Billy Lynn, a 19-year-old United States Army Specialist (rank) from Texas, is caught on camera dragging wounded Sergeant Virgil "Shroom" Breem to safety during an intense firefight in Iraq on October 23, 2004. This act of courage earns Lynn the Silver Star and quickly ascends him and his unit, erroneously designated "Bravo Squad" by the media, to celebrity status. They return to the U.S. for Shroom's funeral, then are sent on a publicity tour culminating at the halftime show of the November 25 Dallas Cowboys NFL on Thanksgiving Day.