Written by John Wells and directed by Alex Graves, the episode contains guest appearances by Philip Baker Hall, Jeffrey DeMunn and Jay Mohr.

President Bartlet, faced with the choice between negotiations with the North Korean government and attempting a rescue operation, chooses the latter.

The event brings back memories for Leo about his own time serving in the Vietnam War, when his life was saved by his good friend Kenneth Sean "Ken" O'Neal (DeMunn).

Josh realizes the potential scandal if the White House Chief of Staff were to testify in a case concerning a company where he used to be a senior executive (easily susceptible to accusations of a conflict of interest).

At this point Senator Hunt personally shows up at Josh's office unannounced to get Josh to prevent Leo from taking the stand, revealing that O'Neal circumvented a compulsory AoA (Analysis of Alternatives) and hired the Defense Department procurement officer who was overseeing the bidding process at nearly four times his government salary as incentive to secure the contract for Mueller Wright.

Leo, devastated, returns to the White House, where he expresses to the president his terrible disappointment with the man he looked up to, and to whom he owes his life.

Bartlet commiserates, adding that the corruption of the best is always the hardest to take, and that Leo's own life honors the men who died saving him many times over.

Returning to her office, she learns that she has just missed her college boyfriend Ben Dryer (Brian Kerwin), who came to call on her.

The only reference to the name is in the opening scene, when Leo, as a Vietnam War fighter pilot, tells ground control that he is approaching An Khê.

[9] At the end of the episode, Bartlet is playing a tape given to him by Crosby, Stills & Nash, visiting the White House to receive the National Medal for the Arts.