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Research methodology One of the authors, MAJ Katherine Brennan, experienced the events depicted in the case while serving in a Military Intelligence unit. All names and identifying details have been changed to protect confidentiality. Before the case was piloted at West Point, the director of the United States Military Academy’s Human Research Protections Program, reviewed the case and authorized the case for education purposes. The case was then piloted in undergraduate leadership courses at the United States Military Academy and later used in an “Introduction to Management” course. The authors acknowledge their positionality and potential biases in interpreting events. Case overview/synopsis This purpose of this teaching case is to explore organizational conflict, communication breakdowns and leadership challenges within a U.S. Army Infantry Brigade Combat Team(IBCT) preparing for a Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) rotation. The focal protagonist is First Lieutenant (1LT) Nick Rife, a newly assigned platoon leader in a military intelligence Information Collection Platoon (ICP) who must navigate the power dynamics once he becomes caught between the competing demands of his company commander, CPT Kaitlyn Walsh and senior officers and soldiers at the battalion and brigade echelons, above him. The case positions students to analyze leadership decision-making under pressure, communication failures in tall hierarchical structures, and conflict-management strategies in high-stakes operational environments. It is designed for undergraduate leadership, management and organizational behavior courses and can support discussions about authority, professional communication and the responsibilities of junior officers and NCOs or junior leaders of any type. Complexity academic level This case is designed for upper-level undergraduate courses in Leadership, Organizational Behavior and Management.