A Few Good Men

Private William Santiago fought every day to be seen, to belong, to prove he was worthy of the uniform he wore. His difference made him vulnerable, and when he asked for help, it marked him as weak in Colonel Jessep’s eyes—a flaw in the chain of command that had to be erased. The Code Red ended his life, with Jessep justifying the act as “moral clarity.”

Santiago never lived to speak for himself. His silence became testimony, forcing others to confront what had happened in his name. Enter Lt. Daniel Kaffee: a lawyer who began the case seeking an easy deal, only to find himself face-to-face with Jessep’s rigid worldview. As Jessep’s foil, Kaffee exposed the arrogance of power; as Santiago’s champion, he gave voice to the story that could not be told.

Santiago’s death reveals more than the cost of blind obedience. It asks us to consider what strength truly means—not in crushing identity or difference, but in defending it, even when the price is high.