent

to
General or Walter Reed.

Walter Reed?

Whose orders are
you waiting for?

Get them on the phone right now.

You all right?

He didn't hit you, did he?

No, no, it's just stupid
questions and accusations.

I'm a quitter, shit like that.

What the hell happened Walker?

I'm sorry.

This has never happened before.

Why me?

Did you piss somebody off?

I have Captain Marcus on
the line.

You want anything?

Food, coffee?

Coffee.

Carlisle, go down
to the cafeteria

and get Specialist
Gibson coffee.

Hello Captain Marcus.

I just want some information.

My client came here
simply for an examination

and you're talking about sending
them to a psychiatric ward,

please don't tell me to be calm.

Captain Marcus wants
to speak to you.

Yes Captain Marcus sir.

Yes sir, yes, yes sir.

- Dr.
- Peter

Dr. Peter

Oh.

- Yes!
- Woo hah!

- Yes.
- Yay.

That was actually great.

Now you dig, you made it.

Look you won, I
let you win though.

Yeah right.

You all right babe?

Yeah, why wouldn't I be?

I'm gonna use the restroom.

Hey, I want that
rematch when you get back.

Lucky you guys date.

I aint supposed to
say anything yet,

but Carmen's pregnant.

It's the reason she
ain't here tonight.

Yes.

Yes.

That's great, man.

Congrats, I guess you
weren't shooting blanks

after all, right?

Thank you bro.

Thank you, I appreciate that.

I'm excited, man.

I really am,

but I'm kind of
freaked out, you know?

We're going back soon

and I probably won't be
here when the baby's born.

We can't think about that.

You right, you right?

Is that what you do?

Well, you shouldn't
come to me for advice.

What are you
talking about bro?

You the one who's always
bringing morale over there.

The guys look up
to you and shit.

Yeah it's fucking
bullshit, man.

I'm nobody's hero.

Oh, okay.

Man what's up?

I almost hit Maria
a few days ago.

Damn.

Yeah, and I feel
like I'm losing it.

What do you need De?

Talk to me?

No, I'm good.

Just gonna finish what
we started, right?

That's right bro.

Hey, you get home
before you know it.

Home before we know it.

I'm
scared for her, hey?

Her grandmother
get back in touch?

No she's spurious of me.

So is Cori, wherever she is.

You know, you can't force these
soldiers to become political.

All you can do is help the
ones who want a way out.

Oh, I should be an
environmental movement,

Tim, that's where all
the young activists are.

They see hope there.

What about you then?

Ever since I got back,
I don't think about hope.

I used to.

Why do you still do it then?

Resistance is all I have left.

Sorry to leave you like this,

but we do have a
demonstration to pull off.

We've got to keep our
eyes on the prize, huh?

Just turn on your
goddamn phone, okay?

Well first you should
learn how to text.

I'm scared.

I am too.

Anything?

No, I did all over town

nobody's seen or heard from her,

including her grandmother.

That's not good.

There's a lot that's
bad about this situation.

Why'd you let her get
away at the hospital?

I took my eyes off
her for a second.

The MP's were in charge.

Yeah, well, trust me.

They're in plenty of trouble.

Peels is furious.

I don't give a
shit about Peels.

Well, you should.

He's looking for
somebody to blame.

He should go after Hazleton.

I fucking wanted
to kill that guy.

I know, I did too.

He had no authority to
send her to the hospital.

The news got down
to the Pentagon,

Peels flew to
Arlington last night.

Hazleton I'll take
the brunt of it,

but he's also going after
you and the Drummer.

It's Cori Gibson, who
I'm worried about, okay?

You should be a little
more worried about yourself.

I've been in more difficult
situations than this.

Peels is going to be
back in town for the parade

in two days, make
them look real good

if Specialist
Gibson was there.

She was turning
herself in remember.

Until you tipped Peels off
about the press conference.

That's quite an accusation.

Who else knew?

What we had agreed to?

Why would he have her arrested?

She's turning herself
in the next day.

To set an example for
the rest of the unit.

So you knew that
they were going to stop

the press conference.

I was only doing my job.

I hope the army treats
you well for your loyalty.

You got until after
the parade to find her.

After that, I can't help you.

Good luck.

That shit took so long man, I
felt like I was on tour.

Sir, I'm first
Lieutenant Nathaniel Marsh

and I served with the 10th
Mountain division in Iraq.

Yes, Lieutenant.

I wanna know what
you and the army

are doing about
the many soldiers

who are coming back from Iraq,

suffering post traumatic
stress disorder.

I don't think this
is the appropriate time

to discuss this
issue Lieutenant.

With all due respect, sir.

When is the appropriate time?

I'd be glad to meet

with the committee
of soldiers anytime.

Could we have a date
and time now, sir?

Americans have always had
the right to demonstrate

in this country and
soldiers are no exception,

but the army isn't
going anywhere.

And there are plenty
of people in America

who are happy about that.

Sir, with all due respect,

I'm talking about soldiers
who served our country

and are coming home
with severe mental-

- Just contact my
office Lieutenant-

- Yeah, we've done that
sir, numerous times.

We
want the truth.

We want the truth.

We want the truth.

We want the truth.

We want the truth.

We want the truth.

We want the truth.

I'm out.

What?

My CO said I'm getting my
discharge papers on Monday.

Congratulations, man.

That's fucking amazing news.

Well, it's about time.

It's been four months since
we filed your petition.

What's the discharge?

I wouldn't know until I get the
papers, but I don't care.

If it's dishonorable,

we're gonna have
to file a petition.

Go ahead, they can
do what they want.

Hey I'll meet you
at the food line.

Yeah you know
what, Christian gone,

that means there's no active
IVAW member left on base.

Yeah, that's probably
why they let him go.

Hey, I'll catch up with
you in a little bit, okay.

Eileen, hey what's
going on sugar?

God

How'd did you make it on time?

We were up on the
hill during the parade.

We made it just in time.

Oh, that's good, God.

How was the walk, huh?

Oh, just the same
as the other day,

we got the finger a few times.

Oh, buddy,

Some people came
out of their homes,

to give us sandwiches
and coffee.

That's nice.

Hey, I heard we
had that little story

in the New York Times.

It's nice, but they told me
they weren't gonna to cover

illustration though.

That's the way it is done.

Oh, we need you.

All we got now is a bunch of
ancient Catholic pacifists

and old Jewish leftists.

Who all wish they
were Buddhists.

Well what's wrong with that?

Because it's the same

God damn people who
protested Vietnam.

That's what's wrong with it.

Yo Cooper, what
are you doing here?

I'm looking for Mark Walker.

He said he'd be here,
have you seen him?

Yeah, he'll be back in a sec.

Darien Cooper this
is Nate Marsh.

Nate got out two years ago.

When's your next deployment?

Soon.

Well, feel free
to grab some food.

Nah, I'm good.

So what's your plan now, huh?

Now that you're free.

Shit, If I know.

Maybe we can all
get a place, you know,

something like that, you
know, an abandoned farm.

You mean, I'd
have to live with you.

I was in a fucking five
ton with you for 12 months.

And I'm serious.

Communities like this.

They're sprouting up
all over the place.

I dunno, man, I can't
think that far ahead.

What about you Darien?

What about me?

You got a plan for
when you get out?

Well I'm not moving my family

to a fucking hippy commune, if
that's what you mean?

No offense.

Shit, dude.

That was definite.

Look, I got you.

I used to live in
my van with my girl.

That was not good.

Yeah, she
told me all about it.

It's important that
we all stick together,

because most people
they don't understand.

Understand what?

Us, what we went through.

Let's all take a
very deep breath.

It's been a long march,

and most of us have
made it to the end.

And now I think it's time
to share with each other.

I'm currently stationed
at Fort Little Drum.

As a member of Iraq,
Veterans Against the War.

I want you all to know

that we really appreciate you being
out here and doing all of this.

There are not many
of us on the base.

Seeing this march
really helps us

to keep moving forward.

This is the beginning.

♪ This is the beginning. ♪

Walker, what
the hell happened?

Every God damn
demonstration I ever been on.

Someone always
stands up and says,

"it's just the beginning."

This is the beginning.

You know how many
times I've heard that?

♪ We shall overcome ♪

♪ We shall overcome some day ♪

Shit!

My orders came through,
they're sending me back next week.

That meant I should followed
your paperwork already.

It's too late.

Darien, is there
something we can do?

I got to go.

I stayed too long.

Do you need a ride?

Yeah, yeah, yeah,
then we can talk.

Let us talk about,

me and Luca Gibson
army-aided up right up.

Turn off your lights asshole?

What the fuck?

What was that?

What happened?

You all right?

Yeah.

Walker, are you all right?

Uh huh, yeah.

Fuck.

I'll go see what it is.

Its a fucking deer.

I don't wanna kill
anybody anymore.

Then don't go.

You're in no shape to go back.

I already told
you it's too late.

I don't care.

I'm not going back.

If they catch you,
they'll just send you home.

You know that.

I can't go back to base,

not after the way
they treated me

them telling me that
I betrayed my friends

and that bitch
calling me a coward!

You don't know fucking
shit that they did to me.

I don't fucking care.

We are standing outside
the U.S. army base.

At Fort Little Drum
in upstate New York,

where it has been confirmed
that a 27 year old soldier,

Darien Cooper has shot
his wife and then himself

at one of the base
housing complexes.

Cooper was about to be
deployed back to Iraq

for his third tour of duty,

a statement from General Stanton
Peels is expected shortly.

I'm really starting
to worry about Walker.

It's okay man, he's
probably just driving around.

Nate.

Walker?

Who's there?

It's me, it's
Cori, Cori Gibson.

I wasn't sure I'll
ever see you again.

I heard about what
happened on the news.

He said I'll meet you up.

You had no idea?

No, I really didn't
know him that well.

I just can't even
believe he would do that.

I was worried about you.

You all right?

I don't know, I don't know.

I pushed you too far.

I'm sorry.

Landlord said to just drop
the keys off on our way out.

You tried.

You did good work here.

For a while.

You headed back to New York?

We're still waiting on
the decision on her case.

I'm not leaving until we know.

Blame it on me.

Sorry, I saw you
across the street.

I always wondered
what this place was.

It was a place for
soldiers to hang out.

I'm gonna sign up at
the end of the semester.

I wanna serve like you.

I can see that.