Dobie and Maynard are one week away from graduating from basic training, their young, upbeat commanding officer, Lieutenant Spunky Meriwether, who will give everyone in the company a leave if they perform well in their finals. He also wants them to invite their respective families to attend the final examination maneuvers to show in practical terms what they have learned to their loved ones. Herbert, in particular, is eager to see how the army has turned Dobie into a strong, tough, confident man, much like being a sergeant during WWII did for Herbert himself. But Herbert is dismayed to see that Dobie's basic training has been more like a country club than boot camp. Herbert believes that he still has time to train Dobie's company into the tough, confident group he was expecting. But Herbert's actions may end up kiboshing the pass Meriwether was going to give to the group.
—Huggo