burt lancaster play a major during the vietnam war when he be actually 65 year old and his age be impressed upon you in the first scene a he scramble through the wire . his obvious age demand such a suspension of belief that it be difficult to focus on the movie . he make a comment that he be once the general commander so obviously get into trouble and be pass over for promotion in an attempt to explain away the glare visual age dysynchrony . but if he be a screwup at the rank of major he would have have his twenty year in and be discharge after be pass over for lieutenant colonel . i be sure the technical adviser point this out but hey they have burt lancaster star . i be a major equivalent during the vietnam war ( u navy lcdr ) and be 29 year old a be many of my peer plus or a couple of year so maybe it not a problem with the non military knowledgeable viewer .