JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
Captain Carlos Bullrider sits at his desk looking throuhg some files he had received from the U.S. Naval Academy.
"Working late, Bullrider?" asks Major General Gordon M. Cresswell as he is leaving the office.
"Yes, sir," replies the Marine captain. "Still trying to follow through with leads for my case."
"Do you think it will be over soon? I don't want my lawyers to be stuck on one assignment for too long."
"It will be over, sir, one way or another."
"Tomorrow morning, I'm meeting with the other JAGs and members of the House Armed Services Committee on proposed revisions to the UCMJ, so I won't be here until the afternoon. Carry on, Captain."
"Yes, sir."
Bullrider looks at the files on Midshipman First Class Roy Grant. The midshipman has excellent grades, excellent performance evaluations by the Academy faculty, excellent leadership evaluations, and zero disciplinary actions against him. His record is that of someone on a fast track to become an admiral or general, let alone the Brigade Commander.
The word of of a third class midshipman caught using methamphetamines against the commander of the Brigade of Midshipmen is the only evidence he has. He would not take her word for it if he were not her lawyer.
"At least you won't be going to prison for this," the captain mutters. The most the Brigade of Midshipmen can do is expel her, and they would certainly do so once the case is handed to them. For a moment Bullrider wonders what the point is.
"It's not over yet," he says. He remembers his father telling him about flying F-4 Phantoms over the skies of Vietnam, fighting against the North Viuetnamese MiGs.
Midshipman Cameron Cresswell has not been expelled yet. Until that happens, he must go on.
But where to go? His client would not be useful in a sting operation, since Midshipman Grant will almost certainly avoid dealing with her, known to the Academy authorities as a drug user. Maybe there is another way to gather the evidence.
It will be up to him. Major McBurney and Commander Pike certainly have no motivation to go after Midshipman Grant.
He sips a cup of coffee. The only other thing he could possibly use is some financial records, which shows that Midshipman Grant deposited over eight hundred dollars into a Wells Fargo savings account. But that alone would make a weak case against Grant.
Finishing his coffee, he throws the cup into a trash-bag-lined trash can. He then takes a look.
And gets an idea.
oooooooooooo
2356 ZULU
UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY
ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND
Captain Bullrider watches as Navy masters-at-arms and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) agents dig through the dumpster just outside Bancroft Hall. Bullrider himself assists, wearing latex gloves that almost reach to the elbows.
This is not a pleasant duty. This is a lot worse than anything he went through during his plebe summer.
"So you have been reduced to digging through the trash," says one of the NCIS agents, a dark-haired woman wearing a visored cap and a windbreaker jacket, her voice accented.
"We need to find medicine bottles," says the Marine captain. "Where are you from, by the way? Russia? Poland?"
"Israel," replies the agent.
Bullrider picks up some more trash- food wrappers, pieces of paper, uneaten food. He finds a medicine bottle, and then places it in the white plastic bags.
After the dumpster is emptied, it is placed in the back of a Ford F-150 pickup truck for transport to the NCIS lab.
ooooooooo
DAY 9
2030 ZULU
Midshipman First Class Roy Grant walks across the yard, accompanied by Midshipman First Class Mike Roberts.
"Midshipman Roberts," says another midshipman, saluting the two of them.
"Your name, plebe?" asks Roberts.
"Midshipman Fourth Class Cantrell, sir. You were my drill instructor during my plebe summer."
"And where are you headed now, Cantrell?"
"I'm scheduled to play some tennis, sir."
"Excuse me, sir," someone says.
The three misshipmen look to see a trio of Navy masters-at-arms.
"Midshipman Roy Grant here," says Grant. "What may I do for you, Petty Officer."
"Midshipman Roy Grant, you are under arrest," says the petty officer. "you have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to appoint civilian counsel."
Midshipman Grant is led away.
"What was that about?" asks Midshipman Cantrell.
"Dismissed," says Roberts.
"Aye aye, sir!"
ooooooooooooooo
2050 ZULU
JAG HEADQUARTERS
"You wish to see us, sir?" asks Commander Sturgis Turner as he and Commander Meg Austin enter General Cresswell's office.
"A midshipman in Annapolis was arrested for drug dealing," says the general. "He is Midshipman First Class Roy Grant. Until his arrest he was the commander of the Brigade of Midshipmen."
"Whom was he dealing to?" asks Meg.
"He was suspected of dealing to other midshipmen," says Cresswell. "The convening authority has convened a general court-martial. Austin, you will prosecute. Turner, you will defend. Dismissed."
"Aye aye, sir," say the two Navy commanders.
ooooooooooo
2112 ZULU
BANCROFT HALL
U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY
"We did it," says Captain Bullrider.
"You mean I'm not getting expelled?" asks Midshipman Third Class Cameron Cresswell.
"Midshipman Grant was charged with drug dealing. Do you know what I had to go through to get the evidence? I had to dig through the trash. I spent hours in the shower trying to clean myself. I did that just for you."
"That's good, sir."
"As long as you testify against him in any hearing, you will get your medical discharge by the winter break. I hope you learned from this, Midshipman. You will not become an officer, but what you have learned here," says the captain, tapping his temple, "can not be taken away from you."
"Now that it's over for me," says the midshipman, "what do I tell my dad?"
"You have to face up for what you did."
ooooooooooooo
2150 ZULU
NAVAL ACADEMY BRIG
Midshipman First Class Roy Grant is escorted into a small room by a Navy master-at-arms. Inside the room he sees a man with curly black hair and thick lips. He is dressed in a Navy uniform, and the stripes on his sleeves indicate him as a commander.
"I'm Commander Sturgis Turner from JAG," says the commander. "I'm your defense attorney."
"Midshipman First Class Roy Grant, sir," replies the midshipman.
"Let's dicsuss your case, Midshipman. Tell the truth. Did you deal methamphetamines to other midshipmen?"
"Yes, sir."
"Tell me more about it."
"I sell it for twenty dollars. I put the drugs into medicine bottles and even print out prescription labels for them. I made quite a bit of money."
"Let me tell it straight, Midshipman Grant," says Sturgis. "You're not graduating. Your next billet might be in Leavenworth. Now, maybe we can cut a deal so you can avoid prison."
"Like what?"
"I know you don't have a meth lab in your dorm. Just tell me whom you get your drugs from."
"I..I can't, sir."
"In that case, you will be court-martialed, convicted, and you will spend up to ten years in Leavenworth. Is that what you want, Midshipman?"
"Listen, sir," says Midshipman Grant. "There's..there's this cabal of drug dealers operating within the U.S. Navy. I get the drugs from one of them."
"A drug dealing cabal inside the Navy?" asks Sturgis, a little skeptical.
"It's not as hard as it might seem," says Grant. "They use Navy regs to hide their operations. I was told an admiral leads the whole operation."
"And how many people from this cabal did you meet?"
"Only one, my supplier."
"For all you know, he could have just made it up. The two of you could be the only people in this cabal."
"Not true, sir. I know because a week after I started dealing last year, he showed a picture of me walking through the yard, with the sights of a sniper scope on it. He told me that if I say anything about him, they can get me wherever I am."
"Tell me the name, and we can offer it to the prosecution for a deal."
"Sir, that picture I saw was a warning."
"I am sure you can go into witness protection if you choose to testify," says Sturgis. "But now thay you've been exposed, what makes you think they won't come after you anyway? At least if you cooperate with the authorities, they could guve you protection. But if you don't offer them a name, you won't get protection."
"The cabal infiltrated the highest levels of the Navy," says Grant. "If I go away quietly, they won't come after me."
"You may indeed go away quietly," replies the commander.
ooooooooo
DAY 12
1450 ZULU
U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY
ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND
"You face very serious charges, Midshipman Grant," says Commander Caitlin Pike, who is mediating the meeting between Commanders Turner and Austin. "Because of the seriousness of the charges, I am inclined to favor a general court-martial for you."
"What deal do you have?" asks Sturgis.
"Give us the name of your supplier, give full cooperation to any further investigation, and this matter will be handled by the Brigade of Midshipmen," says Pike.
"We can get you protection," says Meg.
"If you do this, the maximum punishment is expulsion," says Sturgis.
"I can't, ma'am," says Grant.
"Then you will be court-martialed, Midshipman Grant," says Commander Pike.
oooooooooooo
DAY 13
1300 ZULU
Midshipman Roy Grant enters the courtroom with his lawyer, Commander Sturgis Turner. He looks across the room at his prosecutor, Commander Meg Austin.
"All rise," says the bailiff. "Captain Sebring presiding."
"Midshipman First Class Roy Grant," says the judge, Captain Sebring, "you are charged with violating Article 112a, distribution of methamphetamines. How do you plead to these charges?"
"Not guilty," says Midshipman Grant.
"Court-martial will begin Monday, November 28, at 10:00 AM," says the judge, who then bangs the gavel.
Two masters-at-arms escort the defendant from the courtroom.
ooooooooooo
DAY 15
0012 ZULU
CRESSWELL RESIDENCE
WEST ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA
Thanksgiving dinner at the Cresswell residence consists of turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and scalloped potatoes with generous servingsof wine, Miller Genuine Draft beer, and Coca-cola. It is a special thanksgiving, since the elder Cresswells had lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina just over a month ago.
"Thanks for this dinner, Gordon," says an elderly man with white hair on his head, sitting at a dining table with an olive-green tablecloth on top.
"You fed me more times than I can remember, Dad," says Gordon Cresswell, who for this day at least left behind his duties at JAG.
"I wonder if we'll ever get to go back home again," says a white-haired elderly woman.
"They'll rebuild, Mom," says Wallace Cresswell, their other son.
All of them, numbering over a dozen, eat around the table, being thankful, considering the hurricane that struck not too long ago.
"I can cook more scalloped potatoes," says Dora Cresswell.
"I'm glad you're doing okay," Cammie Cresswell says to her grandparents even as she stick a fork into some scalloped potatoes.
oooooooooooooo
0040 ZULU
After eating Thanksgiving dinner to the full, Cammie goes into the bedroom that she had been staying in for over six years, since her father, then a Marine colonel, was assigned to a post in the Headquarters of the U.S. Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. She briefly thinks of the uncertain future ahead. It was just two weeks ago that she was looking forward to finishing at the academy and becoming a military officer. She considers herself lucky that she is getting a medical discharge instead of an expulsion.
"Hi there:" says her father. "did you have a nice dinner?"
"Yeah," she replies.
"I know the real reason why you're leaving the Academy."
"You're not here to pass judgment, are you?"
"Judgment has already been passed. You are lucky you're getting off light."
"Then what do you want?"
"Let's talk about the reason why you started using drugs in the first place."
"Do we have to talk about it?"
"Absolutely. you must confront the root of your problem, or you will fall into that trap again and I don't think you'll get a third chance."
"It was the pressure. They put all these demands on me. I used those drugs to give myself an edge; to be my best in academics and athletics."
"Except it wasn't you, it was the drugs that were performing," says the Marine general. "You're going to have to learn to cope with life without drugs. You should be lucky you were caught now, instead of when you're an officer in charge of men and women. There's a very good reason why the military has its drug policy. We can't have officers using drugs as a crutch. The costs are too great. I think that stint in the emergency room should have given you a clue."
"I know."
The general stands up and walks to the door. "You can't dwell on this. You have to move on with your life."
Cammie then picks up the phone to call her boyfriend Mike.
"Mike here," says a male voice.
"It's me, Cammie," she says.
"I heard you're leaving the Academy."
"I am. Medical discharge."
"I know why you're leaving."
"Yeah, I made a deal. I'm testifying against Roy Grant."
"Roy Grant? The commander of the Brigade of Midshipmen?"
"He was the one who supplied me with meth."
"I saw the masters-at-arms arrest him!" says Mike.
"He was the one who sold the drugs to me. Do you believe me?"
"After these past two weeks, I don't klnow what to believe," says Mike.