JAG (1995–2005): Season 5, Episode 19 - Promises - full transcript
The Navy releases a TV recruiting commercial featuring Harm. A woman seaman aboard a ship becomes displeased with her assigned duties and activities, and she "quits" and walks ashore and away; she faces charges for dereliction, missing movement, and desertion; Mac prosecutes, and Harm defends. The accused at first feels uncomfortable because she's seen his commercial, and she figures that he too is "just" another recruiter; she argues that her recruiter promised her training and a rating which she has not gotten. The admiral helps an old buddy with a problem with Viagra; while doing so he meets Dr. Sydney Walden. Bud makes an announcement, and the admiral makes a date.
( indistinct conversing)
( bell dinging lightly)
MAN: I'm just happy to
be getting off this ship.
And we got the place
for the whole weekend.
That's the great thing.
You finished already, Granato?
You're getting better at this.
Whatever.
You think I could put
this gear away now?
Absolutely. There's plenty
of deck for you to swab.
Haven't I done enough,
Petty Officer Rowe?
No.
You've got three
hours and 12 minutes
left on your watch.
Forget it!
Stow the Brasso and swab
the decks, Seaman Granato.
That's an order.
Do it now, Granato!
Do it yourself.
Look what you did!
I quit.
You can't just quit the Navy.
Watch me.
CHEGWIDDEN: Good evening,
and thank you for coming.
Every time the Navy unveils
a new recruiting commercial,
we all have a stake in it.
But tonight for
those of us at JAG,
the stakes are even greater,
because the commercial stars
our own Commander Harmon Rabb.
( applause)
With the commander tonight
is the director of
the commercial
Renee Peterson.
I understand she's still trying
to stop him from ad-libbing.
( all chuckling)
So now take a look and see
how the nation's going to see
us this week for the first time.
( trumpet playing
triumphant music)
I'm Commander Harmon Rabb.
The Navy has given me
not one, but two careers.
The first you've just
seen: flying F-14 Tomcats.
The second, I'm
working at right now
as a lawyer in the Judge
Advocate General Corps.
The great thing
about the Navy is
the challenges don't stop
with courtrooms and jets.
You could work in
nuclear propulsion
or computer electronics.
Or you could stand tall
with the world's elite
fighting force, the SEALs.
So if you think the Navy
is for you, take my advice.
Step up and meet the challenge.
( applause, whistles)
Good, sir. Real professional.
Nice job, Commander.
Thank you, sir.
You know, I was under the
impression that Miss Peterson
was going to use...
Your line, sir, was edited out.
Renee will explain it to you.
She's... right over there.
If I'm not mistaken, Commander,
the only thing those three
women have in common is... you.
SINGER: Did you see
what she was wearing?
I can't believe
he's dating that...
Colonel.
Good morning, Lieutenant.
Good morning, sir.
We can discuss
it later, Colonel.
Commander.
I scare her off?
She's a little high-strung.
Listen, Colonel,
on another note,
what were you and Bobbie Latham
talking to Renee
about last night?
Oh, just girl talk.
Admiral's waiting.
Nice to see Commander Rabb
could step out of the spotlight
long enough to join us.
First order of business
is Andrea Granato.
Apparently decided she
had enough of the Navy
and walked off her
ship, the USS Hartung.
Witnesses said her
parting words were "I quit."
Didn't anyone explain that
quitting wasn't an option
when Seaman
Granato enlisted, sir?
Apparently Generation
X only worries about itself.
This sounds like a simple case
of unauthorized absence, sir.
Why is JAG involved?
Because Seaman
Granato is being charged
with dereliction of duty,
missing ship's movement
and, as a result of 47 days
of absence, desertion.
Ouch...
Sir.
"Ouch" is what you get
when you walk off a
Spruance-class destroyer
getting ready to
deploy to the Adriatic.
Skipper drops a
ton of bricks on you.
Up to prosecuting, Colonel?
Absolutely, sir.
Commander, you will defend.
Yes, sir.
Admiral, I'd like to volunteer
to assist Commander Rabb.
Oh, I don't think that'll
be necessary, Lieutenant.
My plate's clear, sir.
Well, then let me fill it.
Seems a young
petty officer took a car
from the motor pool at
Bethesda Naval Hospital
and got caught drag racing.
You'll be handling his
special court-martial.
Yes, sir.
So that does it, unless...
RABB: One more thing, sir.
These bricks Seaman Granato's
C.O. is dropping on her...
why so many?
I had been hearing about
Seaman Granato's attitude
since her first day aboard
from her leading
chiefs in C.I.C., mostly.
What sorts of things were you
hearing, Commander Woodling?
She's a whiner.
Not the first one
in the service.
Well, did you whine
when you were working
towards those silver oak
leaves on your collar, Colonel?
Couldn't afford to.
No woman in the military can.
You know it, and I know it.
And Seaman Granato just
failed to get the message.
But her records don't show
any previous instances of trouble.
She was near the top
of her class at boot camp.
Well, that ceased to matter
when she walked off this ship
and missed the berth
switch the next morning.
Is this personal, Commander?
Stereotypes are the curse of
every woman in the military.
After what I went
through in the...
Well, I don't have to tell
you about discrimination
do I, Colonel?
I'm not the issue
here, Commander.
Oh, no, you're wrong.
We both are, and you'd
better understand that
if you want to successfully
prosecute this case.
Never pictured you
working behind a desk...
Not after seeing
how much you hated it
those two months in Saigon.
Well, hell, I
found one that fit.
Besides, I'm not like
you damn aviators.
I don't suffer from
oxygen deprivation.
SOLDIER: Sir!
It's a hell of a lot better
than lack of action.
I haven't missed a
war since Vietnam.
( laughing): All
right, all right.
Quit patting your damn chest
and tell me why the hell
you called me out here.
I need your help, Admiral.
Had a little problem
with an aircraft
and I got my ass grounded.
My FNAEB's in a couple of days
and if I don't win it, it could
mean no flying, no command.
Sounds like more
than just a little problem.
Ran off the end
of a damn taxiway
got stuck in the mud.
Fodded the engine
when I tried to power out.
What the hell happened?
My eyes.
Are they that bad?
No, they're fine
but the flight physical
found something
in my bloodstream.
It screwed up my vision.
I couldn't tell
the taxiway lights
from the runway approach lights.
Well, what do you
mean "something"?
Viagra.
Oh, hell, Pete.
I told you the problem
wasn't my eyes.
Well, you know the rule.
You can't... you can't
take Viagra and fly.
The FAA says six hours
is enough to get it
out of your system.
That's a civilian rule.
Admiral... I thought
it would be enough.
( sighs)
Let me see what I can do.
I really did want to
be in the Navy, sir.
Well, some people are
going to have a hard time
believing that, Seaman Granato.
Including you, Commander?
I'll give you the
benefit of the doubt...
I am your lawyer, after all.
Yes, sir.
I thought it would be a
good way to better myself.
The Navy, I mean.
Kind of scores you
got on your ASVABs,
college would have
been an option, too.
Too expensive, sir,
but then, I was hearing
about the Navy, you know,
and I thought
"Wow, where else am I going
to get a chance like that?"
What kind of chance
were you looking for?
The recruiter told me
that I could be an air
traffic controller, sir.
Oh, you're interested
in aviation, huh?
Totally, sir.
I mean, I'd never
been in a plane
before I was flown to boot camp.
That was cool.
Not the pilot part
but the getting it back
down on the ground.
Oh, whenever I was flying
getting back on the ground
was always important.
What did you fly, sir?
F-14s.
You can't be my lawyer, sir.
Excuse me?
I saw your television
commercial last night.
You're just another recruiter.
I've already had one lie to me.
What lie?
The lie they told me
about how I could be an
air traffic controller, sir...
Like that's ever
going to happen.
Go on, I'm listening.
First, they told me
that my school was postponed
so they send me to fleet as an
undesignated striker.
Then three months
later, they tell me
that they're over-quota'd
on air traffic controllers.
They offered me
some other schools
but they were not
what they promised me.
Well, I'm sure it wasn't
personal, Seaman Granato.
These things
happen in the military.
But nobody told me that, sir.
If you can't get your
head around that
then you should
not be defending me.
( rock music blasting)
MAN: I don't know
what to tell you
Chief Pearson.
Maybe I am backing
away... sort of.
That's what I just...
oh, Commander.
As you were, Chief.
Thank you, sir.
Look, Ronnie,
if you want to go to college
put in your four years
and the Navy will pay your way
and by that time
you'll probably
have a lot better idea
about what you...
you're Commander Rabb!
That's him.
He's in our new recruiting
commercial, too, on TV.
You seen it, Ronnie?
I don't remember.
When you do, you will definitely
want to play on the
commander's team.
Yeah. Okay, Chief Pearson.
All right, think
"maybe," Ronnie.
Sure.
Had him locked in, Commander.
Then his mother
offers him 500 bucks
to go to a community college.
Economy like it is, I
usually hear them saying
they found a job that
pays better than we do.
Sounds like tough duty, Chief.
Oh, at least they
lowered my quota, sir.
Now if I sign three kids
every two months, I'm a hero.
A year ago, they
wanted four a month.
I was going nuts.
That would be about when
you signed Andrea
Granato, wouldn't it?
Oh, yes, sir, it was.
A total home run, that girl.
Is she working for you?
I'm her lawyer, Chief.
She's been charged
with desertion.
Andrea?
Claims she did it because she
didn't get the school
you promised her.
Did you guarantee she'd be
an air traffic controller, Chief?
I didn't guarantee
anything, sir.
Neither do college
football recruiters, Chief
but they sometimes wind up
with two quarterbacks
both guaranteed to start.
Commander, I never
made her a promise
the Navy couldn't keep.
You just told me you were up
against a wall back then, Chief.
You had to sign four a month.
That's right, sir,
so I talked faster
worked harder, bought myself
a great-looking S.U.V.
to keep recruits
from thinking the Navy
is as butt-ugly as this office.
You taking new
recruits for a ride, Chief?
Only in my car, sir.
( phone ringing)
JAG Ops, Gunnery
Sergeant Galindez.
HARM: Gunny, have you
seen Lieutenant Singer?
Uh... yes, sir.
I just picked her
up on my radar.
Lieutenant Singer.
Telephone, ma'am.
It's Commander Rabb.
I'll take it at your
desk, Gunny.
Yes, sir?
Lieutenant, I've got my
hands full here in Baltimore.
I was wondering if you
could find time to help me out.
On the Granato case, sir?
Great. It'd be an honor.
Granato's recruiter's name
is Chief Roger Pearson.
I need you to find out
if there is any evidence
that he has trouble
telling the truth on the job.
I'm sure his unhappy
recruits would tell you that, sir.
I need better than
unhappy, Lieutenant.
I need lied to.
Yes, sir. I'll get right on it.
Thank you.
Gunny?
Yes, ma'am?
I need a favor.
Colonel MacKenzie?
What is it, Bud?
( muffled): You're
busy with your case.
I'll come back later.
Well, no, it's not a problem.
But... let's talk in my office.
It's Harriet, ma'am.
Do you think she's still
mad at me about Australia?
No. Australia's
ancient history, Bud.
Besides, Harriet's not
the type to hold a grudge.
Last night, I asked
her what was for dinner
and she made me
sleep on the couch.
( knock at door) Enter.
Congresswoman Latham.
I was just visiting the admiral,
and while I was there,
I thought we could chat.
By all means.
We'll talk later, Colonel.
What happened to
your jaw, Lieutenant?
Oh, Commander Rabb punched me.
Commander Brumby, too.
It was an accident.
Ma'am.
Please.
Someday I'd like
to hear that story,
but right now, I'm more
interested in the Granato case.
Well, the court-martial
starts tomorrow.
So the charges remain the same?
Yes, ma'am, they do.
Colonel MacKenzie,
doesn't this strike you
as a prime example of
using an ax to peel a grape?
I didn't know you had a
personal interest in the case.
Well, I'm making arrangements
for Seaman Granato
to testify before
my subcommittee.
On national security?
On the retention
of women in the military.
We lose a third of them
every three years...
A statistic I assume
would alarm you.
I am well aware of that,
but the kind of women who
should be in the military don't desert
because they're pouting
over the school they didn't get.
They wouldn't pout if they
were given accommodations.
Accommodations?
I think you've got things
backwards, Congresswoman Latham.
Women, like men,
are in the military
to serve their
community, not vice versa.
Nobody's serving anybody
if the Navy recruits women
and then chases them away.
Andrea Granato wasn't
chased... She ran.
From what, Colonel?
( door closes)
Hi.
Hello.
Dr. Walden.
Dr. Sydney Walden?
That's right.
It's an old family name.
You're not the first to
expect my grandfather.
So, Admiral Chegwidden,
how can I help you?
Well, actually, I'm, um...
I'm here about a friend.
Admiral, there's no shame
in erectile dysfunction.
Dr. Walden, I'm the
Judge Advocate General
of the United States
Navy, and, as such, I think
I possess enough
respect for the truth
to be forthcoming if I had
a problem, which I don't.
Not that I...
um... lately... but the, um...
I know what you mean, Admiral.
Work doesn't leave much time
for relationships.
Kind of ironic for me, I guess.
Is... is this your son?
Yes.
My husband died
almost 12 years ago.
Danny plays lacrosse for
Maryland... just a freshman.
Listen, I hope I
wasn't too strident. I...
It's refreshing to meet someone
who doesn't mince words.
Now...
about your friend.
Uh... yeah, right, right.
Um... well, he's
a naval aviator...
Flew after taking Viagra.
Foolish, maybe,
but it wasn't an issue
until he had a mishap.
No fatalities.
But the Navy's touchy about it.
Right.
I know the common
wisdom about the drug
is that it decreases the ability
to distinguish blue from green.
Exactly. The color of
the lights on the taxiway
where the accident happened.
Look, have your
friend come in, Admiral.
I'll examine him, and
we can determine exactly
what the drug does to his sight.
Well, I don't know if he's going
to be comfortable with that.
Even if it gave him a defense?
MRS. GRANATO: Andrea's
sisters, her brother...
We were all excited
she was going to be
working with airplanes...
The whole block was.
But I guess she never
got close to an airplane
did she, Commander Rabb?
No, ma'am, I'm
afraid she didn't.
Oh, that recruiter.
He filled her
head with all kinds
of jets and fancy uniforms.
You know, glamorous stuff
she was never going to get
if she stayed around here.
Did you hear the
recruiter promise
or guarantee anything?
I never met him.
Too busy working here.
Plus, I thought Andrea...
She was 19 then...
She could make
her own decisions.
Sounds like you have
a lot of faith in Andrea.
Nothing but, Commander.
She was great in school.
She took care
of my other kids...
You know, after
her father passed
and I had to be out
of the house so much.
Did Andrea ever have an
attitude problem, Mrs. Granato?
Oh, well, she could
be a little bossy
but other than that, she
was like a second mother.
Did she tell you that she was
planning on leaving the ship?
I didn't even know
she was unhappy.
She wrote to me
everything was swell
but when she got
home, it all came out.
( romantic music playing)
Big improvement over
premieres and hijackings, huh?
( chuckles) It is, isn't it?
You sound surprised.
No. Just haven't
had many evenings
like this recently.
Well, things can change, Harm.
I think I'm looking at a
very interesting future.
Whoa. I think
it's a little early
for predictions, huh?
You're not very good
at relationships, are you?
I just don't think
we should be getting
ahead of ourselves.
Oh. Oh, no, no, no, no.
Harm, no, you don't understand.
I think I understand.
You said that you think
there's an interesting
future and...
No, no. It's a movie, Harm.
The budget's only
about $2.5 million,
but it's a really
great opportunity.
Oh.
Oh.
What's the movie about?
It's actually about loneliness.
Love triumphs?
Well, not in the
script that I read, but...
they had a really great time
along the way.
Really?
Really.
A really good time?
Really good time.
Is everybody getting
court-martialed
this nervous, sir?
Comes with the
territory, I guess.
Commander.
Just who I was looking for.
An addendum
to our witness list.
Paul Skowron?
Ask your client.
He's a guy I know.
More like the boyfriend
she deserted the
Navy to be with.
Boyfriend just slip your
mind, Seaman Granato?
I didn't think he mattered, sir.
You better believe he
matters if he's the reason
you left that ship.
No, Commander.
Everything I told
you is the truth
about my recruiter lying to me
promising me things that
were never going to happen.
How long after you left the ship
did you go to your
boyfriend's house?
Right away, sir, but it's
not what you're thinking.
Enlighten me.
I didn't have
anywhere else to go.
How many days did you
stay at Paul Skowron's?
( voice breaking):
Three days, sir.
Four days, sir.
MacKENZIE: And in
those four days she spent
at your apartment, Mr. Skowron,
did Seaman Granato
talk about the problems
she was having with the Navy?
She said she couldn't
deal with it, you know.
Anything about a recruiter?
Anything about broken promises?
We actually didn't do
a whole lot of talking.
( scattered chuckles) I see.
So while Seaman Granato
was at your house, she was just...
enjoying your company.
Yeah. I knew she'd been
hearing from her friends
that I was seeing other girls
so I figured she wanted to
try and get us back together.
Because she was jealous?
I think so, yeah.
MacKENZIE: Jealous enough
to desert from the Navy?
Objection, Your Honor.
This calls for the witness to be
a mind reader. Sustained.
No further questions.
RABB: Mr. Skowron...
prior to these four days
that Seaman Granato
spent with you in March
when was the last
time you saw her?
I don't know, maybe
nine, ten months ago.
Which would be before Seaman
Granato entered the Navy, correct?
I guess.
RABB: Had she been back
to Baltimore in this time?
I think so.
I heard she was.
No. She didn't see you then?
So, since she lived with
you for four days in March
has she moved back in with you?
No. She's staying
with her mother.
RABB: So what you're saying is
that she treated your apartment
like a hotel, only cheaper.
Objection.
Sustained.
We are still seeing each other.
RABB: Every week?
Sometimes.
Are you engaged, Mr. Skowron?
No.
So, really what you and
Seaman Granato have
is a casual social relationship.
I suppose so, yes.
Thank you.
ROWE: She dropped
her Brasso, ma'am
splashed it all over my trousers
and then she walked
right over the brow.
Without permission,
Petty Officer Rowe?
I couldn't believe it, ma'am.
You don't just quit the Navy.
Did you have any other reaction?
Well, yes, ma'am...
Anger.
We were preparing to deploy...
Loading gear, testing systems,
working like plow horses.
Seaman Granato
couldn't have picked
a worse time to jump ship.
Thank you.
No further questions.
So, you were understaffed.
You were preparing to deploy...
Checking systems, loading gear...
And you couldn't find anything
better for Seaman Granato to do
than to polish brass?
It's a part of Navy life, sir...
like swabbing the deck.
Which is exactly what you
had ordered Seaman Granato
to do next, isn't it?
Yes, sir. Were you singling
Seaman Granato out
for drudge work,
Petty Officer Rowe?
I wanted to make a point, sir,
that she needed
to apply herself.
Was that the point,
or was the point that
Seaman Granato is a woman?
No, sir.
GALINDEZ: Yeah.
Got it. I owe you one. Thanks.
Lieutenant Singer.
I checked around like you asked
found somebody interesting.
Let's take a look.
Isaac Crawford.
Yes, ma'am, he
lives in Pikesville,
in case you need
him as a witness.
Good, good.
Commander Rabb...
I found someone you can use
to counter Granato's recruiter,
and he lives in Maryland,
so it'll be easy to
call him as a witness.
Nice work, Lieutenant.
That was fast.
Thank you, sir.
RABB: Let's take a look.
Can I help you, Lieutenant Sims?
You don't want the
admiral catching me
with a messy desk, gunny.
I thought she was just
bringing me my lunch.
She's been like this for days.
Isn't there a drawer
we can put these in?
TULLY: So the good news is
this lady doctor can maybe prove
That Viagra didn't
affect my eyesight. Right.
Which leaves only
one other explanation...
That I'm a half-assed aviator
who should be kept away
from planes for the rest
of his natural life.
So we're back to square one.
I'll plead ignorance.
Ignorance does not
become a base commander
especially at a FNAEB.
I know.
I really did think that stuff
would be out of my
system by the time I flew.
Pete, the rule is clear.
Is there a rule that
says I can't have
a happy marriage, too?
That is not the issue here.
You mean we're just naval
officers and nothing else
right, Admiral? When it
comes to that board, you bet.
I'm not making it very easy
for you to be a
character witness, am I?
Well, it's not me
I'm worried about.
WOODLING: Two days after
Seaman Granato deserted,
we began tactical testing
in preparation for
deployment to the Adriatic.
We had general quarters drills,
fired all of our weapons,
did everything we
could possibly do
to achieve combat readiness.
Should Seaman Granato
have been there, Commander?
Oh, without question, Colonel.
Her absence simply made life
that much harder
for everybody else.
Thank you.
Commander, how did the
Hartung perform in its tac tests?
We scored 97% or
better on every one.
I was very proud of my crew...
The ones who chose to stay.
RABB: So, then,
you are fully prepared
to deploy next week, correct?
Yes, we are, Commander.
Then Seaman Granato's absence
did not affect your
combat readiness.
Well, that's no excuse
for what she did.
Commander, isn't what she did
generally punished with a
lesser charge than desertion?
Objection. Relevance.
I'll allow it. Overruled.
I don't know what's
"generally" done, Commander.
I assume you know
what is specifically done
aboard your ship,
then, Commander.
How many absence offenses
have you sent to
courts-martial in the past year?
Two or three.
Maybe this list will
jog your memory.
There were four.
For three men prosecuted
for unauthorized
absence, one woman...
Seaman Andrea Granato...
Prosecuted for desertion.
WOODLING: Her timing was worse.
Her attitude was worse.
And her sex was
worse, too, wasn't it,
Commander?
Are you using Seaman Granato
to prove that a woman C.O.
can be as tough as any man,
Commander? No, I am not.
Are you trying to
weed out somebody
who doesn't meet your standards
of what a Navy woman should be?
They're not my standards,
Commander.
Whose standards
are they, Commander?
The Navy men who might use
a woman like Seaman Granato
against a woman like you?
Objection.
That's enough, Commander.
RABB: I have no further
questions, Your Honor.
( gallery murmuring)
MacKENZIE: Let
me get this straight...
A woman commanding
officer is a male chauvinist pig?
Mac, you know she's doing
exactly what I said she is.
What I know is that
your client jumped ship.
Harm...
I thought you had a
meeting about the movie.
Mm-mm. Got canceled.
Well, don't get me
wrong... I'm glad to see you.
Well, you shouldn't be.
Colonel MacKenzie here
called me as a witness.
RABB: Now, what could Renee
possibly have to do with this?
She fits into my case.
Really? Yeah.
Would she fit into your case
if she wasn't my girlfriend?
Do you think I
let your social life
dictate my trial strategy?
How would you like it
if I called Brumby as a witness?
How soon can you get him here?
Anything you'd like
to share with the court,
Colonel MacKenzie,
Commander Rabb?
No, sir. No, sir.
Then call your first
witness, Commander.
Was it difficult
to convince Andrea Granato
to enlist, Chief Pearson?
No, sir.
She was very positive
about the Navy,
very enthusiastic.
So you didn't
have to mislead her
about anything that might
happen to her in the Navy?
I don't do that, sir.
Really?
Do you recall recruiting
Isaac Crawford, Chief?
I beg your pardon, sir?
You convinced
Mr. Crawford to enlist
back in June of 1998.
He was honorably
discharged eight months later
because the Navy
failed to honor a contract
containing promises
you made him.
That was an unusual case, sir.
What promises did you make
Andrea Granato, Chief Pearson?
I told her there was
an excellent chance
she'd become a
flight controller, sir.
You didn't know that
there was a chance
she wouldn't become
a flight controller, Chief?
I didn't know the school
was almost over-quota'd, sir.
RABB: Did you explain
to Andrea Granato
that something like
this might happen?
I didn't tell her any lies,
sir, but a recruiter stresses
what's likely to go right,
not what might go wrong.
CHEGWIDDEN: Admiral
Hodges, members of the panel...
in the 31 years that
I have known him,
Captain Peter Tully
has always been
a consummate warrior.
He has flown combat missions
in every conflict
this nation has faced
from Vietnam to Bosnia.
You need only to look
at his chest to understand
this is a man who
has never taken
a backward step in
the face of danger.
I'm proud to call him a friend.
I am honored to call
him a fellow Naval officer.
OFFICER: Admiral
Chegwidden, you say that
knowing that Captain Tully
violated a general order
from the Bureau of
Medicine and Surgery.
The Judge Advocate
General's office
must not be as unbending
as I've always thought.
We're not talking about
a crime here, Admiral.
He took a normal
50-milligram dose
a full 21 hours before
he flew, almost four times
the waiting period
required of civilian pilots,
and now his career
hangs in balance...
A career, gentlemen, I
believe does not deserve to end
on such a note.
Thank you, Admiral Chegwidden.
Captain Tully.
You stand here today
because you put
yourself before the Navy
and thereby risked your career,
your life and conceivably,
the lives of others.
Yes, sir. But...
as Admiral Chegwidden said,
your record should count
for more than a
single foolish mistake.
It will, however,
do so only once.
Come this way again, Captain,
you'd better strap yourself
in for a court-martial.
Dismissed.
Aye, aye, sir.
Admiral, I owe you one.
Say, why don't
you come to dinner
with me and Mary Anne, huh?
Bring a date, if you're
seeing someone.
With my workload?
I'll, uh... I'll
give you a call.
GRANATO: All I wanted was to be
an air traffic controller, sir.
And that is what you were led
to believe you'd be trained as?
Yes, sir.
By my recruiter, Chief
Petty Officer Pearson,
and then school got delayed,
and then there were
too many people,
and then I was just out of luck.
Is this why you
left the Hartung?
No, that was not the reason.
Then why, Seaman Granato?
Because they acted like
they didn't need me, sir,
the way that my
recruiter said that they did.
Thank you.
Seaman Granato, isn't it
true that the Navy offered you
other schools when air
traffic controller school was
no longer available? Yes, ma'am.
Do you recall what those
other schools were for?
No, ma'am, not really.
Well, let me refresh
your memory.
Cryptology, information systems,
aviation electronics.
But they weren't in
my contract, ma'am.
Do you mean this
contract, Seaman Granato?
Yes, ma'am.
Is that your signature?
That is my signature.
It said I could go
to air traffic controller
school, ma'am.
You read the contract carefully?
Yes, ma'am.
Then I'm sure you
recall this sentence:
"Scheduling of the above school
is subject to the
needs of the Navy."
(voice breaking):
No, ma'am, I don't.
Are you sure? Because it's very
important upon entering the Navy
that you realize its
needs come before yours.
I'm sorry, Colonel, but
I do not remember that.
It was there for you
to read, wasn't it?
It was in your hands.
You signed it.
Yes, but Chief Pearson
should have said something.
Why is that, Seaman Granato?
Was he the one enlisting?
No, ma'am.
I was.
No further questions.
Redirect, Your Honor?
Seaman Granato, you were
19 when you enlisted, correct?
Yes, sir. Had you signed
many contracts at this point?
No, sir.
None?
None, sir.
In light of this fact,
did Chief Pearson
encourage you to read
the fine print in this contract?
No, sir.
The defense rests, Your Honor.
Colonel, any rebuttal?
Yes, Your Honor. I'd like
to call Renee Petersen.
Your Honor, may we approach?
Sir, Miss Petersen is not
an appropriate witness.
She certainly is, Your Honor.
She is an expert on recruiting.
In fact, she directed
a commercial
that Commander
Rabb himself starred in.
I've seen it.
That hardly makes her an expert.
Sir, this is a blatant attempt
to put the focus on me.
Embarrassed by your
performance, Commander?
No, sir.
Did you think his performance
was embarrassing, Colonel?
Absolutely not, Your Honor.
Then we agree.
Miss Petersen may testify.
PETERSEN: I've shot a
dozen or so rock videos
and two documentaries,
and people were impressed...
Navy people.
Why the Navy, Miss Petersen?
My edge, my honesty, my
reputation for independence.
MacKENZIE: Did your reputation
remain intact when you made your
commercial for the Navy? Yes.
Did you write the script
for your commercial,
Miss Petersen?
Yes, based on my own research.
Were you ever instructed
by anyone from the Navy
to sugarcoat your subject?
I don't operate
that way, Colonel.
The Navy wanted to present
a fair picture of
itself to recruits,
and that's what I gave them.
Thank you.
Your witness, Commander.
( clearing throat)
Miss Petersen...
how many people
did you interview at JAG
in your preparation
for the commercial?
Four.
Uh, Admiral A.J. Chegwidden,
Lieutenant Bud Roberts,
Petty Officer Jason Tiner
and you.
But they didn't end up in
your commercial, did they?
No.
Why?
You can start with
Admiral Chegwidden.
PETERSEN: He, um...
he was a little stiff.
Lieutenant Roberts?
His work in the Navy
wasn't very interesting.
You actually
shot some film with
Petty Officer Tiner,
didn't you? Yes.
But you didn't use it.
Why?
Because all he could talk
about was his filing system.
It bored me out of my skull.
So you picked me.
You weren't boring.
I wasn't a typical JAG lawyer?
No.
You flew Tomcats.
Doesn't this contradict
your earlier testimony,
Miss Petersen?
You said that you
gave potential recruits
an honest depiction
of Navy life. Objection.
Argumentative.
Overruled. Miss Petersen,
did putting me in
your commercial
faithfully represent
the Navy as you saw it?
It was a commercial.
Commercials are made to sell.
You show the best.
I thought you were the best.
I made a mistake.
No further questions.
MORRIS: You may step
down, Miss Petersen.
( sighing)
I request a recess, Your Honor.
15 minutes.
Renee...
It's my job.
To humiliate me?
I'm defending my client.
At my expense.
( elevator bell dings)
Renee...
( punches button)
When Seaman Granato didn't
get the school she wanted,
she caved in to selfishness,
and became a deserter instead.
When she was apprehended, she...
she tried to dodge
responsibility
by saying her
recruiter lied to her.
But she's an adult,
and she did sign
on the dotted line.
I ask you to convict
Seaman Granato
on all charges
and specifications.
There are no
villains in this case.
Though... there is a victim...
Seaman Andrea Granato.
We cannot castigate
the Navy for wanting
to bolster its ranks,
and we cannot
pillory its recruiters
for responding aggressively
to the Navy's requirements.
These charges against
Seaman Andrea Granato
who joined the Navy
eagerly, yet blindly
far outweigh her transgressions.
Acquit her...
in the name of basic decency.
Will the defense please rise?
Captain Imhoff,
will you announce
the findings, please?
"On the charge and
specification of dereliction of duty,
"this court-martial
finds you not guilty.
"On the charge and
specification of desertion,
"this court-martial
finds you not guilty.
"On the lesser included
offense of unauthorized absence,
"this court-martial
finds you guilty.
"On the charge and specification
of missing ship's movement
this court-martial
finds you guilty."
MORRIS: I'll commence
sentencing at 0900 tomorrow.
This court is adjourned.
( crying)
Wh-What's going to
happen to me now, sir?
If we're lucky, no confinement
but a bad-conduct discharge.
Not out celebrating?
I don't feel like it.
You did what you could, Harm.
It was a loser case.
Have you talked to Renee?
Since when did you start
worrying about Renee?
( muffled): Colonel, Commander!
Harriet's not mad at me anymore.
Harriet's not mad
at him anymore.
Baby?
I'm pregnant.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
MacKENZIE: Oh! Congratulations,
Bud. Thank you, Colonel.
That's great. Way to go, Bud.
Thank you, sir.
Can you believe
it? That's so great.
( laughing)
( indistinct voices, laughter)
RABB: Oh, way to go, Bud!
( sighs)
Dr. Walden?
A.J. Chegwidden.
Uh, no. No.
Actually, I don't think
you'll have to testify.
Things went pretty
well for my friend.
( laughing)
Yes, he really does exist...
but, um, that's not
why I was calling.
I was hope...
wondering if you were
free Saturday night.
( bell dinging lightly)
MAN: I'm just happy to
be getting off this ship.
And we got the place
for the whole weekend.
That's the great thing.
You finished already, Granato?
You're getting better at this.
Whatever.
You think I could put
this gear away now?
Absolutely. There's plenty
of deck for you to swab.
Haven't I done enough,
Petty Officer Rowe?
No.
You've got three
hours and 12 minutes
left on your watch.
Forget it!
Stow the Brasso and swab
the decks, Seaman Granato.
That's an order.
Do it now, Granato!
Do it yourself.
Look what you did!
I quit.
You can't just quit the Navy.
Watch me.
CHEGWIDDEN: Good evening,
and thank you for coming.
Every time the Navy unveils
a new recruiting commercial,
we all have a stake in it.
But tonight for
those of us at JAG,
the stakes are even greater,
because the commercial stars
our own Commander Harmon Rabb.
( applause)
With the commander tonight
is the director of
the commercial
Renee Peterson.
I understand she's still trying
to stop him from ad-libbing.
( all chuckling)
So now take a look and see
how the nation's going to see
us this week for the first time.
( trumpet playing
triumphant music)
I'm Commander Harmon Rabb.
The Navy has given me
not one, but two careers.
The first you've just
seen: flying F-14 Tomcats.
The second, I'm
working at right now
as a lawyer in the Judge
Advocate General Corps.
The great thing
about the Navy is
the challenges don't stop
with courtrooms and jets.
You could work in
nuclear propulsion
or computer electronics.
Or you could stand tall
with the world's elite
fighting force, the SEALs.
So if you think the Navy
is for you, take my advice.
Step up and meet the challenge.
( applause, whistles)
Good, sir. Real professional.
Nice job, Commander.
Thank you, sir.
You know, I was under the
impression that Miss Peterson
was going to use...
Your line, sir, was edited out.
Renee will explain it to you.
She's... right over there.
If I'm not mistaken, Commander,
the only thing those three
women have in common is... you.
SINGER: Did you see
what she was wearing?
I can't believe
he's dating that...
Colonel.
Good morning, Lieutenant.
Good morning, sir.
We can discuss
it later, Colonel.
Commander.
I scare her off?
She's a little high-strung.
Listen, Colonel,
on another note,
what were you and Bobbie Latham
talking to Renee
about last night?
Oh, just girl talk.
Admiral's waiting.
Nice to see Commander Rabb
could step out of the spotlight
long enough to join us.
First order of business
is Andrea Granato.
Apparently decided she
had enough of the Navy
and walked off her
ship, the USS Hartung.
Witnesses said her
parting words were "I quit."
Didn't anyone explain that
quitting wasn't an option
when Seaman
Granato enlisted, sir?
Apparently Generation
X only worries about itself.
This sounds like a simple case
of unauthorized absence, sir.
Why is JAG involved?
Because Seaman
Granato is being charged
with dereliction of duty,
missing ship's movement
and, as a result of 47 days
of absence, desertion.
Ouch...
Sir.
"Ouch" is what you get
when you walk off a
Spruance-class destroyer
getting ready to
deploy to the Adriatic.
Skipper drops a
ton of bricks on you.
Up to prosecuting, Colonel?
Absolutely, sir.
Commander, you will defend.
Yes, sir.
Admiral, I'd like to volunteer
to assist Commander Rabb.
Oh, I don't think that'll
be necessary, Lieutenant.
My plate's clear, sir.
Well, then let me fill it.
Seems a young
petty officer took a car
from the motor pool at
Bethesda Naval Hospital
and got caught drag racing.
You'll be handling his
special court-martial.
Yes, sir.
So that does it, unless...
RABB: One more thing, sir.
These bricks Seaman Granato's
C.O. is dropping on her...
why so many?
I had been hearing about
Seaman Granato's attitude
since her first day aboard
from her leading
chiefs in C.I.C., mostly.
What sorts of things were you
hearing, Commander Woodling?
She's a whiner.
Not the first one
in the service.
Well, did you whine
when you were working
towards those silver oak
leaves on your collar, Colonel?
Couldn't afford to.
No woman in the military can.
You know it, and I know it.
And Seaman Granato just
failed to get the message.
But her records don't show
any previous instances of trouble.
She was near the top
of her class at boot camp.
Well, that ceased to matter
when she walked off this ship
and missed the berth
switch the next morning.
Is this personal, Commander?
Stereotypes are the curse of
every woman in the military.
After what I went
through in the...
Well, I don't have to tell
you about discrimination
do I, Colonel?
I'm not the issue
here, Commander.
Oh, no, you're wrong.
We both are, and you'd
better understand that
if you want to successfully
prosecute this case.
Never pictured you
working behind a desk...
Not after seeing
how much you hated it
those two months in Saigon.
Well, hell, I
found one that fit.
Besides, I'm not like
you damn aviators.
I don't suffer from
oxygen deprivation.
SOLDIER: Sir!
It's a hell of a lot better
than lack of action.
I haven't missed a
war since Vietnam.
( laughing): All
right, all right.
Quit patting your damn chest
and tell me why the hell
you called me out here.
I need your help, Admiral.
Had a little problem
with an aircraft
and I got my ass grounded.
My FNAEB's in a couple of days
and if I don't win it, it could
mean no flying, no command.
Sounds like more
than just a little problem.
Ran off the end
of a damn taxiway
got stuck in the mud.
Fodded the engine
when I tried to power out.
What the hell happened?
My eyes.
Are they that bad?
No, they're fine
but the flight physical
found something
in my bloodstream.
It screwed up my vision.
I couldn't tell
the taxiway lights
from the runway approach lights.
Well, what do you
mean "something"?
Viagra.
Oh, hell, Pete.
I told you the problem
wasn't my eyes.
Well, you know the rule.
You can't... you can't
take Viagra and fly.
The FAA says six hours
is enough to get it
out of your system.
That's a civilian rule.
Admiral... I thought
it would be enough.
( sighs)
Let me see what I can do.
I really did want to
be in the Navy, sir.
Well, some people are
going to have a hard time
believing that, Seaman Granato.
Including you, Commander?
I'll give you the
benefit of the doubt...
I am your lawyer, after all.
Yes, sir.
I thought it would be a
good way to better myself.
The Navy, I mean.
Kind of scores you
got on your ASVABs,
college would have
been an option, too.
Too expensive, sir,
but then, I was hearing
about the Navy, you know,
and I thought
"Wow, where else am I going
to get a chance like that?"
What kind of chance
were you looking for?
The recruiter told me
that I could be an air
traffic controller, sir.
Oh, you're interested
in aviation, huh?
Totally, sir.
I mean, I'd never
been in a plane
before I was flown to boot camp.
That was cool.
Not the pilot part
but the getting it back
down on the ground.
Oh, whenever I was flying
getting back on the ground
was always important.
What did you fly, sir?
F-14s.
You can't be my lawyer, sir.
Excuse me?
I saw your television
commercial last night.
You're just another recruiter.
I've already had one lie to me.
What lie?
The lie they told me
about how I could be an
air traffic controller, sir...
Like that's ever
going to happen.
Go on, I'm listening.
First, they told me
that my school was postponed
so they send me to fleet as an
undesignated striker.
Then three months
later, they tell me
that they're over-quota'd
on air traffic controllers.
They offered me
some other schools
but they were not
what they promised me.
Well, I'm sure it wasn't
personal, Seaman Granato.
These things
happen in the military.
But nobody told me that, sir.
If you can't get your
head around that
then you should
not be defending me.
( rock music blasting)
MAN: I don't know
what to tell you
Chief Pearson.
Maybe I am backing
away... sort of.
That's what I just...
oh, Commander.
As you were, Chief.
Thank you, sir.
Look, Ronnie,
if you want to go to college
put in your four years
and the Navy will pay your way
and by that time
you'll probably
have a lot better idea
about what you...
you're Commander Rabb!
That's him.
He's in our new recruiting
commercial, too, on TV.
You seen it, Ronnie?
I don't remember.
When you do, you will definitely
want to play on the
commander's team.
Yeah. Okay, Chief Pearson.
All right, think
"maybe," Ronnie.
Sure.
Had him locked in, Commander.
Then his mother
offers him 500 bucks
to go to a community college.
Economy like it is, I
usually hear them saying
they found a job that
pays better than we do.
Sounds like tough duty, Chief.
Oh, at least they
lowered my quota, sir.
Now if I sign three kids
every two months, I'm a hero.
A year ago, they
wanted four a month.
I was going nuts.
That would be about when
you signed Andrea
Granato, wouldn't it?
Oh, yes, sir, it was.
A total home run, that girl.
Is she working for you?
I'm her lawyer, Chief.
She's been charged
with desertion.
Andrea?
Claims she did it because she
didn't get the school
you promised her.
Did you guarantee she'd be
an air traffic controller, Chief?
I didn't guarantee
anything, sir.
Neither do college
football recruiters, Chief
but they sometimes wind up
with two quarterbacks
both guaranteed to start.
Commander, I never
made her a promise
the Navy couldn't keep.
You just told me you were up
against a wall back then, Chief.
You had to sign four a month.
That's right, sir,
so I talked faster
worked harder, bought myself
a great-looking S.U.V.
to keep recruits
from thinking the Navy
is as butt-ugly as this office.
You taking new
recruits for a ride, Chief?
Only in my car, sir.
( phone ringing)
JAG Ops, Gunnery
Sergeant Galindez.
HARM: Gunny, have you
seen Lieutenant Singer?
Uh... yes, sir.
I just picked her
up on my radar.
Lieutenant Singer.
Telephone, ma'am.
It's Commander Rabb.
I'll take it at your
desk, Gunny.
Yes, sir?
Lieutenant, I've got my
hands full here in Baltimore.
I was wondering if you
could find time to help me out.
On the Granato case, sir?
Great. It'd be an honor.
Granato's recruiter's name
is Chief Roger Pearson.
I need you to find out
if there is any evidence
that he has trouble
telling the truth on the job.
I'm sure his unhappy
recruits would tell you that, sir.
I need better than
unhappy, Lieutenant.
I need lied to.
Yes, sir. I'll get right on it.
Thank you.
Gunny?
Yes, ma'am?
I need a favor.
Colonel MacKenzie?
What is it, Bud?
( muffled): You're
busy with your case.
I'll come back later.
Well, no, it's not a problem.
But... let's talk in my office.
It's Harriet, ma'am.
Do you think she's still
mad at me about Australia?
No. Australia's
ancient history, Bud.
Besides, Harriet's not
the type to hold a grudge.
Last night, I asked
her what was for dinner
and she made me
sleep on the couch.
( knock at door) Enter.
Congresswoman Latham.
I was just visiting the admiral,
and while I was there,
I thought we could chat.
By all means.
We'll talk later, Colonel.
What happened to
your jaw, Lieutenant?
Oh, Commander Rabb punched me.
Commander Brumby, too.
It was an accident.
Ma'am.
Please.
Someday I'd like
to hear that story,
but right now, I'm more
interested in the Granato case.
Well, the court-martial
starts tomorrow.
So the charges remain the same?
Yes, ma'am, they do.
Colonel MacKenzie,
doesn't this strike you
as a prime example of
using an ax to peel a grape?
I didn't know you had a
personal interest in the case.
Well, I'm making arrangements
for Seaman Granato
to testify before
my subcommittee.
On national security?
On the retention
of women in the military.
We lose a third of them
every three years...
A statistic I assume
would alarm you.
I am well aware of that,
but the kind of women who
should be in the military don't desert
because they're pouting
over the school they didn't get.
They wouldn't pout if they
were given accommodations.
Accommodations?
I think you've got things
backwards, Congresswoman Latham.
Women, like men,
are in the military
to serve their
community, not vice versa.
Nobody's serving anybody
if the Navy recruits women
and then chases them away.
Andrea Granato wasn't
chased... She ran.
From what, Colonel?
( door closes)
Hi.
Hello.
Dr. Walden.
Dr. Sydney Walden?
That's right.
It's an old family name.
You're not the first to
expect my grandfather.
So, Admiral Chegwidden,
how can I help you?
Well, actually, I'm, um...
I'm here about a friend.
Admiral, there's no shame
in erectile dysfunction.
Dr. Walden, I'm the
Judge Advocate General
of the United States
Navy, and, as such, I think
I possess enough
respect for the truth
to be forthcoming if I had
a problem, which I don't.
Not that I...
um... lately... but the, um...
I know what you mean, Admiral.
Work doesn't leave much time
for relationships.
Kind of ironic for me, I guess.
Is... is this your son?
Yes.
My husband died
almost 12 years ago.
Danny plays lacrosse for
Maryland... just a freshman.
Listen, I hope I
wasn't too strident. I...
It's refreshing to meet someone
who doesn't mince words.
Now...
about your friend.
Uh... yeah, right, right.
Um... well, he's
a naval aviator...
Flew after taking Viagra.
Foolish, maybe,
but it wasn't an issue
until he had a mishap.
No fatalities.
But the Navy's touchy about it.
Right.
I know the common
wisdom about the drug
is that it decreases the ability
to distinguish blue from green.
Exactly. The color of
the lights on the taxiway
where the accident happened.
Look, have your
friend come in, Admiral.
I'll examine him, and
we can determine exactly
what the drug does to his sight.
Well, I don't know if he's going
to be comfortable with that.
Even if it gave him a defense?
MRS. GRANATO: Andrea's
sisters, her brother...
We were all excited
she was going to be
working with airplanes...
The whole block was.
But I guess she never
got close to an airplane
did she, Commander Rabb?
No, ma'am, I'm
afraid she didn't.
Oh, that recruiter.
He filled her
head with all kinds
of jets and fancy uniforms.
You know, glamorous stuff
she was never going to get
if she stayed around here.
Did you hear the
recruiter promise
or guarantee anything?
I never met him.
Too busy working here.
Plus, I thought Andrea...
She was 19 then...
She could make
her own decisions.
Sounds like you have
a lot of faith in Andrea.
Nothing but, Commander.
She was great in school.
She took care
of my other kids...
You know, after
her father passed
and I had to be out
of the house so much.
Did Andrea ever have an
attitude problem, Mrs. Granato?
Oh, well, she could
be a little bossy
but other than that, she
was like a second mother.
Did she tell you that she was
planning on leaving the ship?
I didn't even know
she was unhappy.
She wrote to me
everything was swell
but when she got
home, it all came out.
( romantic music playing)
Big improvement over
premieres and hijackings, huh?
( chuckles) It is, isn't it?
You sound surprised.
No. Just haven't
had many evenings
like this recently.
Well, things can change, Harm.
I think I'm looking at a
very interesting future.
Whoa. I think
it's a little early
for predictions, huh?
You're not very good
at relationships, are you?
I just don't think
we should be getting
ahead of ourselves.
Oh. Oh, no, no, no, no.
Harm, no, you don't understand.
I think I understand.
You said that you think
there's an interesting
future and...
No, no. It's a movie, Harm.
The budget's only
about $2.5 million,
but it's a really
great opportunity.
Oh.
Oh.
What's the movie about?
It's actually about loneliness.
Love triumphs?
Well, not in the
script that I read, but...
they had a really great time
along the way.
Really?
Really.
A really good time?
Really good time.
Is everybody getting
court-martialed
this nervous, sir?
Comes with the
territory, I guess.
Commander.
Just who I was looking for.
An addendum
to our witness list.
Paul Skowron?
Ask your client.
He's a guy I know.
More like the boyfriend
she deserted the
Navy to be with.
Boyfriend just slip your
mind, Seaman Granato?
I didn't think he mattered, sir.
You better believe he
matters if he's the reason
you left that ship.
No, Commander.
Everything I told
you is the truth
about my recruiter lying to me
promising me things that
were never going to happen.
How long after you left the ship
did you go to your
boyfriend's house?
Right away, sir, but it's
not what you're thinking.
Enlighten me.
I didn't have
anywhere else to go.
How many days did you
stay at Paul Skowron's?
( voice breaking):
Three days, sir.
Four days, sir.
MacKENZIE: And in
those four days she spent
at your apartment, Mr. Skowron,
did Seaman Granato
talk about the problems
she was having with the Navy?
She said she couldn't
deal with it, you know.
Anything about a recruiter?
Anything about broken promises?
We actually didn't do
a whole lot of talking.
( scattered chuckles) I see.
So while Seaman Granato
was at your house, she was just...
enjoying your company.
Yeah. I knew she'd been
hearing from her friends
that I was seeing other girls
so I figured she wanted to
try and get us back together.
Because she was jealous?
I think so, yeah.
MacKENZIE: Jealous enough
to desert from the Navy?
Objection, Your Honor.
This calls for the witness to be
a mind reader. Sustained.
No further questions.
RABB: Mr. Skowron...
prior to these four days
that Seaman Granato
spent with you in March
when was the last
time you saw her?
I don't know, maybe
nine, ten months ago.
Which would be before Seaman
Granato entered the Navy, correct?
I guess.
RABB: Had she been back
to Baltimore in this time?
I think so.
I heard she was.
No. She didn't see you then?
So, since she lived with
you for four days in March
has she moved back in with you?
No. She's staying
with her mother.
RABB: So what you're saying is
that she treated your apartment
like a hotel, only cheaper.
Objection.
Sustained.
We are still seeing each other.
RABB: Every week?
Sometimes.
Are you engaged, Mr. Skowron?
No.
So, really what you and
Seaman Granato have
is a casual social relationship.
I suppose so, yes.
Thank you.
ROWE: She dropped
her Brasso, ma'am
splashed it all over my trousers
and then she walked
right over the brow.
Without permission,
Petty Officer Rowe?
I couldn't believe it, ma'am.
You don't just quit the Navy.
Did you have any other reaction?
Well, yes, ma'am...
Anger.
We were preparing to deploy...
Loading gear, testing systems,
working like plow horses.
Seaman Granato
couldn't have picked
a worse time to jump ship.
Thank you.
No further questions.
So, you were understaffed.
You were preparing to deploy...
Checking systems, loading gear...
And you couldn't find anything
better for Seaman Granato to do
than to polish brass?
It's a part of Navy life, sir...
like swabbing the deck.
Which is exactly what you
had ordered Seaman Granato
to do next, isn't it?
Yes, sir. Were you singling
Seaman Granato out
for drudge work,
Petty Officer Rowe?
I wanted to make a point, sir,
that she needed
to apply herself.
Was that the point,
or was the point that
Seaman Granato is a woman?
No, sir.
GALINDEZ: Yeah.
Got it. I owe you one. Thanks.
Lieutenant Singer.
I checked around like you asked
found somebody interesting.
Let's take a look.
Isaac Crawford.
Yes, ma'am, he
lives in Pikesville,
in case you need
him as a witness.
Good, good.
Commander Rabb...
I found someone you can use
to counter Granato's recruiter,
and he lives in Maryland,
so it'll be easy to
call him as a witness.
Nice work, Lieutenant.
That was fast.
Thank you, sir.
RABB: Let's take a look.
Can I help you, Lieutenant Sims?
You don't want the
admiral catching me
with a messy desk, gunny.
I thought she was just
bringing me my lunch.
She's been like this for days.
Isn't there a drawer
we can put these in?
TULLY: So the good news is
this lady doctor can maybe prove
That Viagra didn't
affect my eyesight. Right.
Which leaves only
one other explanation...
That I'm a half-assed aviator
who should be kept away
from planes for the rest
of his natural life.
So we're back to square one.
I'll plead ignorance.
Ignorance does not
become a base commander
especially at a FNAEB.
I know.
I really did think that stuff
would be out of my
system by the time I flew.
Pete, the rule is clear.
Is there a rule that
says I can't have
a happy marriage, too?
That is not the issue here.
You mean we're just naval
officers and nothing else
right, Admiral? When it
comes to that board, you bet.
I'm not making it very easy
for you to be a
character witness, am I?
Well, it's not me
I'm worried about.
WOODLING: Two days after
Seaman Granato deserted,
we began tactical testing
in preparation for
deployment to the Adriatic.
We had general quarters drills,
fired all of our weapons,
did everything we
could possibly do
to achieve combat readiness.
Should Seaman Granato
have been there, Commander?
Oh, without question, Colonel.
Her absence simply made life
that much harder
for everybody else.
Thank you.
Commander, how did the
Hartung perform in its tac tests?
We scored 97% or
better on every one.
I was very proud of my crew...
The ones who chose to stay.
RABB: So, then,
you are fully prepared
to deploy next week, correct?
Yes, we are, Commander.
Then Seaman Granato's absence
did not affect your
combat readiness.
Well, that's no excuse
for what she did.
Commander, isn't what she did
generally punished with a
lesser charge than desertion?
Objection. Relevance.
I'll allow it. Overruled.
I don't know what's
"generally" done, Commander.
I assume you know
what is specifically done
aboard your ship,
then, Commander.
How many absence offenses
have you sent to
courts-martial in the past year?
Two or three.
Maybe this list will
jog your memory.
There were four.
For three men prosecuted
for unauthorized
absence, one woman...
Seaman Andrea Granato...
Prosecuted for desertion.
WOODLING: Her timing was worse.
Her attitude was worse.
And her sex was
worse, too, wasn't it,
Commander?
Are you using Seaman Granato
to prove that a woman C.O.
can be as tough as any man,
Commander? No, I am not.
Are you trying to
weed out somebody
who doesn't meet your standards
of what a Navy woman should be?
They're not my standards,
Commander.
Whose standards
are they, Commander?
The Navy men who might use
a woman like Seaman Granato
against a woman like you?
Objection.
That's enough, Commander.
RABB: I have no further
questions, Your Honor.
( gallery murmuring)
MacKENZIE: Let
me get this straight...
A woman commanding
officer is a male chauvinist pig?
Mac, you know she's doing
exactly what I said she is.
What I know is that
your client jumped ship.
Harm...
I thought you had a
meeting about the movie.
Mm-mm. Got canceled.
Well, don't get me
wrong... I'm glad to see you.
Well, you shouldn't be.
Colonel MacKenzie here
called me as a witness.
RABB: Now, what could Renee
possibly have to do with this?
She fits into my case.
Really? Yeah.
Would she fit into your case
if she wasn't my girlfriend?
Do you think I
let your social life
dictate my trial strategy?
How would you like it
if I called Brumby as a witness?
How soon can you get him here?
Anything you'd like
to share with the court,
Colonel MacKenzie,
Commander Rabb?
No, sir. No, sir.
Then call your first
witness, Commander.
Was it difficult
to convince Andrea Granato
to enlist, Chief Pearson?
No, sir.
She was very positive
about the Navy,
very enthusiastic.
So you didn't
have to mislead her
about anything that might
happen to her in the Navy?
I don't do that, sir.
Really?
Do you recall recruiting
Isaac Crawford, Chief?
I beg your pardon, sir?
You convinced
Mr. Crawford to enlist
back in June of 1998.
He was honorably
discharged eight months later
because the Navy
failed to honor a contract
containing promises
you made him.
That was an unusual case, sir.
What promises did you make
Andrea Granato, Chief Pearson?
I told her there was
an excellent chance
she'd become a
flight controller, sir.
You didn't know that
there was a chance
she wouldn't become
a flight controller, Chief?
I didn't know the school
was almost over-quota'd, sir.
RABB: Did you explain
to Andrea Granato
that something like
this might happen?
I didn't tell her any lies,
sir, but a recruiter stresses
what's likely to go right,
not what might go wrong.
CHEGWIDDEN: Admiral
Hodges, members of the panel...
in the 31 years that
I have known him,
Captain Peter Tully
has always been
a consummate warrior.
He has flown combat missions
in every conflict
this nation has faced
from Vietnam to Bosnia.
You need only to look
at his chest to understand
this is a man who
has never taken
a backward step in
the face of danger.
I'm proud to call him a friend.
I am honored to call
him a fellow Naval officer.
OFFICER: Admiral
Chegwidden, you say that
knowing that Captain Tully
violated a general order
from the Bureau of
Medicine and Surgery.
The Judge Advocate
General's office
must not be as unbending
as I've always thought.
We're not talking about
a crime here, Admiral.
He took a normal
50-milligram dose
a full 21 hours before
he flew, almost four times
the waiting period
required of civilian pilots,
and now his career
hangs in balance...
A career, gentlemen, I
believe does not deserve to end
on such a note.
Thank you, Admiral Chegwidden.
Captain Tully.
You stand here today
because you put
yourself before the Navy
and thereby risked your career,
your life and conceivably,
the lives of others.
Yes, sir. But...
as Admiral Chegwidden said,
your record should count
for more than a
single foolish mistake.
It will, however,
do so only once.
Come this way again, Captain,
you'd better strap yourself
in for a court-martial.
Dismissed.
Aye, aye, sir.
Admiral, I owe you one.
Say, why don't
you come to dinner
with me and Mary Anne, huh?
Bring a date, if you're
seeing someone.
With my workload?
I'll, uh... I'll
give you a call.
GRANATO: All I wanted was to be
an air traffic controller, sir.
And that is what you were led
to believe you'd be trained as?
Yes, sir.
By my recruiter, Chief
Petty Officer Pearson,
and then school got delayed,
and then there were
too many people,
and then I was just out of luck.
Is this why you
left the Hartung?
No, that was not the reason.
Then why, Seaman Granato?
Because they acted like
they didn't need me, sir,
the way that my
recruiter said that they did.
Thank you.
Seaman Granato, isn't it
true that the Navy offered you
other schools when air
traffic controller school was
no longer available? Yes, ma'am.
Do you recall what those
other schools were for?
No, ma'am, not really.
Well, let me refresh
your memory.
Cryptology, information systems,
aviation electronics.
But they weren't in
my contract, ma'am.
Do you mean this
contract, Seaman Granato?
Yes, ma'am.
Is that your signature?
That is my signature.
It said I could go
to air traffic controller
school, ma'am.
You read the contract carefully?
Yes, ma'am.
Then I'm sure you
recall this sentence:
"Scheduling of the above school
is subject to the
needs of the Navy."
(voice breaking):
No, ma'am, I don't.
Are you sure? Because it's very
important upon entering the Navy
that you realize its
needs come before yours.
I'm sorry, Colonel, but
I do not remember that.
It was there for you
to read, wasn't it?
It was in your hands.
You signed it.
Yes, but Chief Pearson
should have said something.
Why is that, Seaman Granato?
Was he the one enlisting?
No, ma'am.
I was.
No further questions.
Redirect, Your Honor?
Seaman Granato, you were
19 when you enlisted, correct?
Yes, sir. Had you signed
many contracts at this point?
No, sir.
None?
None, sir.
In light of this fact,
did Chief Pearson
encourage you to read
the fine print in this contract?
No, sir.
The defense rests, Your Honor.
Colonel, any rebuttal?
Yes, Your Honor. I'd like
to call Renee Petersen.
Your Honor, may we approach?
Sir, Miss Petersen is not
an appropriate witness.
She certainly is, Your Honor.
She is an expert on recruiting.
In fact, she directed
a commercial
that Commander
Rabb himself starred in.
I've seen it.
That hardly makes her an expert.
Sir, this is a blatant attempt
to put the focus on me.
Embarrassed by your
performance, Commander?
No, sir.
Did you think his performance
was embarrassing, Colonel?
Absolutely not, Your Honor.
Then we agree.
Miss Petersen may testify.
PETERSEN: I've shot a
dozen or so rock videos
and two documentaries,
and people were impressed...
Navy people.
Why the Navy, Miss Petersen?
My edge, my honesty, my
reputation for independence.
MacKENZIE: Did your reputation
remain intact when you made your
commercial for the Navy? Yes.
Did you write the script
for your commercial,
Miss Petersen?
Yes, based on my own research.
Were you ever instructed
by anyone from the Navy
to sugarcoat your subject?
I don't operate
that way, Colonel.
The Navy wanted to present
a fair picture of
itself to recruits,
and that's what I gave them.
Thank you.
Your witness, Commander.
( clearing throat)
Miss Petersen...
how many people
did you interview at JAG
in your preparation
for the commercial?
Four.
Uh, Admiral A.J. Chegwidden,
Lieutenant Bud Roberts,
Petty Officer Jason Tiner
and you.
But they didn't end up in
your commercial, did they?
No.
Why?
You can start with
Admiral Chegwidden.
PETERSEN: He, um...
he was a little stiff.
Lieutenant Roberts?
His work in the Navy
wasn't very interesting.
You actually
shot some film with
Petty Officer Tiner,
didn't you? Yes.
But you didn't use it.
Why?
Because all he could talk
about was his filing system.
It bored me out of my skull.
So you picked me.
You weren't boring.
I wasn't a typical JAG lawyer?
No.
You flew Tomcats.
Doesn't this contradict
your earlier testimony,
Miss Petersen?
You said that you
gave potential recruits
an honest depiction
of Navy life. Objection.
Argumentative.
Overruled. Miss Petersen,
did putting me in
your commercial
faithfully represent
the Navy as you saw it?
It was a commercial.
Commercials are made to sell.
You show the best.
I thought you were the best.
I made a mistake.
No further questions.
MORRIS: You may step
down, Miss Petersen.
( sighing)
I request a recess, Your Honor.
15 minutes.
Renee...
It's my job.
To humiliate me?
I'm defending my client.
At my expense.
( elevator bell dings)
Renee...
( punches button)
When Seaman Granato didn't
get the school she wanted,
she caved in to selfishness,
and became a deserter instead.
When she was apprehended, she...
she tried to dodge
responsibility
by saying her
recruiter lied to her.
But she's an adult,
and she did sign
on the dotted line.
I ask you to convict
Seaman Granato
on all charges
and specifications.
There are no
villains in this case.
Though... there is a victim...
Seaman Andrea Granato.
We cannot castigate
the Navy for wanting
to bolster its ranks,
and we cannot
pillory its recruiters
for responding aggressively
to the Navy's requirements.
These charges against
Seaman Andrea Granato
who joined the Navy
eagerly, yet blindly
far outweigh her transgressions.
Acquit her...
in the name of basic decency.
Will the defense please rise?
Captain Imhoff,
will you announce
the findings, please?
"On the charge and
specification of dereliction of duty,
"this court-martial
finds you not guilty.
"On the charge and
specification of desertion,
"this court-martial
finds you not guilty.
"On the lesser included
offense of unauthorized absence,
"this court-martial
finds you guilty.
"On the charge and specification
of missing ship's movement
this court-martial
finds you guilty."
MORRIS: I'll commence
sentencing at 0900 tomorrow.
This court is adjourned.
( crying)
Wh-What's going to
happen to me now, sir?
If we're lucky, no confinement
but a bad-conduct discharge.
Not out celebrating?
I don't feel like it.
You did what you could, Harm.
It was a loser case.
Have you talked to Renee?
Since when did you start
worrying about Renee?
( muffled): Colonel, Commander!
Harriet's not mad at me anymore.
Harriet's not mad
at him anymore.
Baby?
I'm pregnant.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
MacKENZIE: Oh! Congratulations,
Bud. Thank you, Colonel.
That's great. Way to go, Bud.
Thank you, sir.
Can you believe
it? That's so great.
( laughing)
( indistinct voices, laughter)
RABB: Oh, way to go, Bud!
( sighs)
Dr. Walden?
A.J. Chegwidden.
Uh, no. No.
Actually, I don't think
you'll have to testify.
Things went pretty
well for my friend.
( laughing)
Yes, he really does exist...
but, um, that's not
why I was calling.
I was hope...
wondering if you were
free Saturday night.