A soft-spoken army wife fights to free her husband, illegally remanded to a psychiatric institution incurring the wrath of corrupt military officials as she battles to change the law.

SYNOPSIS:

The US Army had a code of conduct that despises disobedience under any circumstance. So when Major David McCloud, radiologist and his family join the military base in the Philippines, they start to ripple the muddy waters.

LISSA McCLOUD has recurring nightmares that seem to warn her about impending danger. Her husband does not believe in the prophetic voice and dismisses Lissa’s fears as remnants of her traumatic childhood. Lissa is, on the face of it, submissive, and ignores her instincts moving with their two children, RYAN (12) and Suzanna (8). Lissa does not fit in with the other army wives; MARGE AIKEN and NAN BARNETT are social climbers living in the shadow of their power hungry husbands. Lissa feels much more at home with her Filipino maid MARINA.

Almost immediately COLONEL LEM AIKEN approaches David to sign time cards for Filipino doctors from a time period before David’s arrival and were quoting over inflated figures. This practice has been sanctioned for years under Aiken’s leadership. David refuses, as it is illegal and morally wrong. His refusal prevents the doctors from getting paid and causes hardship and resentment. They resort to Marambarang, a form of witchcraft aimed to kill David. David shares his concerns with Lissa, omitting the witchcraft stories. At first Lissa lets David deal with the situation his way. He is a conservative Christian and believes that if he prays and reports this activity through the established channels the problem will be resolved. It does not!

Lissa also overhears stories about Marambarang whilst among the army wives and consults Marina, who warns her that the family is in great danger. The pressure on David increases and his health starts to suffer but he still refuses to give in and or to fight. Lissa gets frustrated but leans on her faith and remains obedient to David’s wishes.

Colonel Aiken and COLONEL BARNETT are both involved in numerous criminal activities ranging from money laundering and pilfering to drug and gun running. They conspire with other members of the OLD BOY’S network to turn a blind eye in return for handsome rewards or blackmail. They are losing money because this bible-bashing freak will not comply with orders. They commit him to a psychiatric ward for an evaluation. Whilst there David is denied food, humiliated and forbidden to leave. Lissa is beside herself with worry and tries all the normal channels to have him released but fails miserably.

Resenting Lissa’s interference, Aiken and Barnett ship David back to the USA to a secure location indefinitely. Lissa leaves the children with Marina and goes to the states to try and get David released. She is appalled by what she sees. They have placed David on suicide watch with the most violent and mentally unstable patients. Alone she is frantic, leaning heavily on the Scriptures but in front of the army bullies she stands firm. The only one who seems willing to help her is MAJOR BEN DUGGAN, an Afro American, Pentecostal but even his influence does not shift the top brass but it does open some doors.

Lissa enlists the help of LEWIS and RUTH MCCLOUD David parents to monitor David at the hospital while she flies back to the Philippines to make plans to move back to States with the children. The Filipino threats to Lissa’s life increase and the journey is nearly fatal. She remembers her nightmares and recognizes places now and it starts to make sense. Money is running low, she is trying to keep her family intact and keep life for the children as normal as possible so she home-schools them taking them to see David in the afternoon where they camp out until bedtime in the lobby.

The Mc Clouds, out of David’s earshot, beg Lissa to fight for David’s release. If she doesn’t he will die in hospital or become a brainwashed vegetable. David quite sternly orders Lissa to stay out of the battle for the sake of the children so they do not become orphans.

Lissa loves him but no longer listens to him; she is defiant and secretly goes on the offensive harassing the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) office and all military personnel. Her interference sends ripples through the military chain of command right up to Congress and the President. Rejection after rejection plaques her, but her faith kicks in, as she knows David’s life depends on her success. Ruth mobilizes a prayer chain that unearths unexpected support from COLONEL ERICKSON, ADMIRAL GRADY, MAJOR MARK RALSTON and SERGEANT GERALD SMITH.

Men who have been subjected to psychiatric retaliation start to contact Lissa and some provide written evidence of their ordeals. Former senior officers who have worked with David submit written reports of his competence. High-ranking retired officers produce reports about Aiken and Barnett and their activities.

The media get wind of Lissa’s battle but even when they lend their support doors seem to remain stoically shut and David is still not released. However, Aiken is quietly removed from his position and a deal is struck so he avoids court martial. Barnett replaces him!

Meanwhile, Lissa has built an arsenal of evidence, employed the services of an ex- JAG and goes public. Finally the pressure is on the “old boys” and David is released but not before he has been doped up with mind-altering drugs. He is free. Barnett is not so lucky and is prosecuted. Congress eventually goes on to pass a law that outlaws psychiatric retaliation and safeguards ‘whistleblowers’.

As Lissa nurses David back to semi – normalcy, a final blow is struck when an embarrassed Department of Defense sends a bill for $8000 for the food David ate in hospital. This news sends David over the edge and Lissa vows never to pay. The military no longer regards her as a fly in the ointment. Instead she is seen as a force to be reckoned with. While she does not flaunt her faith in God, it is that alone that drives her; bringing her head to head with the secretary for the army who admits, in private, that it was a conspiracy cover up that did not include her because she is a woman. She is dismissed before she can arrange compensation.

This is a detailed, human story of the anguish a family endured at the hands of military psychiatrists that has been adapted from a book by Lissa, which can be likened to the story of David and Goliath – overcoming the monster!