The excerpts provide a detailed look into the fictional court-martial case of Lieutenant Benjamin J. Tyson, who is recalled to active duty nearly two decades after the Vietnam War to face murder charges stemming from a massacre at Miséricorde Hospital during the Tet Offensive. The source material includes a series of favorable reviews of a book, Word of Honor, which brought the alleged atrocities to light, featuring Tyson's name and the testimony of former platoon members Steven Brandt and Richard Farley. As the military Judge Advocate General's Corps investigates, Tyson's past—including his involvement with a nun named Sister Teresa and the complex relationship with his wife, Marcy—is scrutinized, forcing him to confront the moral ambiguities of his actions and subsequent cover-up with his assigned defense counsel, Vincent Corva. The narrative culminates with Tyson's conviction for the murder charges, although the material strongly suggests that the actual crime being punished is his failure to report the incident, underscoring the military's emphasis on adherence to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.