A drunken GI steals a chaplain's jeep and goes on a joy ride with a Vietnamese hooker. They nearly collide with a jeep-load of MPs who chase him down. His arrest is witnessed by Zeke, who recognizes him as Decker, his former drill sergeant and role model. Anderson rescues Decker from a certain court-martial (his second) and drafts him into the squad without checking with Goldman first. Decker is popular with the guys but he almost immediately starts to disobey orders. Decker mans a listening post with Horn to watch for enemy troops movements, but he gets drunk and falls asleep. As a result, Horn is nearly killed.

Anderson sauve son ancien commandant, Decker, d'une seconde cour martial pour comportement irresponsable. Decker est ainsi placé sous la responsabilité d'Anderson et de ses hommes. Populaire dès les premiers jours, son comportement lui attire ensuite l'antipathie de l'équipe...

Sergeant Anderson bewahrt seinen ehemaligen Chef, Decker, vor seiner zweiten Verurteilung vor dem Kriegsgericht, indem er ihn für seine Einsatztruppe verpflichtet. Vom ersten Tag an kommt Decker gut mit den Jungs klar

앤더슨 중사에게 전투의 모든 것을 가르쳤던 전 지휘관인 백전노장 데커는 작전 중에 술을 마시고 영내에 창녀를 데려오는 사고뭉치로 변해있었다. 베트콩 송신기지 파괴 임무에 앤더슨은 골드맨 소위에게 데커를 추천하게 된다.