After Hawkeye has brought the new surgeon into the MASH unit, A new commanding officer arrives who is regular army. Hawkeye and B.J. worry about his abilities since he has not practiced in 2 years and they worry about how the fact that he is regular army will affect them.

The army mistakenly lists Hawkeye as dead, Hawkeye goes nuts trying to contact his father to let him know he is still alive. He also stops receiving his payroll checks and encounters problems trying to convince the army he is still alive.