Sarah MacKenzie
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Colonel
Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie, JAGC
, USMC (played by Catherine Bell
) is one of the main characters in the JAG
TV series.
In her first appearance on the show and for several seasons, she holds the rank of Major
USMC, (O-4s/Majors in the Army and Marine Corps are authorized to wear golden oak leaf embellishments on their combination covers) but is then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
USMC during the 5th season. In the final episode of the series Mac is selected as commander of Joint Legal Service Center Southwest, a JAG office in San Diego, CA. It is not known if she takes this position since her future is left to the audience's imagination. She and Captain Harmon "Harm" Rabb
become engaged during the show's final episode, flipping a coin to see who will resign their commission. A possible spin-off centering around Mac's work in San Diego was pitched to CBS, but the network passed on the spin-off idea.
Mac ran away from home when she was 17 (her junior year of high school), and apparently married Christopher Ragle a year later. They were both drunk for much of their married life. He was later arrested and sent to prison for motor vehicle theft
. At some point, Mac finished high school. On the night of her graduation, she was traveling in a car with her friend Eddie. They were both drunk, and were involved in a car accident that killed Eddie. Mac hit her low as an alcoholic, and her uncle USMC Colonel Matthew O'Hara took her to Red Rock Mesa, Arizona
, to dry out. Mac later repaid the debt owed to him by making sure he did not get killed during an incident where he and a group of rogue Marines hijacked the Declaration of Independence.
After graduating from high school, Mac joined the Marines. After graduating from Officer Candidate School, she was stationed as a First Lieutenant
in Okinawa
, Japan
, as an Administration Officer under John Farrow. It was under his recommendation that the Marine Corps
put Mac through law school
.
While stationed in Okinawa
, Mac engaged in an affair
with her superior officer John Farrow. Unbeknownst to Mac, Chris Ragle followed her to Okinawa
and discovered the affair. When he caught up to Mac at JAG headquarters, Chris attempted to use this information to blackmail
Mac for money. John paid Chris the money he demanded, but Chris threatened to kill him anyway. Mac tried to wrestle the gun out of Chris' hand, but it accidentally went off and killed him instead.
Mac received her Bachelor of Arts
degree in political science
from the University of Minnesota
and her Juris Doctor
degree from Duke University
, and was subsequently stationed in Bosnia during the war
there.
As a Major, she was subsequently assigned to JAG headquarters when she was pulled off a double homicide to work on a case involving her uncle Matthew O'Hara (her uncle's involvement was unbeknown to Mac until later in the episode) and the stolen Declaration of Independence. After a brief absence from JAG in 1998 (during which she worked as an attorney at Lowell, Hanson and Lowne), she was temporarily assigned Head of Administration. Upon her return she was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
, partially due to Admiral A.J. Chegwidden's renewal of her recommendation for accelerated promotion.
Mac bore an uncanny resemblance to Lt. Diane Schonke, a Navy officer Harm had been dating before she was murdered, which initially made Harm uneasy, though he soon got past it. (This was an in-show explanation, as Catherine Bell had played Schonke in the last episode of Season 1 before joining the cast as Mac in the first episode of Season 2). However, Mac was unaware of the resemblance until the season three episode "Death Watch", when Harm had worked out who had really killed Schonke, only Harm, Bud
, and later, Sturgis Turner
, were aware of the resemblance, and none of them said anything (Mac found out by finding a picture of Schonke in Harm's apartment, in an old shoebox, it was then that Harm told her everything). It was during that same episode that Mac kept Harm from throwing his career away, by inadvertently appearing as the long deceased Lt. Schonke, showing up on the pier wearing one of Harriet's spare uniforms.
Mac possesses both Cherokee (episode 03.21) and Iranian ancestry, and is fluent in Persian
(as well as speaking Russian
very well), capable of recognizing a native Iranian speaker of the language by her accent. Her grandmother was Muslim and taught her the basics of Muslim law (episode 06.06) (Bell, whose mother is Iranian, is fluent in Persian in real life). She also always knows what the time is, though she never wears a watch and exhibited borderline psychic abilities in a few episodes.
She and Harm eventually (after years of denial) proclaimed their love to each other and — despite Mac's small chance to have a child — decided to get married in the last episode. Also during the last episode, Mac, and Harm decided to be fair about who would remain in service, and who would resign, or retire, by way of a coin flip (the outcome was never shown, therefore, no one is aware of Mac's status in the Marines, or of Harm's status in the Navy.)
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie, JAGC
Judge Advocate General's Corps
Judge Advocate General's Corps, also known as JAG or JAG Corps, refers to the legal branch or specialty of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy. Officers serving in the JAG Corps are typically called Judge Advocates. The Marine Corps and Coast Guard do not maintain separate JAG Corps...
, USMC (played by Catherine Bell
Catherine Bell
Catherine Lisa Bell is an American actress known for her role of Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie of the television show JAG from 1997 to 2005...
) is one of the main characters in the JAG
JAG (TV series)
JAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions...
TV series.
In her first appearance on the show and for several seasons, she holds the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
USMC, (O-4s/Majors in the Army and Marine Corps are authorized to wear golden oak leaf embellishments on their combination covers) but is then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
USMC during the 5th season. In the final episode of the series Mac is selected as commander of Joint Legal Service Center Southwest, a JAG office in San Diego, CA. It is not known if she takes this position since her future is left to the audience's imagination. She and Captain Harmon "Harm" Rabb
Harmon Rabb
Captain Harmon 'Harm' Rabb, Jr., JAGC, USN, is a fictional and lead character in the American television series JAG....
become engaged during the show's final episode, flipping a coin to see who will resign their commission. A possible spin-off centering around Mac's work in San Diego was pitched to CBS, but the network passed on the spin-off idea.
Biography
Born in 1968, Sarah MacKenzie had a troubled childhood; her mother abandoned her and her alcoholic father on the night of Mac's 15th birthday. Her father, Joseph MacKenzie, was physically abusive towards her mother, and emotionally and verbally abusive to Mac. As a partial result of this, Mac became an alcoholic in her mid to late teens and had no contact with her mother until she reappeared at Joseph's deathbed (episode 04.20). She also learns at this time that her large white mutt, named Ruggles, was abandoned at a boarding house during her mother's travels after fleeing from her abusive father (episode 04.20). She showed more sympathy for her father's efforts to be a good dad, pathetic as they were, and more anger at her mother for leaving them to fend for themselves.Mac ran away from home when she was 17 (her junior year of high school), and apparently married Christopher Ragle a year later. They were both drunk for much of their married life. He was later arrested and sent to prison for motor vehicle theft
Motor vehicle theft
Motor vehicle theft is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle...
. At some point, Mac finished high school. On the night of her graduation, she was traveling in a car with her friend Eddie. They were both drunk, and were involved in a car accident that killed Eddie. Mac hit her low as an alcoholic, and her uncle USMC Colonel Matthew O'Hara took her to Red Rock Mesa, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, to dry out. Mac later repaid the debt owed to him by making sure he did not get killed during an incident where he and a group of rogue Marines hijacked the Declaration of Independence.
After graduating from high school, Mac joined the Marines. After graduating from Officer Candidate School, she was stationed as a First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
in Okinawa
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, as an Administration Officer under John Farrow. It was under his recommendation that the Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
put Mac through law school
Law school in the United States
In the United States, a law school is an institution where students obtain a professional education in law after first obtaining an undergraduate degree.Law schools in the U.S...
.
While stationed in Okinawa
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
, Mac engaged in an affair
Affair
Affair may refer to professional, personal, or public business matters or to a particular business or private activity of a temporary duration, as in family affair, a private affair, or a romantic affair.-Political affair:...
with her superior officer John Farrow. Unbeknownst to Mac, Chris Ragle followed her to Okinawa
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
and discovered the affair. When he caught up to Mac at JAG headquarters, Chris attempted to use this information to blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
Mac for money. John paid Chris the money he demanded, but Chris threatened to kill him anyway. Mac tried to wrestle the gun out of Chris' hand, but it accidentally went off and killed him instead.
Mac received her Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
and her Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from Duke University
Duke University School of Law
The Duke University School of Law is the law school and a constituent academic unit of Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States. One of Duke's 10 schools and colleges, the School of Law began as the Trinity College School of Law in 1868. In 1924, following the renaming of Trinity...
, and was subsequently stationed in Bosnia during the war
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
there.
As a Major, she was subsequently assigned to JAG headquarters when she was pulled off a double homicide to work on a case involving her uncle Matthew O'Hara (her uncle's involvement was unbeknown to Mac until later in the episode) and the stolen Declaration of Independence. After a brief absence from JAG in 1998 (during which she worked as an attorney at Lowell, Hanson and Lowne), she was temporarily assigned Head of Administration. Upon her return she was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
, partially due to Admiral A.J. Chegwidden's renewal of her recommendation for accelerated promotion.
Mac bore an uncanny resemblance to Lt. Diane Schonke, a Navy officer Harm had been dating before she was murdered, which initially made Harm uneasy, though he soon got past it. (This was an in-show explanation, as Catherine Bell had played Schonke in the last episode of Season 1 before joining the cast as Mac in the first episode of Season 2). However, Mac was unaware of the resemblance until the season three episode "Death Watch", when Harm had worked out who had really killed Schonke, only Harm, Bud
Bud Roberts
Lieutenant Commander Bud J. Roberts, Jr. JAGC, USN is a character in the JAG TV series.-Story:Son of a retired Master Chief, Roberts joined the Navy, and as an Ensign was assigned to sea duty aboard the USS Seahawk as the Public Affairs officer under Captain Ross. It was during this role as the...
, and later, Sturgis Turner
Sturgis Turner
Commander Peter Ulysses "Sturgis" Turner JAGC, USN was a character in the JAG TV series.-Biography:A good friend and former Naval Academy classmate of Harm, and a great rival in the courts. He served on submarines before becoming a lawyer and is the son of a Baptist Navy chaplain. Sturgis and Harm...
, were aware of the resemblance, and none of them said anything (Mac found out by finding a picture of Schonke in Harm's apartment, in an old shoebox, it was then that Harm told her everything). It was during that same episode that Mac kept Harm from throwing his career away, by inadvertently appearing as the long deceased Lt. Schonke, showing up on the pier wearing one of Harriet's spare uniforms.
Mac possesses both Cherokee (episode 03.21) and Iranian ancestry, and is fluent in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
(as well as speaking Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
very well), capable of recognizing a native Iranian speaker of the language by her accent. Her grandmother was Muslim and taught her the basics of Muslim law (episode 06.06) (Bell, whose mother is Iranian, is fluent in Persian in real life). She also always knows what the time is, though she never wears a watch and exhibited borderline psychic abilities in a few episodes.
She and Harm eventually (after years of denial) proclaimed their love to each other and — despite Mac's small chance to have a child — decided to get married in the last episode. Also during the last episode, Mac, and Harm decided to be fair about who would remain in service, and who would resign, or retire, by way of a coin flip (the outcome was never shown, therefore, no one is aware of Mac's status in the Marines, or of Harm's status in the Navy.)
Awards and decorations
| Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (United States) The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969... |
Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal Achievement Medal The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States military. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize the contributions of junior officers and enlisted personnel who were not eligible to receive the higher Commendation Medal or the Meritorious Service... |
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| Combat Action Ribbon Combat Action Ribbon The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard , have actively participated in ground or... |
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.... |
National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower... w/ 1 service star Service star A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service... |
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| Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces military award created by George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11,... |
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003... |
Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon Overseas Service Ribbon An Overseas Service Ribbon is a service military award of the United States military which recognizes those service members who have performed military tours of duty outside the borders of the United States of America. There are different versions of the Overseas Service Ribbons for the U.S. Army,... |
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- Expert Rifle BadgeWeapons Qualification BadgeA Marksmanship Qualification Badge is a military badge of the United States Army and United States Marine Corps which is presented to service members upon successful completion of a weapons qualification course. They are issued in the three grades : Expert, Sharpshooter, and Marksman...
and Expert Pistol BadgeWeapons Qualification BadgeA Marksmanship Qualification Badge is a military badge of the United States Army and United States Marine Corps which is presented to service members upon successful completion of a weapons qualification course. They are issued in the three grades : Expert, Sharpshooter, and Marksman... - Mac was presented her Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal (United States)The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
for organizing the defense of The US Embassy in Indonesia, after the Marine Guard Detachment suffered casualties. (Season 7 Episode 4 'Guilt')