Roger
Roger is an African American soldier in the U.S. Army. He has become close with Billy during their basic training. He desires to let people be, and not to be so concerned with anyone's personal beliefs. At the same time he wants to be a good soldier, which to him looks like waxing the floor of his barracks, working out and living clean until he is called to go to war.
Billy
Billy is a young white man from Wisconsin. He and Roger get along quite well and do nearly everything together. Once he discovers that Richie could be gay, however, it makes his homophobia come straight to the surface, so much so that he loses his life for trying to stand against it.
Carlyle
Carlyle has just come out of basic training and is new to the base. He finds Roger because he is one of the few other black men on the base. Carlyle is highly emotional, a combination of heart and rage capable of deep feeling. He attempts to hook up with Richie and winds up killing Billy and Rooney in the process.
Richie
Richie is a young white man who is a gay man. He is suspected of being gay by his fellow soldiers, but they aren't for certain until Richie is ready to hook up with Carlyle in front of everyone.
Rooney
Rooney is a Sergeant in the Army and had served in Korea. He and Cokes are always seen drunk as they spend their days getting hammered. Rooney winds up being stabbed to death by Carlyle when he accidentally wanders into the men's barracks while looking for Cokes.
Cokes
Cokes is a Sergeant in the Army who served in Korea with Rooney. He drinks day and night with Rooney and wanders into the barracks of the young soldiers after Billy and Rooney have been killed. He doesn't know they are dead as he believes Rooney is still playing hide and go seek with him.
