Harm & Mac defend Adm. Boone in court against the charges that he was responsible for massacrering civilians. Although he is eventually acquitted, he decides that it is probably best to retire from the service, despite Harm's objection that the Navy need men like him.

Harm's former partner Kate Pike is considering transferring back to the JAG office. It becomes complicated when a former CO of Kate is being considered as the new Inspector General and Kate confides to Harm that he made unwanted sexual advances to her when she worked for him.

Lt. Singer appears at the door during Kate's conversation and soon afterward, the affair is reported by the Washington media, although Harm suspects Lt. Singer as the source, she denies she overheard anything.

Eventually, Kate decides that Washington is just not the place to work and decides to turn down the Admiral's job offer.

**November 2, 2001** Harm defends a Marine who says he was obeying verbal orders when his violation of the rules of engagement led six soldiers to their deaths in a ambush.

A Navy P-3 spy plane is rammed by a Chinese MIG and is forced to land at a Chinese Air Base. (The second such incident; the first being the actual incident that occurred early 2001)

The SecNav requests Adm. Boone re-activated to active duty, in order to travel with Harm to the Air Base to negotiate with the Chinese for the release of the plane & crew.

After the Chinese Commander is presented with photographic evidence that the MIG & its pilot that rammed the P-3 is alive & well (contrary to claims by the Chinese that the pilot was killed), the Chinese immediately release the P-3 crew; however, they would ship the P-3 back, piece by piece.

Lt. Barrett flying out to escort the plane from Chinese Air Space back to the USS Thomas Jefferson. After telling his wingman a lie to leave the escort, Lt. Barrett disobeys orders, flies into Chinese airspace & destroys the P-3 on the ground.

Harm defends Lt. Barrett who readily claims he disobeyed orders and destroyed the P-3 spy plane held hostage by the Chinese because he believed it was the right thing to do. Harm and Sturgis go head to head at the lieutenant's court-martial as Harm tries to keep him out of Leavenworth, where he could be sentenced to 25 years for his actions. Meanwhile, Mac investigates a charge of sexual harassment when a female officer charges a Marine colonel with humiliating her publicly when her training tape is shown on the television show "Military Bloopers." As part of her investigation, Mac takes the Colonel up on her offer to complete her regular physical training evaluation with the Colonel. Mac recommends that the Colonel get a letter of reprimand, which could jeopardize his chance for a command.

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 Navy SEAL accused of disobeying orders when his return to a hostile area in Afghanistan to retrieve a wounded comrade results in the death of another officer. Complicating the issue is the dead officer's pregnant widow who is determined to have justice served even though the accused man was her husband's best friend. Meanwhile, Admiral Chegwidden is asked to resign when he's charged with slapping a high school student.

When Harm and Mac are called in to investigate an aborted SEAL operation in Afghanistan, Harm accuses a television news reporter accompanying the SEALs for disobeying orders and causing the error. Meanwhile, Lt. Roberts receives his orders and, leaving Harriet and A.J. behind, ships out for a six-month deployment aboard the USS Seahawk.

The episode starts with a short recap of where we left off last season: Bud & PO Coates walking along a dirt road enroute to attend the ground-breaking of the new school, when they spot a small boy playing in a field that had yet to be cleared of mines. As Coates runs for help, there is an explosion behind her. She turns in time to see Bud injured in the explosion and runs to his side. Coates insists that Bud must be transported on the helo that brought them in, that Bud won't be able to wait for the proper medevac chopper.

Bud is airlifted to a field hospital, critical, but still alive. As luck would have it, ZNN reporter Stuart Dunston just happens to be at the base camp when Bud is brought it. Dunston reports the arrival of an injured JAG officer that was brought it, but does not report the name. Chegwiggen advises Harriet, but reminds her he is still on the Seahawk. She tries to contact him by instant messaging, but does not receive a reply.

Having felt betrayed in the past by the present members of JAG, Commander Lindsey delivers his report to the SecNav critical of the Admiral & the rest of the staff at JAG.

Mac goes to Iraq to investigate a bombing that killed a group of Marine reservists, while Harm and Bud go to Oklahoma to assist their families, but end up prosecuting the sole survivor, who is accused of starting a fire that destroyed the Marine Reserve Center.