Other Than Honorable Written By Luis Garcia

Other Than Honorable Original Script

2016

FADE IN: INT. PRISON INMATE RECEIVING ROOM - AROUND 2 AM A prisoner carrying a seabag with handcuffed hands is escorted by two guards to an empty room.

GUARD 1 Drop your bags and take 5 steps back!

The prisoner quickly does as he is told without saying a word, the two guards dump all the contents of his bag on the floor.

GUARD 2 Now hurry up and organize this shit for inspection!

PRISONER (moving quickly) Yes, sir!

Another Guard walks in the small room and looks at his watch and then examines his clipboard GUARD 1 Prisoner’s ready Sergeant HEAD GUARD Thanks, boys, good job. I’ll take it from here.

The two guards step out of the room and post outside of the door HEAD GUARD Alright, just a few questions lets get through this quickly and I’ll get you to bed it’s late.

PRISONER (Staring at the floor) Alright...

HEAD GUARD What’s your name son?

PRISONER Serg...I mean Herandez. Eric Hernandez.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.

HEAD GUARD Hmmm...I see you are still wearing rank you can take it off you won’t be needing that anymore...Ok moving on, date of birth?

ERIC November 24, 1983 HEAD GUARD (Quickly looks at his watch) I sorry bud I could think of better things to be doing on my birthday ERIC Yeah...me too.

HEAD GUARD (not looking up while scribbling on his clipboard) Ok I have to ask, are you feeling down, depressed?

ERIC (looking up now) I’m doing pretty good given the circumstances HEAD GUARD Just answer the question ERIC Yes I’m fucking depressed HEAD GUARD (sighing but continuing with his questionnaire) Do you have thought of hurting you or anyone else around you?

ERIC No HEAD GUARD So far so good. Hey, it was nice meeting you Eric you be good you hear.

(Shouting back at the other guards) Boys! Strip search him and get him his new ID (Looking at Eric again) By the way, you be in solitary for a few days just to make sure you (MORE) (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

HEAD GUARD (cont’d) adjust to your new home. Welcome to Naval Correctional Facility Charleston, SC! Don’t enjoy your stay too long.

EXT. MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO- DAY- FLASHBACK A Marine Corp Recruiter’s course Graduation is about to conclude and all the Marines eagerly await dismissal to celebrate their victory over recruiting school. The HEAD INSTRUCTOR calls the entire class to attention which consists of about 6 six platoons HEAD INSTRUCTOR (In a loud raspy voice) Class 3-11! Ah-ten-hutt!

Every single marine comes to attention.

HEAD INSTRUCTOR (Same raspy growl) Instructors! Dismiss your platoons!

ALL SIX INSTRUCTORS (Salute in unison and respond) I sir!

All instructors quickly execute an about face in successive order dismiss their platoons. Eric is part of the group of Marines that graduated one of the highest scoring students in the class ERIC I never thought this day would come!

SAM I saw it coming are you ready for Pittsburgh I heard that place chews recruiters up and spits them out ERIC And why would that be a problem for me SAM I’m just saying one of my boys from Lejune was out there. Told me that his boss man made them do some shady shit to get guys in

(CONTINUED)

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4.

ERIC I ain’t about getting hemmed up I’ll be ok SAM I just don’t get it, your hometown is in Florida you speak Spanish I everyone says that recruiting out there is a cake walk...

ERIC Look, man, I already told you Kelly’s hometown is close by with me working all those odd hours it’s nice to have her and Aden around her family. Lord knows mine ain’t worth a damn SAM How is the little guy doing?

ERIC Good real good actually just hate to have to make him change schools again he is only 5 and already moved 4 times SAM Glad I don’t have to put up with a family yet INT. IN SMALL PRISON CELL- AROUND 4 AM- BACK TO PRESENT Eric paces back and forth in the CELL then stops and looks at the poor excuse for a BED. Then he turns his attention to the METALLIC TOILET then looks up at the CAMERA pointing in the direction of the toilet. He turns around and puts his forehead on the wall and begins to sob.

Eric-Narrating: I never went looking for trouble and truth be told trouble never followed me around as so would lead you to believe. I essentially had it all.The job, the wife, the kid even the dog.But I allowed my insecurities and my vices get the best of me. I never truly valued what I had. Now I know what real loneliness feels like what it means to lose everything that defined who you are. What is left is an emptiness engulfs you and suffocates

5.

INT. COURT ROOM - DAY - FLASHBACK Eric sits listening to CAPT DALY his military defense counsel. The JUDGE sit wait on the defense to call their next witness CAPT. DALY (whispering into Eric’s ear) Look the last few witnesses we called up were not much help. I talked to Kelly. She seems like a wonderful person. You are lucky to have her on your side. I think she will invaluable to you testimony ERIC I trust you sir JUDGE Are you ready to call your next witness Captain?

CAPT. DALY (standing) Yes, your honor. The defense would like to call KELLY HERNANDEZ to the stand.

A pretty woman with long, curly, blond hair walks up to the stage and stands before the judge JUDGE Mrs. Hernandez, please raise you right and hand, (she raises her hand) Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you, God? KELLY (wiping tears) Yes, sir. I do.

JUDGE Please take the stand (she sits) You may proceed, Captain.

CAPT. DALY Thank you, your honor. Mrs. Hernandez, tell me what kind of person Sergeant Hernandez was prior to taking on recruiting duty.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

6.

KELLY He was a wonderful father and a loving husband. He was full of joy and life.

CAPT. DALY So what changed KELLY I didn’t happen immediately he came into recruiting with the right attitude but... (she trails off and regains her composure) CAPT. DALY (handing her a tissue) Take your time Mrs. Hernandez KELLY (wiping tears) At first, the hours he worked they were horrible. He was punished with more time at work if he didn’t find some to interview that day he would stay working till he found one or till it was to late to both trying CAPT. DALY How long, would you say, a typical day was for him?

KELLY Oh gosh, he would be up by six be out the door by 7 and would not be back till 9 or 10 at night sometimes later CAPT. DALY And how did this affect you relationship with Eric KELLY We never argued more that when he was recruiting. We grew distant. We had our typical problems before but this was different he was not the man I knew anymore.

CAPT. DALY How about you love life were you too intimate at all?

(CONTINUED)

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7.

KELLY (looking down at her hands embarrassed) There was nothing there not for a long time CAPT. DALY How about his role as a father and work KELLY he just got worse he never had time to spend with his Aden and drank himself into a crying mess talk about how he isn’t a good enough recruiter CAPT. DALY When did you find out that Eric had been unfaithful to you KELLY (with eye closed in clear emotional distress) When he sat me down and told me everything CAPT. DALY How did you take the news?

KELLY I was fucking pissed of course, I wanted to scream and cry and hurt him all at the same time it felt like that floor had been taken from under my feet CAPT. DALY Were you aware of the severity of the punishment for having an inappropriate relationship with and applicant KELLY (No that was the last thing on my mind) CAPT. DALY I know you have been dealing with this for a while now. Over a year now actually. How do you feel about this entire situation?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

8.

KELLY I just want my family back. Yes, he was wrong and yes, I was mad but we need him back I know the real him.

I love him! Even I know he does not deserve this type of treatment not for this, not after more than ten years of service to his country!

INT. IN SMALL PRISON CELL- LATE - BACK TO PRESENT Eric sits on the floor still staring at the toilet. He hears the muffled sound of another inmate COUGHING and another one using the bathroom in other cells.

ERIC She still loves me I have and chance to make things right.

Eric stands up into the looks bulb above This make like

washes his face it the tiny sink and looks up at the dim blue light cast by the light place will not beat me I will things right. I won’t fail this again.

FADE OUT ,