I always though it was rather heartwarming to see Rico, Carmen, and Carl reunited at the end of the first film. The smiles on all there faces was very uplifting after seeing all the crap they'd all gone through.
The Book
Just before Rico goes on his OCS practical assignment as a 3rd Lieutenant, the OCS Commandant informs him that Lt. Colonel DuBois, Rico's high school teacher, had written to him and asked that the pips he wore be given to Rico. Rico is touched, especially as he and DuBois had never gotten along in school... until the Commandant regretfully informs him that the pips are unavailable due to a real estate deal.
He's then offered a set of unlucky pips, where the last seventeen cadets to wear those pips have flunked out. He swallows, accepts the offer to try and break the bad luck curse... and the Commandant thanks him, and tells him that these were the pips he wore as a 3rd Lieutenant.
Towards the end of the book, Rico is on his OCS practical assignment as a 3rd Lieutenant, leading an MI section into a Bug nest. His Platoon Sergeant is missing. Torn between leading his section to look for his man, and continuing on mission, Rico orders the Section Leader to continue the mission while he goes alone to make a one-man search. As he drops down into a hole and starts walking alone, he hears the Section Leader taking roll of the men on the radio. And then he hears the last order: "Section! By squads! Follow me!" And then the entire section jumps in after Rico.
This is heartwarming because the rank of 3rd Lieutenant is a provisional rank, for OCS cadets who are not yet commissioned, but are being trialled.
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