John warren sully becomes a womanizer at an early age. his older brothers teach him well, but fail miserably in one area of his "street education." they never teach him that there is a big difference between tolerance and intolerance, and love and hate. scully must learn that by himself. in 1949, at the age of seventeen, scully joins the army. he soon comes face-to-face with the concepts his brothers never explained. along the way, the new knowledge almost gets him killed, especially after basic training when he finds his buddy, howie sullivan, brutally murdered. howie was recently recommended for the soldier's medal for saving a woman and her child's lives. the homicide investigation reveals that he may have been a homosexual. the soldier's medal is put on hold, pending clarification. later, scully faces a complex dilemma. straight himself, and in love with a woman he wants to marry, he must decide whether he should disclaim his past friendship with howie, or continue to honor it despite the rising suspicions that could adversely affect him and his military career.