Bud has his hands full when his obnoxious and abusive father, Big Bud, and his younger brother, Mikey, arrive in town for his wedding. Big Bud throws a stag party at a boisterous strip club where Harm's dress whites end up on the body of a stripper. A fight breaks out and Harm, Bud and Chegwidden find themselves in the slammer on the day of the wedding.

While Mac goes downtown to bail them out, Harriet begins to have second thoughts about the imminent nuptials.

Bud's first case as a newly sworn in JAG attorney is to defend his father, a retired Navy Chief who's been accused of having been involved in defrauding the Navy when he was in charge of Ship's Stores. Though the two have been estranged, Bud feels a strong obligation to his father, who specifically requested him to be his attorney. Harm is the designated prosecutor, which spooks Bud, as he knows he's going up against the best.

On Christmas Eve, Harm pays his annual visit to the Vietnam Memorial to honor his father who was shot down on Christmas Eve, 1969. At the memorial, Harm meets a beautiful, but mysterious woman, who claims to have known Harm, Sr. She used to be a singer in a traveling USO tour and she met Harm's father shortly before his fateful flight.

In an unusual casting twist, Harm stars as his father in this episode, and many familiar faces show up playing different roles.

As Bud is defending his brother Mikey, a petty officer accused of murdering a Mexican in a barrom brawl, their father shows up.

Preparing to give a lecture about an 1842 Naval court-martial, Mac finds herself daydreaming about what actually happened.

When a pretty female petty officer is arrested by the MP's for impersonating a Salvation Army 'bell-ringing' Santa & pocketing the cash, Harm is assigned as her attorney. However, since she has a history of unauthorized absences, she is ordered to be held in custody. But with the holidays, the brig & pre-trial detention center are unavailable, she is estranged from her father, so she must spend the holiday with Harm or with Mac.

Cmdr. Ted Lindsey (as the SecNav's administrative assistant) notifies Bud's brother Mikey that each year, the SecNav nominates 170 enlisted personnel for admission to the Naval Academy and that Mikey is being considered for one of those nomination spots. Bud & Mikey's father, a retired Master Chief though is not at all thrilled with having another son becoming an officer and insures that everyone knows it.

Harm defends a Marine gunnery sergeant who killed his wife, but claims it was self defense while he refuses to let his son testify on his behalf. Meanwhile, the JAG team bids farewell to Lt. Singer who is departing for the USS Seahawk.

Harm finds his first mission flying for the CIA takes him to the Phillipines where he must ""drop"" a limo. Back at JAG, ""Mikey"" Roberts calls on Mac to help him when he must act as a character witness in a honor code conflict.

A Marine captain has deserted and has become a freelance warlord in Afghanistan, seeking Osama bin Laden; the Afghan government places him on trial; Harm and Mac defend him; Islamic justice follows. The Navy recalls Bud Sr. to active duty.