A young commander named Minske Sevinkprahs has been placed in charge of a base on Terceira of the Azores Islands. His grandfather was a military war hero who had recently died of old age. At the funeral, Minske meets up with his parents and sister. His family compels him to stay with them and visit for a while, but Minske prefers to return to the base right away. At Azores, Commander Sevinkprahs has placed strict Lieutenant Keeper in charge of a rebellious squad. The sergeant of this squad, Matthew Grant, gets himself into trouble by sneaking into the mess hall kitchen. His friends Munckate and Ned try to prevent him from breaking the rules. The commander receives an unexpected letter in the mail that his parents and sister want to live at the base. His mother, Amanda, offers to repair airplanes; his father Gregory wants to work in the staff kitchen; and Rachel, his sister, wants to help clean the base. The commander isn't too crazy about the idea. On top of that, General Bowman is coming to inspect the base. Between his family and the troublesome squad, will Commander Sevinkprahs be ready for the general's arrival?