The central conflict arises from the stark ideological divide between the countercultural college life of the Doonesbury cast and the military reality of the Vietnam War. The protagonist, B.D., finds his collegiate identity as a star quarterback challenged by the demands of service, while his peers navigate the shifting social landscape of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The narrative utilizes a daily comic strip framework to juxtapose these two disparate worlds, highlighting the logical disconnect between domestic protest and overseas combat. The story relies on character-driven vignettes to explore the absurdity of the era's political climate.

Readers and critics often note that this collection serves as a primary document for understanding the cultural anxieties of the Vietnam era. Discussion frequently centers on how Trudeau balances the lighthearted nature of the comic strip format with the gravity of the subject matter. Many highlight the effectiveness of the character B.D. as a bridge between the domestic and military spheres. The pacing is described as rapid and punchy, reflecting the constraints of the daily newspaper medium while maintaining a consistent thematic focus on the absurdity of war.