A poor factory worker is convinced by a former co-worker to join the army for better opportunities. The only issue is that his wife wouldn't approve.

A young black man struggles to survive basic training for the Army, as his superiors torment him and he is constantly punished for misbehaving.

After a man goes through hell because of his training sergeant in basic training after being drafted during the Korean War, he becomes a sergeant himself to get back at the man.

Despite his initial excitement at being drafted as an aidman in the war, a young man soon realizes that the demands of the job are far more than what he expected.

After an accountant finishes helping his company evade taxes, he says goodbye to his son leaving for war.

When a U.S. marine insults a coat at a bazaar in Beijing, the heartbroken face of the young boy hand-sewing the coats haunts him. The marine must find a way to make it up to the young boy.

A young Marine veteran is able to live despite grave injuries due to the mechanization of his body — but his strange and formidable metal appearance leaves him shunned by the very society he fought to protect.

A sergeant looks forward to leaving the harshness of the barracks and going home to his wife, but is unable to feel truly at home until the rain provides the illusion of distance from the outside world.

A Jewish soldier receives a letter from his father in America which details his experiences with Anti-Semitism, and causes him to reflect on his own life. He realizes that his friends have not faced the discrimination he has, but is glad when they acknowledge this and treat him the way they always have — as an equal.

Speaking of his past experiences, a Vietnam War veteran describes the darker, unspoken details of life as a soldier that people often overlook.