Mac becomes ""Acting JAG"" as Admiral Chegwidden is selected to head the Promotions Board for Captain.

Harm takes up the defense of a former Marine Drill Instructor who is facing life imprisonment under the 3 strikes law.

Cmdr. Ted Lindsey (last seen in ""People vs. Mac"") tries to impress the Admiral & Mac in an attempt to earn promotion to Captain.

A raid by agents of the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) on a boat carrying Vietnamese ladies being smuggled into the USA, also nets a distinguished Vietnam-native Marine Lieutenant, who is suspected to have a part in bringing the ladies in for profit.

Harm & Sturgis are assigned to see if the Lieutenants claim that he broke into the warehouse containers to steal is true, or if he really is one of the lead smugglers. They learn that when the Lieutenant was four years old living in Saigon with his mother, he was loaded onto the last helicopter evacuating people from the US Embassy in Saigon on April 29, 1975, just before the city was invaded by North Vietnam. As there was only room for 1 person left on the helicopter, his mother placed him onboard & stayed behind. He was then brought to the US & later joined the Marines, rapidly advancing through the ranks, becoming a pilot & earned great distinction for himself.

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.

NCIS Agent Gibbs continues his investigation on the terrorist, Amad Bin Atwa to avert another attack on a Navy ship. Harm is court-martialed for the murder of Lt. Singer.