War
The play is all about soldiers preparing to go to war in Vietnam. Ironically, some men don't make it out alive, not because they were killed by the enemy, but because they were killed by their own men.
Being a Soldier
Billy says at the end that the Army has taken so much from him, and it's not going to take any more. This is why he stands up to Carlyle and Richie trying to have sex in the barracks. Ironically, he is killed for standing up to them on this point.
Hide and Seek
Rooney comes into the barracks drunk playing hide and seek looking for Cokes. He is simply playing a children's game, but ironically is killed because of his wandering into this place at the wrong time.
Choosing
Richie's sexuality is a main theme of the play. Ironically, we learn that he didn't choose to be gay he simply allowed it to happen and has never truly spent any time thinking, deciding what he believes about his sexuality.
War
Rooney and Cokes enter the barracks for the first time in the play and begin to tell the soldiers about men who have died that they knew in the Airborne. The irony for Roger and Billy is that serving ones country is noble and has virtue, but the awful truth that many die in cruel and horrific ways truly dawns on them from these seasoned soldiers' story.
Carlyle
Roger tells Billy that he's got Carlyle all wrong and he needs to stop targeting him as a bad person. Ironically, Carlyle kills Billy for opposing him.
