JAG (1995–2005): Season 1, Episode 4 - Desert Son - full transcript

Give me the radio, Corporal.

Tagger, this is Bambi.

Tagger One. Go ahead, Bambi.

We got you a target
in Blue Sector Alpha. Over.

Bambi, Tagger One. On our way.
Tagger Two, Tagger One. Do you read?

Tagger One, Tagger Two.
But I'm reading you three by three.

Sounds like our batteries
are weak again. Over.

Tagger Two, Tagger One.
You take the target.

I'm going high to see
if I can contact Thumper. Over.

Tagger Two, roger.

Gomez, Gomez.
Slow down, for God's sakes.



My head is killing me.

Lieutenant hung over, sir?

No, I am not hung over.

I'm still drunk.

Ha ha.

Yes, sir!

Kill the engine.

Oh, Gomie, I'm seeing double.

Want me to do that for you, Lieutenant?

No, I don't want the PFC to do it.

Thumper, Tagger Two.

Fire for effect.

Polar.

Direction,



1,

3,

9.

Distance,

2,

00:01:33,061 --> 00:01:33,918
6.

Down 4-0.

Over.

Thumper, Tagger One.

Did you copy, Tagger Two? Over.

Negative, Tagger One.

Okay. Fire for effect.

Polar. Direction 1-3-9.

Ready!

Ready on three!

Ready on five!

All guns ready, sir!

Fire!

Incoming!

JAG

The incident occurred at
0700 hours yesterday morning,

during live fire exercises.

One of my officers screwed up.

He called in artillery on his Recon team.

I got seven men in the hospital.
Four critical.

Sorry, sir. And the officer responsible?

Does not dispute the facts, Lieutenant.
Open and shut.

Sir, Lieutenant Austin
and I were pulled off an investigation

and expedited here.

With all due respect, General,

if it's open and shut,
why the high priority?

Either of you ever met a former
Commandant of the Marine Corps?

No, sir.

Well, you're about to.

The Marine Second Lieutenant
you will probably charge

is the son of General Thomas Williams.

That's the priority.

Wrap this up quick, Lieutenants.
We don't need all the decimal points.

You can round off the answers.

Sergeant Major Hollis
will get you anything you want.

Take them out
to the Fire Direction Centre.

You'll wanna start with Captain Reed.

Aye, aye, sir.

Aye, sir.

What if we don't wanna start
with Captain Reed?

Let's not rock the boat yet.

Or is it, camel out here?

Ready to go, sir?

Go.

Fire!

Is Lieutenant Williams
confined to quarters, Sergeant Major?

No, sir. Confined to base.

A little lax, considering.

No place to go out here, Lieutenant.

Do you know General Williams?

No, sir, not personally.
But every Marine knows of him.

He's third generation Corps,

and the first one in his family
to wear the button.

The button?

Yes, ma'am.

The Congressional Medal of Honour.
You salute anybody that wears it,

including an enlisted man.

I know that, Sergeant Major.

Sorry, ma'am.
Didn't mean to imply you didn't.

How'd he get the button?

He flew choppers into Nam, Lieutenant.

One night he had to go into a hot LZ
to pick up a Marine Recon team.

On the first run,
he got his leg blown out.

Co-pilot was killed.
Both door gunners nailed.

He went back three more times alone
to get everybody out.

He lost his leg,

got the button.

Determined Marine.

Damn determined Marine, ma'am.

Fire!

Ready on three!

Fire!

Ready on five!

Captain Reed?

I'm Lieutenant Rabb.
This is Lieutenant Austin.

JAG, right?

That's right.

Fire!

Did you get my report?

Not yet.

That's too bad.
It would have saved y'all a trip out here.

Oh, we'd have been
out here anyway, Captain.

We like to see things for ourselves.

Cease fire!

Is this the battery involved
in the incident?

Correct.

And it's still firing?

Also correct.
You're two for two, Lieutenant.

Why was the area
not secured, Captain?

I had the men stand down.

I checked the powder loads,
the azimuth settings,

and the shoot coordinates.

The coordinates were wrong.

I entered everything in the log
and signed it.

By the book, Lieutenant.

By the book, Captain.

It's clear what happened.

Williams was drunk
and screwed up the coordinates.

He was drunk, sir?

That's right.

Did you request a
blood alcohol test?

Nope.

But I smelled liquor on him.

Before the exercise
and you allowed him to participate, sir?

After.

Don't you even think about
blaming this on me, JAG.

That's not our intention, sir.

What is your intention, Lieutenant?

To find the truth.

That seems self-evident to me,

but then again,
I don't have a law degree.

It sounds like
you'd rather have a case of rabies, sir.

Ha ha ha.

Why don't you JAGs
just listen to the tape?

What tape?

Communications keeps a tape
of all radio traffic.

Lieutenant Williams' screw-up
will be on it.

Lieutenants!

They want you
over at the air field.

General Williams is arriving.

Looks like daddy's coming
to save junior's ass.

What do you have against
Lieutenant Williams, Captain?

I'm not here
'cause of my daddy, Lieutenant,

or because some
recruitment programme liked my sex.

I came up through the ranks,

and it galls me to see
a screw-up like Williams as an officer.

Good enough, JAG?

I don't know about good enough,
but it's clear enough.

Where is he, Larry?

He's waiting to be
questioned by JAG, sir.

They haven't done that yet?

No, sir.

I thought it were best he spoke to you
before that happened.

Here are the investigating officers,
General.

Lieutenants Rabb and Austin.

With me, Lieutenants.

General Butler and I
served together in Nam.

He'd look the other way
for me without hesitation,

which I'm sure
is apparent to you already.

Correct, Lieutenants?

Yes, sir.
(Yes, sir.)

You're here because I told JAG
I wanted an investigating team,

that wouldn't look the other way.

Commander Lindsey said,

you'd be the ones.

I won't have anyone excusing Jay,

or covering up for him on my account.

You'll be letting me down
if you're anything other than impartial.

Understood, Lieutenants?

Yes, sir.
(Yes, sir.)

At ease, Vince.

How are the men?

Four are still critical, sir,
but the rest are gonna make it.

I'm going back
to the hospital in a minute.

I just stopped by to cheer up Jay
and to meet you, sir.

Is he admitting his mistake?

I hope you understand
it was an honest one.

Anyone could have done it.

But anyone didn't do it. Jay did.

And he accepted
immediate responsibility.

That is surprising.

He's growing up, sir.

You'd better get back to your men.

When this mess is all cleaned up,

I'd love to have dinner
with you and the wife.

Leslie would love that, General.

Lieutenant Boone's a first-class officer,

well on his way.

You know, he's the only one
of Jay's friends I ever approved of.

At ease, Jay.

Don't you wanna say something?

Thanks for stopping by, sir.

That's it?

You look good.

How's Ma?

Sticking to your diet?

What would you like me
to say, General?

Conduct your interview
as if I wasn't here.

I mean that, Lieutenant.

Aye, sir.

So what are you going
to charge me with, sir?

That hasn't been decided, Lieutenant.

We'll investigate the accident
and make a recommendation

to a Board of Inquiry.

What will they charge me with?

Nothing, if it was an honest mistake.

Is there any other kind?

Yes, if your judgement
was impaired by alcohol.

And who said that?

We're not at liberty to say.

Well,

it doesn't matter.

I kicked the last two numbers
on the distance. Over and out.

Kicked?

Transposed.

I targeted the tank
with a laser range finder.

When I radioed in the numbers,
I said 246 instead of 264.

That's why the shells fell short.
Beginning and end of story.

According to Captain Reed,

he received the coordinates
from Lieutenant Boone.

The batteries were weak.

Boonie...

Lieutenant Boone
went to higher ground,

to radio in the numbers
to the Fire Direction Centre.

Could he have kicked the numbers?

Yeah, he could have, but he didn't. I did.

What about Captain Reed?

You see, Captain Reed
didn't kick them either.

Because if he or Boonie had,

I'd be at Semper Fi right now
downing beers with Tina.

Sounds like an enlisted man's hangout.

Well, I like to get down with my men.

My father taught me that.

Were you drunk?

Define drunk, sir.

If you were drunk, Lieutenant,
it becomes criminal negligence.

Look,

I made a mistake.

Accidents will happen.
Old Elvis Costello tune.

You know that one, Pop?

Seven Marines lying in a hospital.
Is that all you've got to say?

I shouldn't have been here, sir.

That's obvious!

But I didn't have a choice, though,

did I, sir?

Continue without me, Lieutenant.

Aye, sir.

Don't get the wrong idea
about my father.

He's actually much worse than that.

Lieutenants,

that tape you requested
is ready down at Communications.

Thank you, Sergeant Major.

Aye, sir.

We archive all communications
by the hour,

and this tape covers 0700 to 0800
on the 23rd,

when the,

accident occurred.

Volume, Lieutenant.

It's all the way up, sir.

There's nothing but 60 hertz hum.

It's been degaussed.

Erased on purpose.

Tape or no tape, my son confessed.

I don't see the point
of continuing this investigation.

If for no other reason, sir,
I'd like to know who erased that tape.

It could have been
a recording malfunction.

That's happened before.

Even without the tapes, the evidence
against Jay is overwhelming.

We haven't any evidence, General.
All we have is your son's statement.

That's not enough?

General, yesterday you asked us
to remain impartial.

That's what we're doing, sir.

Ever been placed in a situation
like this before, Lieutenant?

General?

Having to defend a son
against his own father?

No, sir.

Well, you've never met
a Marine like Jay before.

Good morning, sir.

One of my men moved off
the critical list this morning, sir.

You've been here all night?

I'm not going anywhere
until they're all off that list.

You look beat, Lieutenant.

We can wait until you've had
a chance to freshen up.

No, sir. I'd like to get this over with.

You relayed Lieutenant Williams's
firing coordinates to the artillery.

That's right.

You're positive
it was Lieutenant Williams

who transposed the coordinates?

Pretty positive.

I remember the coordinates
he radioed quite clearly.

All the firing coordinates
given in a manoeuvre,

and you remember that particular one?

You're a pilot, Lieutenant.

Don't you remember
important numbers?

Radio frequencies? Headings?
Power settings?

I guess I do.

We remember firing coordinates.

I don't understand.

I mean, doesn't communications
have the radio calls on tape?

Either they never recorded them
or the tape was erased.

So you can't prove that Jay did it.

Not unless he denies it.

But it seems he won't.

I hope his father
gives him some credit for that.

For not lying?

For trying to act
like his big brother would.

His brother is a Marine?

Michael?

Michael was one hell of a Marine.

Decorated twice in Desert Storm.

You said "was."

Michael was killed at Khafji.

So Jay came in to carry on the tradition.

Did it to make his father happy.

But ah,

Jay and the Corps
were not cut out for each other.

Since you don't have
a copy of that tape, sir,

I hope that Jay changes his statement.

At this point, even if he did,
his career would still be over,

unless we can prove
someone else kicked those numbers.

Well, that would be hard
on the General.

But I think it would be
the best thing for Jay.

Which is all you care about.

He's my friend,

sir.

You got anything else?

Not now.

Then I'll be getting back to my men.

Do you think he erased the tape
to give Lieutenant Williams an out?

Or to cover his kicking the numbers.

Attention on deck!

10-hut!

As you were.

Sergeant Major,

we asked to interview,

the surviving members
of the Recon Team and the Gun Crews.

Now, there should be...

Should be 22 men in all, sir.

I see six men,

Sergeant Major.
What is the problem?

Operation Sandblast, sir.

Captain Reed said he could only afford
a couple of men at a time.

I see.

We'll start with the surviving members
of the Recon Patrol.

Unless they're still on exercise,
Sergeant Major.

No, sir, they're here.

Corporal Green, PFC Gomez.

Here, Sergeant Major!
(Here, Sergeant Major!)

See these officers quickly.

That'll be all, Sergeant Major.

Very well, sir.

The rest of you Marines follow me.

Relax, Private.

Yes, sir.

Now, you were driving
Lieutenant Williams's Humvee,

during the exercise?

Yes, sir.

Was Lieutenant Williams intoxicated?

Intoxicated, sir?

Drunk, loaded, stoned,
plastered, smashed.

I don't think I'm qualified
to answer that, sir.

Are you a sea lawyer, Private?

No, sir.

You sound like one.

You were driving in the Humvee
with Lieutenant Boone

during the firing accident.

Affirmative.

And you heard the coordinates
radioed by Lieutenant Williams,

and relayed on to the
Fire Control Centre,

by Lieutenant Boone.

Affirmative.

What were they?

What?

The firing coordinates.

What were they?

I can't say, Lieutenant.

Because you can't remember them?

Oh, I remember
them, Lieutenant, but...

Captain Reed...

Gave us specific orders

that we weren't to talk about
the accident unless he was present, sir.

You told your men to stonewall us?

Unless I was present.

This is a JAG investigation, Captain.

Your presence
is not needed during questioning.

Those are my men. I don't want you...

And this is my investigation!

To run as I see fit.

You wanna challenge that?

Feel free.

But I promise you, you'll end up facing
more charges than the Light Brigade.

Good enough, Marine?

I knew it'd come to this.

Next you'll be accusing me
of kicking numbers

and erasing the tape to cover it.

How did you know the tape
had been erased, sir?

Scuttlebutt moves fast
in the Corps, Lieutenant.

Did you erase the tape, sir?

No, Lieutenant, I did not.

But I've got a pretty good idea who did.

And who would that be, Captain?

First Sergeant Hollis.

Why would he erase the tape?

He'd fall on a grenade
for General Butler,

and the General would do the same
for the Commandant.

They are not gonna let
daddy's little boy take his medicine.

We're going out to the accident site.

When we return, I want your men
standing by for interrogation.

All your men.

You know how to get there?

I have a map, sir.

Desert tracks aren't marked
like the Washington Beltway.

I was raised in Texas, sir.

The accident site's a half a mile,

down the first track
beyond the Free Fire Zone.

Free Fire Zone?

No one needs permission to fire into it.

Shells, rockets,

even bombing runs
all the time during Sandblast.

It's well marked.

Stay clear of it.

We'll be back in an hour.

If you can read a map.

Do you think he erased that tape?

Reed?

He had access,
and if he kicked those numbers, motive.

But what he said
about Sergeant Major Hollis

could be true, too.

I'm gonna send that tape
to Lieutenant Pike.

Why, sir?

Kate restored a tape
that had been erased,

on an investigation we were working on.

Maybe she can do it again.

How had it been erased, sir?

I guess the record button
was held down

until the message was recorded over.

Our tape was degaussed, sir.
There's no way to resurrect that.

If there was, I'd have done it.

I wasn't implying
my former partner,

could do something
you couldn't, Lieutenant.

I didn't take it that way, sir.

Something's not right, Meg.

We're in a Free Fire Zone!

Fire!

Fire!

Did we get lost, Lieutenant?

Outside, Captain.

I'm in the middle of a fire mission.

Then I'll be waiting.

Cease fire!

Cease fire!
(Cease fire!)

What's the problem?

You son of a...

Come on, Captain!

I'll have you both
drummed out of the service!

Who started it?

I did, sir!
(I did, sir!)

That game won't work
with me, gentlemen.

If you can be called gentlemen.

I wanna know what this is about,

and I wanna know now!

I know I spoke. My lips were moving.

Sir?

What?

I believe I can shed
some light on the incident, sir.

Then, by all means, do so, Lieutenant.
These two seem to be mutes.

Lieutenant Rabb and I
went out to examine the accident site,

and entered the Free Fire Zone
by mistake, sir.

How in the hell are you gonna do that?

Those roads are marked with signs
that Mr Magoo wouldn't miss.

The sign was missing, sir.

What?

It was off to the side of the road.
Someone knocked it down, sir.

And you think Captain Reed
was responsible, Lieutenant?

The Captain was reluctant to cooperate
with the investigation,

and he directed us
to the accident site, sir.

Is that true, Captain?

Have you been
dragging your feet on this investigation?

Sir!

We're in the middle
of Operation Sandblast.

My men and I don't have time,

to chat with Navy JAGs,

when the officer at fault
has admitted it, sir.

Do either of you gentlemen
wish to prefer charges?

No, sir!
(No, sir!)

Well, I may.

In the meantime,

you, Captain Reed,

will give Lieutenant Rabb's
investigation your full cooperation.

Yes, sir!

And you, Lieutenant Rabb,

will complete your investigation
without assaulting officers,

who you view as obstructionist.

Yes, sir!

Dismissed, Captain.

Aye, aye, sir!

At ease.

Now, Captain Reed
came up the hard way,

through the ranks.

Now, he may be thickheaded,

but I can promise you
he did not remove that sign.

It's not his style.

Now, who else knew
you were going out there?

Everyone knew
we'd visit the accident site,

at some point in the investigation, sir.

I do not like this, Lieutenants.
Too many accidents.

You have enough accidents,

they're not accidents.

I agree, General.

How are you coming
on your investigation?

Just beginning, General.
We have to interview the witnesses,

check the logs,
visit the accident site, sir.

Do it all

by 1400 tomorrow.

Sir.

Lieutenant, I cannot tell you
what to do with your investigation,

but I sure as hell can convene
a Board of Inquiry when I want to.

These accidents are gonna stop.

General Williams' pain is gonna stop.

And all by 1400,

tomorrow.

Understood?

Yes, sir.

Dismissed.

Aye, aye, sir.

Lieutenant Austin?

This came for you, ma'am.

Thank you, Sergeant Major.

Yes, ma'am.

What's up?

A long shot, sir.

But I might be able to retrieve,

the radio communications
erased from the tape.

When I suggested sending
the tape to Kate earlier, you said...

I said it couldn't be done. I know, sir.

And Lieutenant Pike couldn't do it.

But you can?

Maybe, sir.

But I have to plead Article Five
of the code of conduct.

Name, rank, serial number,
and date of birth?

It's the closest thing

to a "I can't tell you
how I'm gonna do it" article, sir.

Oh, and I'll need the Humvee
for an hour, sir.

Hi, Ollie.

Meg.

How's JAG?

Challenging.

I'm investigating a friendly-fire accident
at Twenty Nine Palms.

I heard about that.

Yeah, a tape of the radio calls
from the morning of the accident,

would have cleared things up,

but it seems to have been erased.

By the bad guy, no doubt?

I'm not sure.

Anyway, I remember someone once
telling me about a satellite,

that records all radio communications,
24 hours a day.

That someone sounds like
a security risk to me, Meg.

And computers that can pick out
keywords in a matter of seconds.

And you want this someone to find
your missing radio calls,

and make you a tape?

Huh ah.

How important is this, Meg?

Well, it depends on
your point of view, Ollie.

A couple of Marine careers at stake.

And the truth.

I'd need to know
exactly what time this thing happened.

Shortly after 0700 on the 23rd.

Call signs are Tagger One,
Tagger Two.

Why me, Meg?

You're the one
Dad would have turned to.

I still miss him.

Me, too.

I'll see what I can do.

Thanks, Ollie.

I don't know if it was a hangover, sir.

He had a headache.
We all get those in the heat.

Do you remember the coordinates
he radioed to Lieutenant Boone?

Sort of, sir. I was half listening.

Well, sort of give me
what you remember.

The direction was 139.

I do remember that.

As far as distance,
I don't know if it was 246 or 264.

The difference is
what got those men shelled.

I know that, sir.

How is it Corporal Green remembers
the coordinates, but you don't?

That's why he made Corporal
and I'm still PFC, sir.

He pays better attention than I do.

Were you at the Semper Fi
the night before the accident?

Yes, sir.

Was Lieutenant Williams drunk?

I couldn't swear to that, sir.

I mean, he was having fun.
Dancing on the tables with Tina,

throwing beer bottles, that kind of stuff.

His usual antics?

Yes, sir.

Tina?

Hey! What do you need?

You can turn that down, for starters.

One sec.

Sorry.

I'm getting the tracks ready for tonight.

So, what can I do for you?

I'm Lieutenant Rabb.

I have a few questions
about a Lieutenant...

Williams. Yeah.
I've been expecting you.

You were tending bar Tuesday night?

Aha.

And deejaying
and waitressing and singing.

Which is what I really wanna be doing,
but that's a-whole-nother story.

Nice eye.

Oh, yeah,
that's a-whole-nother story, too.

Do you remember how much alcohol
you served Jay that night?

Probably a dozen pitchers.

What?

Out of which
he drank about two glasses.

His buddies drank the rest.

See, there's something about Jay
you've just gotta understand.

He wants to be one of the guys.

Act crazy. Act drunk.

But he was as sober as you are

when he went back
to Twenty Nine Stumps.

I'll swear to it.

Yeah, I might believe you
if you weren't his girlfriend.

Oh, yeah!

I wish!

He haha heh.

No, I think Jay's a great guy.

Nobody gives him a chance.
Especially his old man.

Jay would do anything
to push his button.

Tina is a bimbo
who likes the tips I give her.

And no,
I'm not trying to get back at my father.

I made a mistake.

I'm willing to admit it
and take my punishment,

so why the hell
won't anyone accept that?

A lot of people can.
I'm the one who can't,

'cause you've never accepted
responsibility for anything in your life.

Lieutenant Austin?

You were accused
of cheating in college.

Somehow you avoided punishment,
but your roommate was expelled.

Well,

he was the one cheating.

You were arrested for a DUI accident,

but in court the girl that you were with
swore that she was driving.

She was driving.

I don't believe you, Lieutenant.

I don't believe you've ever accepted
responsibility for your mistakes.

That's why I'm troubled
you're starting now.

Well, maybe the Corps
made a man out of me,

sir.

As you were, people.

Great news, huh, Jay?

What's that?

The tape of our radio calls was erased.

Didn't they tell you?

No.

You don't have to do this, Jay.

Yes, he does.

General, Captain Reed or I could have
kicked those coordinates.

Some officers are not capable of
making that kind of mistake, Lieutenant,

yourself included.

Jay, on the other hand...

Thanks for the support, Dad.

It's the kind of mistake
you've been making all your life, Jay.

You're not like...

Say it.

Come on, say it.

Not like Mike.

Mike wouldn't have kicked the numbers,
would he, Dad?

And if he had,
he would have reached up in the sky,

and caught those shells
with his bare hands. I'm not Mike.

Mike wasn't even Mike!
Not the way you glorify him.

He dropped that
pass against army,

Dad!

He didn't finish tops in his class, Dad.
Hell, he didn't even win a button!

Jay, I know you have
your good points, but...

Ha ha ha.

Name one.

Jay, don't.

No! Let him name one thing
that I've done that he's proud of.

- You joined the Corps.
- I joined the Corps the day I was born.

Only I didn't have a choice, did I?

Sorry to interrupt.

Sir, ah...

Naval hospital called.

That Recon team leader,
Staff Sergeant Paxton,

he just died.

Thank you, Sergeant Major.

Aye, sir.

What's gonna happen?

I'm gonna recommend you be charged
with manslaughter, Lieutenant.

I wanna retract my statement,
Lieutenant.

That won't change my recommendation.

It will once you hear the tape.

It wasn't erased.

I switched the labels with a blank one.

The tape with the radio calls
is in the Comm room.

Thumper, Tagger Two. Fire for effect.

Polar. Direction 139.

Distance 264.

Down 40. Over.

You gave the right coordinates.

Thumper, Tagger One.

Did you copy Tagger Two? Over.

Negative, Tagger One.

Okay.

Fire for effect.

Polar. Direction 139.

Distance 246.

Down 40. Over.

Hell, I kicked the numbers.

I thought I could cover for you.

Friendly fire! Friendly fire!

But if they're gonna charge
me with manslaughter,

because they think I was drunk,

I can't.

I'm sorry, Boonie.

We have men down!

Notify the infirmary.

Inbound casualties.

I say again, we have men down.

Even if Lieutenant Williams' motives

were apparently honourable, sir,

confiscating and withholding evidence
from a JAG investigation,

is a court martial offence, sir.

He could receive a letter of reprimand
or even be dismissed from the Corps.

If you charge him.

You could leave the disposition
of this matter in my hands.

Article 15.

Lieutenant Williams
has to accept it, sir.

The Lieutenant accepts Article 15
from the General, sir.

Article 15 is a non-appealable venue,
Lieutenant.

Whatever punishment General Butler
deems appropriate, you will serve.

Understood, sir.

Then I leave Lieutenant Williams'
punishment in your hands, General.

Thank you, Lieutenant Rabb.

Can I put him on bread and water?

Only if we're aboard ship, sir.

Lieutenant Williams.

Sir.

Do you admit withholding evidence
from an accident investigation?

Yes, sir.

What do you have to say
in defence of your actions, Lieutenant?

I was only doing what I thought
was best for the Corps, sir.

Explain yourself, Lieutenant.

Lieutenant Boone
is an excellent officer, sir.

I knew his error
would be entered in his record and limit,

perhaps even end his career.

The same thing could happen to you.

I don't intend on
making a career out of the Corps, sir.

I know my limitations.

I thought it better me than him.

Sir.

Lieutenant Williams,

since you have admitted your guilt,

you're restricted to this duty base
for one month.

You will forfeit all pay
and allowances for one month,

and in addition to your regular duties,

you will spend 20 hours a week working
with the Range Safety Officer,

until otherwise notified.

Is your punishment clear?

Yes, sir!

Dismissed.

Aye, aye, sir.

I'm sorry, sir. I let you down.

You were in the wrong.
There's no question about it.

No, sir.

But your heart was in the right place.

I'm proud of you, son.

Thank you, sir.

Come on, Jay.

I can't say I'll be sorry
to see you go, Lieutenants.

We understand, sir.

They're wrapping up
Operation Sandblast at 1300.

If you've never seen
a desert armoured assault,

this is your chance.

Thank you, sir. That sounds interesting.

And loud.

Wear your earplugs.

What's wrong?

The same thing
that's been wrong from the start.

Fire for effect.

Polar.

Direction 139.

Distance 264.

I don't like it either, Harm...

...but it's clear who kicked the numbers.

Something's not right.

Thumper, Tagger One.

Did you copy Tagger Two? Over.

Negative, Tagger One.

What's wrong is the good guy
messed up and the jerk didn't.

Fire for effect.

So if you don't need me, sir,
I have a call to make.

What, to your friend who's going nuts,

trying to restore a tape
with nothing on it?

You have the tape, sir.

Come on, Lieutenant.
I know you made a copy of the tape,

we thought was erased
and sent it to someone.

Friendly fire! Friendly fire!
Emergency vehicles!

That's it!

This tape's a copy.

How can you tell?

There's hiss on it.

All this recording equipment
here is digital.

No hiss.

Someone altered it.

Tina.

He had Tina alter the tape
on an analogue recorder.

All she had to switch was two digits.

46 to 64.

But when she laid it back on DAT tape,
it picked up the analogue tape hiss.

Lieutenant.

Sir?

Everything in here is DAT, right?

Yes, sir.

There's hiss on that tape.

Oh, we get a bad one every now and then.

With hiss on it?

Yeah.

I've heard them whistle.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

Yes, sir.

I know he had Tina alter that tape.

But we're gonna have
a hell of a time proving it.

Maybe not, sir.

Wait here, sir.

Hi, Ollie.

Hey, Meg.

Who's your friend?

That's my partner.

Did you get it?

Got it.

Thanks.

Your friend's gonna think that ah,

I'm a boyfriend.

That's the idea.

Just like your dad, Meg.

Semper Fi.

I'm not even gonna ask.

Ask what, sir?

Lieutenant,

you can let this
eat at you the rest of your life.

Fire coordinates, sir.

Or you can learn from it.

Those men can't learn from it, sir.

Fire!

No, they can't,

but you can.

And I think it could
make you a better officer.

Sir, with this accident on my record,
I'll never make higher than Captain.

Sorry, sir, I didn't mean...

Nothing wrong
with being a Marine Captain, Boone.

I'm damn proud of it.

Fire!

Captain Reed!
Where's Lieutenant Williams?

Spotting up front.

I need to get to him.

Why?

To arrest him.

You didn't kick those
numbers, Lieutenant Boone.

He did.

I knew it.

But the tape...

He altered it.

Lieutenant.

Take these officers
to Lieutenant Williams.

Aye, aye, sir.

All guns ready, sir!

Fire!

Outstanding!

How's that for nailing them, Gomez?

On the numbers, Lieutenant.

You know, I never would have thought it.

What's that, Lieutenant?

I range better sober than drunk.

Hiya, Boonie!

Son of a bitch!

It was you!

You kicked those numbers.

What are you talking about?

Didn't you?

Thumper, Tagger Two.

Fire for effect.

Polar. Direction 139.

Distance 246.

Lieutenant Williams,
I'm placing you under arrest,

for suppressing evidence,

being drunk on duty,
and negligent homicide.

Boonie. Boonie.

Look, I didn't mean
to lay it on you, man, but

better you than me, right?

You're going to Leavenworth,
Lieutenant, for 15 years.

No way.

There's nowhere to go, Jay.

The hell there isn't.

I'm not gonna let you run, Jay.
Not this time.

Don't do it, Boonie. I'll shoot you.

Jay, don't...

Give me a first aid kit.

I am not gonna go back
and face my old man.

Not when Mexico is this close.

You'll never make it.

Watch me.

Radio for a helicopter.
We've got to get him to a hospital.

Thumper, this is
Tagger One, we've got...

Well, looks like they're gonna
have to drive you there now, Boonie.

Lieutenant, get moving.

Come on, Lieutenant.

Hey, Gomez,
tell Tina I'll see her in Mexico.

Harm,

that's a Free Fire Zone!

Fire!

Cease fire! Cease fire!

There are personnel in the range!

Why,

me?

Lieutenants Rabb
and Austin reporting as ordered, sir.

With me, Lieutenants.

At ease, Lieutenants.

Well, the surgeon says

that Lieutenant Boone
will be fit for duty in a month or two.

That's good news, sir.

Damn good news. He's a fine officer.

And that baby
that Leslie's carrying is a boy.

They tell me they're going to name him
after my first son,

Mike.

That's nice, sir.

Yes, it's very nice.

It seems everyone's trying
to soften the blow.

But I don't want you to.

Sir?

General Butler's
trying to sell me that,

Jay was so upset at what he did,

he drove into the Fire Zone
and tried to commit suicide.

I think he was just trying
to get away again.

You're right, sir.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

That's all I wanted to know.

Sir.

Before he died, Lieutenant Williams
asked me to tell you he was sorry.

It doesn't sound like Jay.

He was dying, sir.

Thank you, son.

He didn't say that, did he?

That's the way I heard it.