Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) and Carmen Ibanez (Denise Richards) are a high school couple approaching graduation, along with friends like flirty Dizzy Flores (Dina Meyer) and psychic Carl Jenkins (Neil Patrick Harris). Carmen decides to join the Federal Service, Johnny also joins, which upsets his father, Bill (Christopher Curry). Bill is convinced that Johnny’s teacher in History and Moral Philosophy, Jean Raczak (Michael Ironside), has influenced Johnny’s decision because only people who enlist in Federal Service for at least two years become true “citizens” with the right to vote. Johnny, Carl and Carmen join the Federal Service and go separate ways. Carmen enters pilot training because of her mathematical ability. Carl, because of his psychic ability, ends up in Military Intelligence. Johnny, because he has no other qualifications, enters training in the Military Infantry. Training involves tough Career Sergeant Zim (Clancy Brown), new friend Ace Levy (Jake Busey) and other people, plus another recruit from Johnny’s past. Johnny is deployed and meets an overwhelming Bug enemy. Battles are fought, won and lost, friends come and go, soldiers live and die. Johnny’s military career teaches him the value of citizenship and how a vote is truly defined.