In the film, John Winger (played by Bill Murray) is a cab driver in Chicago who is fired from his job and promptly dumped by his girlfriend (played by P.J. Soles). With nowhere to turn, he decides to join the army with his best friend Russell Ziskey (played by Harold Ramis).
Once in basic training, Winger and Ziskey struggle to adapt to military life and clash with their tough-as-nails drill sergeant, Sgt. Hulka (played by Warren Oates). However, they eventually find their footing and begin to excel in their training, while also forming a bond with their fellow soldiers.
As the platoon prepares for a high-stakes, top-secret mission in Europe, Winger and Ziskey lead a rebellion against their incompetent commanding officer (played by John Larroquette) and take control of the operation themselves. Along the way, they also fall in love with two female soldiers, Stella (played by P.J. Soles) and Louise (played by Sean Young).
Stripes is a classic comedy that satirizes the military and American culture in the early 1980s. It features iconic performances by Murray and Ramis, as well as memorable supporting roles from Oates and Larroquette. The film was directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Reitman, Len Blum and Daniel Goldberg.