Taking Chance

Blue one to blue two, checkpoint

alpha bravo has been reached.

Copy, leader one.

Blue two, we have a suspicious

vehicle on the right,

moving pretty fast.

Over.

Army corps four, is he slowing down?

Blue one,

why are you driving so slow?

- You worried about a ticket? Over.

- Sorry, guys. Just rubbing one out.

Phelps is down!

- Good morning, sir.

- Good morning.

Once we're quartered,

we'll give you a rundown on battalion

and squadron-level readiness and

today's brief will focus

on first marine division.

The slide indicates that

personnel readiness 1st mardiv

is not as bad as they are reporting.

However, sir, as you are aware,

last Friday they made a request

for 300 additional augments.

Given the insurgency in Al-Anbar

and the recent spike in casualties,

it's not surprising that

they made this request.

Sir, it's my recommendation to just

send enough augments

to cover their casualties

of last month.

How many of you have

been in Iraq since 9 /11?

I know you've spent a lot of time

on these reports, but I cannot have

a bunch of analysts contradict

the commanders on the ground.

I don't know. With all

this administrative crap,

it makes you wonder if we're losing

focus on what really matters.

Sometimes I wish I was over there.

I don't know, sir.

Be careful what you wish for, right?

Hey, dad.

- Hello, everybody.

- Hi.

Guess who came in first

in her swim meet.

Let me guess.

You? High-five. That's great!

Listen, guys, how about we get some

homework done before dinner?

I think that sounds

like a great idea.

What are you cooking here?

White chicken chili

with a balsamic reduction.

- You're getting creative.

- Shut up.

Let us pray.

Ready. Down.

- Ready, two.

- Present arms!

Forward march.

Bearers, halt.

That is not nice.

Dad, I think I got all of

the words right, but I'm not sure.

I'll throw a quick one

at you right now. ''Tortellini.''

T-o-r-i...

I don't know.

Sir, last night I read the DOD

Announcement about PFC Phelps.

He is from my home town,

Clifton, Colorado.

I don't know if this falls to us

or to the Pentagon, but,

sir, if the duty does fall to us.

I would be honored

to escort him home.

It's a little unusual

for an officer to escort a PFC.

Yes, sir, I know that, but...

I would very much

like to do it, sir.

I'm going out of town for a few days.

I'm being picked up at 6:00.

- Tomorrow morning?

- Yeah.

I volunteered for escort duty.

There was this private first class,

killed in Iraq. Young kid.

He's from Clifton.

I volunteered to take him home.

What is this about, Mike?

It's not about anything.

He's from Clifton, that's all.

It's gonna be a quick trip, Stace.

I'll be back next week.

Please tell the family I'm so

sorry for their loss.

I will.

I love you.

The remains are to travel feet first

when being transported

from one point to another.

At every stop,

you must ensure that the remains

have been correctly loaded.

At each transfer point,

regardless of the mode of transport,

you will render honors.

Your duty, is not complete

until you have delivered

the remains to the funeral director.

Escorts are not required

to stay for the funeral.

However, should you decide to stay,

there are specific guidelines

for meeting the family.

At no point are you to discuss

the nature of the deceased's death,

no are you to speculate

on the activities surrounding the death.

You may deliver the personal effects

directly to the next of kin.

These effects must stay

on your person

at all times until delivery.

Gentlemen, we have

our first departure of the day.

We form about in the drive and

render honors as all remains depart.

Detail,

attention!

Present arms!

Order arms!

Present arms!

Dismissed!

I'm afraid we've taken

a lot of casualties this week.

He's not ready for departure today.

... but not what he

completes in his lifetime.

Imagine an evolution

occurring over eons...

... the attack tonight comes

amid rising violence

between insurgents and

coalition troops throughout Iraq.

Marines in Fallujah today pushed

into the chaotic city

from several directions.

They met with heavy fire from assault

rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.

I bet you didn't know

marines could sew.

He was quite impresse, your PFC.

He's so decorated

for such a young man.

I didn't know him.

You can be sure that

his uniform will be perfect.

Appreciate it, Colonel.

You know, whether it's now

or later, it doesn't matter.

But just in case...

He's a military shrink.

It's all confidential.

I'm good, thanks.

It's just an FYI.

Colonel Strobl, sir,

you'll be leaving in about 15 minutes.

Transport will deliver you

to Philadelphia airport

with your final destination,

Dubois, Wyoming.

Wyoming?

I thought I was on my way

to Colorado, Clifton.

He joined up out in Colorado,

but his parents lived in Wyoming.

That's where his family

wants him buried.

- That all right?

- Of course.

I have PFC Phelps's

personal effects.

We'll now do our

inventory and turnover.

Sir, Phelps's parents are divorced,

so you'll have an extra

flag to present to them.

That way, the mother

and the father will each get one.

If you could make sure everything's

here, then sign the inventory.

I also have a...

letter Phelps's platoon commander

wrote to the family.

Colonel, the mortuary specialist

did the best that he could.

However, these remains

are not recommended for viewing.

It's been my privilege

to care for him, sir.

That's everything, we'll need to make

a final identification before departure.

Sir, I need you to verify that

this is PFC Chance Phelps,

and that you are

ready for departure.

Present arms!

- Feeling okay?

- Yeah yeah. I'm good.

We're almost there.

Do you always do these routes?

I just started six months ago.

Nobody in my family's in the military

and none of my friends.

But I thought about joining up.

Yeah, but I was too chickenshit.

Sorry. I mean too chicken.

You can say sh*t.

And plus the whole haircut thing.

I'm in a band and...

you know, you got to keep it long

to keep the ladies happy.

What about you?

What's your deal?

My deal? My deal is complicated.

When did you join up?

When I was 17.

My parents had to sign something

because I was underage.

Yeah, that's young.

I know,

but I couldn't bear

the thought of waiting another year.

All I wanted was to be a marine

and I joined up.

You graduate from boot camp,

you think you're on top and you travel

and you see these things

you never thought you'd see.

It's hard, of course, but...

it's fun.

- It's fun?

- Yeah.

I'm serious.

I've got to be honest.

No offense, but...

I don't really get what

we're doing over there.

But...

last summer these two guys

from my high school went,

and one of them ended up

hurt really bad.

And last time I heard, he was

at something Reed hospital.

- Walter Reed.

- Yeah.

The other one,

he didn't make it back.

I just wanted to do something.

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