Behind Enemy Lines

(reporter) The much-criticized Cincinnati

Accord has brought a cease-fire to Bosnia,

and it appears to be holding, prompting

NATO forces to begin a withdrawal,

which should be complete by New Year's Day,

close to the US president's

"Home by the holidays" pledge.

Yet even as the conflict winds down,

the US military remains in a high state

of readiness, eager to answer the call.

(radio) Golden Eagle, this is Hawkeye. I've got

unknown rider not responding to coms.

Suspect hostile intent.

Unclassified bandit.

Launch the alert. Launch the alert.

Sailors, let's move it out there. We need

to get this aircraft airborne in five minutes.

- Nose wheel.

- Check.

- Gun-blast diffuser.

- Clear.

- Right intake. Left intake.

- Check. Check.

- Ejection seat is safe. Arm handle.

- Copy. I show safe.

- Com IFF.

- Up and up. Let's go. Move it.

- DDI, MPCD and ETD.

- Go flight.

- FCS, ECS, AWP.

- It's all green across the board.

- OK for start.

- Copy. OK for start.

- OK, right throttle, 15 per cent.

- Copy, 15 per cent. Go for two.

Two is up. ECS turbine is online.

Copy. Nozzle coming in at 73 per cent.

- Good to go.

- Copy. Good to go.

That's a NATO bird. Stand it down.

Cat four, abort.

- What?

- That's bullshit! Are you kidding me?

Abort, abort. Suspend cat four.

Launch is canceled.

- Guys, come on. That's twice today.

- Yeah.

They're wound up tight today.

Guess that's the price of peace.

I cannot wait for this sh*t to be done.

OK.

Four more days.

You know what I was reading the other day?

Bill Gates has more money than Peru.

Now, he needs someone to fly his jets.

We oughta be flyin' for him.

Yeah, but you know what?

I bet Bill won't let you fly upside down.

Or fly for a rock star. I mean, if anybody

needs a good pilot, it's those guys.

Whenever you turn around we've lost another

band to some shitty hack they got flyin' 'em.

I mean, it's sad.

Navy pilot coulda saved Ritchie Valens

from bein' a one-hit wonder. That's a fact.

Cos that kid had talent.

You know, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Buddy Holly...

- What about John Denver?

- Well, let's not get carried away.

Let me ask you something. How fast

do you think we're headed into the wind?

Chris, we're still on alert. If Reigart

wanders up to the tower, we're dead.

All right, let's do it.

That's the spirit.

- Rutherford. Right here.

- Incoming!

You guys ready for a little lesson in physics?

You never learn, kid.

I'm gonna take your money this week.

Wind's blowin' up a gale.

I bet you 20 bucks each

I catch it when it comes back.

- Man, you'll lose a finger along with that 20.

- This one?

All right.

Always happy to take an officer's money.

("What'd I Say" by Ray Charles)

Hey, mama, don't you treat me wrong

Come and love your daddy all night long

All right now...

Look at that, Stackhouse! Look!

That is awesome!

Hey, watch out for the catwalk!

Well, tell me what'd I say, yeah

Tell me what'd I say right now

Tell me what'd I say

Tell me what'd I say right now

Tell me what'd I say

Tell me what'd I say...

Wilson!

On the flight deck, heads up.

NATO helo landing spot six. Spot six.

This is a lot of sorties for an action

that's winding down, Leslie.

I'm struggling to get my pilots

You understand how important it is that your

pilots don't stray from the agreed fly zones?

- This treaty is fragile.

- The routes will be flown as ordered.

The treaty depends on it.

Aernout Van Lynden. He's with Sky News.

- What is this?

- I invited him to report on the battle group.

I'd like you to give him a tour of the ship.

Show him how everything works.

Admiral, I find the press to be an intrusive

presence. It inspires showing off.

What's so funny, Admiral?

You, Admiral,

are just what the conflict needs.

- An uncomplicated man.

- I'll take that as a compliment.

But wait a second.

Did you see the one with the, uh...?

Well, well, well, looky here. Stackhouse.

- I know that's not Burnett.

- Captain? Good to see you. All right.

- Look at you, look at you.

- What are you guys doing back on board?

Well, we just finished up in Sarajevo,

and your Admiral wanted us

to pump you guys up.

Sounds like Reigart. "Be prepared."

Well, it's better to be prepared

than to be caught sleepin' in the field.

Don't you forget what you're doin' here.

What we're doing here?

Are you kidding me?

Well, I'm eating Jell-O.

Uh, he's wipin' his hands.

You know, everybody has a role to play.

See, me, I'm a marine.

We take care of the serious business.

You, you're a navy pilot,

and your role is to eat Jell-O.

You don't get to pick your fight.

It comes to you.

Yeah, I get it.

But at least give me a fight I can understand.

Vukovar? Where's the place

we flew over the other day? Sreb...?

Srebrenica.

And good luck talkin' to someone at home:

"Today's Tuesday.

We're helping these people."

"No, no, now it's switched around.

Now we're helping..." It's like a joke.

- Just be glad it's over.

- Yeah. I am.

(shouting)

Look at these guys.

See, that's exactly what I'm talking about.

Everybody thinks they're gonna get a chance

to punch some Nazi in the face at Normandy.

And those days are over. They are long gone.

I used to think I'd get a chance to do it.

Now I realize I'll be eating Jell-O.

- Are you gonna eat that, by the way?

- Now you wanna eat everybody's Jell-O.

Lieutenant Burnett?

Admiral Reigart would like

to see you immediately.

- What the hell is this?

- Be prepared.

Thank you.

Maybe he wants to give you

his daughter's number.

Did you see Tennessee on Saturday?

Boy, they looked good.

I don't know anything, Lieutenant.

Now, that is cynical.

And Southerners usually aren't that cynical.

I give you a compliment

on how great your alma mater looks,

and you think I'm tryin' to pump you

for information. What does he want?

I guess you'll have to see, sir.

- (knock at door)

- Come.

- Lieutenant Burnett, sir.

- Master Chief O'Malley, thank you.

Lieutenant Burnett.

- Sir, about the football today, I know...

- I have your letter.

I understand you're interested

in leaving the navy.

Yes, sir. It's time to move on.

If you don't mind my asking,

move on to what?

Sir?

Are you gonna fly commercial jets?

Troll the friendly skies in a bus?

You've had an interesting career, Lieutenant.

I remember when you came on board.

Smart as a whip, tons of potential.

- Thank you, sir.

- And then, on September 23rd,

you received a non-punitive letter of caution

for disorderly behavior

at the China Fleet Club in Hong Kong.

Another letter a month later

for something involving Chinese New Year

at Pattaya Beach in Thailand.

One can only imagine what that was.

Just out of curiosity, Lieutenant,

what happened to you?

Sir, I signed up to be a fighter pilot.

I didn't wanna be a cop.

I certainly didn't wanna be a cop walkin' the

beat in a neighborhood no one cares about.

That and the routine on the ship

kinda wore me out.

- The routine?

- The routine.

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