While on a combat mission in Afghanistan, U.S. Army Sergeant Dawson Lee is assigned to escort and protect CNN correspondent, Lianne Palmer and her cameraman. The company comes under attack by the Taliban and Dawson is seriously injured while trying to rescue the cameraman. He ultimately ends up at Walter Reed Hospital for continued medical treatment. He becomes depressed and uncooperative with his rehabilitation program. Assigned to the Washington CNN bureau, Lianne looks Dawson up and finds him is a state of torpor. She takes an interest in him and rallies behind him to see him recover. The two fall in love and begin a long distance affair once he returns to Georgia.