Mike "Sores" Sorensen finds himself in an untenable position. He finds himself at an elite military school, the United States Naval Academy, and looks forward to a successful career as a naval officer. Unfortunately, family problems and the ire of vindictive upperclassmen rips him away from his hopes and dreams. Add the Vietnam War protests, Woodstock, and his own personality traits and he seems doomed to failure. According to one Naval Academy graduate, this is what happens when you have 19 to 21-year-old men with no accountability making life changing decisions for 17 to 18-year-old men.