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6[[foldercontrol]]
7`
8[[folder:Bravo Co., 2nd Platoon, Team One Alpha]]
9
10!Sgt Brad "Iceman" Colbert
11->'''Played by''': Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard
12[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gk_colbert2_7219.jpg]]
13[[caption-width-right:350:''"All this religion aside, people who can't kill will always be subject to those who can."'']]
14
15The orderly, cerebral and unflappable squad leader of Bravo 1. Nicknamed "Iceman" for his competency and cool head, Colbert is an Afghanistan vet who's made the military his career. If the series can be said to have a central character, it’s him.
16
17* TheAce: While it isn’t brought up much in the series proper, research into Colbert’s prior military record indicates that’s he one of the best trained Marines in the Recon battalion. By the time the series begins, he had completed Marine Recon training, Army Airborne school, mountain warfare training and other extremely demanding military courses.
18* ActuallyPrettyFunny: When Person makes a joke about what got him, Colbert, and Trombley to sign up and the reality (very different from any of the scenarios Person brought up), even [[TheStoic Colbert]] cracks a smile.
19* AirplaneArms: At one point in the series, he whips off his shirt and runs around like this for no apparent reason, much to the amusement of others.
20* AmicableExes: He's (allegedly) still friends with his ex-fiancee. From his description of their "relationship", it's very obvious that if she thinks they're still friends, it's only because he's masking his hatred and resentment very well.
21* BadassBiker: It's not seen in the series for obvious reasons, but he owns a motorcycle and, in direct contrast to his professional persona, he's a very reckless biker.
22* BadassBoast: "Gentlemen, we just seized an airfield. That was pretty fucking ninja".
23* BerserkButton: No country music is allowed in his humvee, as he often and pointedly reminds Person. He does however make an exception for Walt Hasser, who has a beautiful singing voice.
24* ColdSniper: He may not have the gun, but he certainly has the attitude (and the accurate shooting).
25* CommunicationsOfficer: He fills this role whenever they're driving, using his radio headset to communicate with Lt. Fick and relay information to the rest of the people in the vehicle.
26* CulturedWarrior: Between his articulate language, extensive knowledge of weaponry and literature, Colbert comes off as an example of this trope.
27* DeadpanSnarker: Before the fatigue of the war gets to him, he's always ready to serve some sarcasm whenever the situation requires it.
28* TheDeterminator: Went up the last 1000 meters of Mount Shasta with a broken ankle, carrying 150 pounds of gear. It made him a legend among the Recon Marines.
29* FieldPromotion: To Staff Sergeant, in an instance that is rare for modern warfare.
30* FormerTeenRebel: In the book, he admits to a "deep-rooted but controlled rebellious streak that was responsible for his parents sending him to military academy when he was in high school."
31* HappilyAdopted: Into a well-to-do family with a rich Talmudic tradition, no less.
32%%* TheHero
33* HiddenHeartOfGold: Colbert tries to keep his emotions under control for the sake of his brothers in arms, but it's clear (especially in the book) that he has a soft spot for children and tries very hard to make sure that he and his fellow Marines don't cause civilian casualties. When it inevitably happens, Evan Wright describes him as privately inconsolable.
34* HollywoodAtheist: Averted. There's no tragic story behind his lack of faith. He simply does not believe there is a God.
35* IcyBlueEyes: Adding to his nordic features.
36* IneffectualLoner: He shuns the crowd and prefers to be alone, and Evan Wright describes his "barely concealed sense of superiority". Colbert says that he would never socialize with any of the guys if they weren't in the Marines.
37** It's worth noting that it is uncertain whether this is an innate trait or whether he simply prefers to socialize with people of a different caliber.
38* InsufferableGenius: This quality is particularly noticeable during his rants against religion and procreation.
39** In the book, when his whole team dives to the ground when they hear unidentified shots during a meal break, he coolly remains sitting and informs them in-between bites that the shots are coming from friendly weapons, which he proceeds to accurately name.
40* KnightInSourArmor: He’s quite obviously disillusioned (more so than the rest) with the war, with the higher command and with the general idiocy happening around him, but he's steadfast and conscientious in performing his job.
41* NervesOfSteel: His unflappable nerves are how he got his nickname.
42%%* ANiceJewishBoy:
43* NotSoStoic: He lets his emotionless facade fall when he realizes [[spoiler:Trombley has shot an Iraqi boy on his own orders]].
44** In the book, Evan Wright writes the following after Colbert is approached by several Iraqi mothers who give him their sick babies, possibly mistaking him for a doctor:
45-->'' Colbert now wears an expression that I've come to see more frequently. He looks helpless. When confronted with these small human tragedies up close, some Marines shut down. Their faces go blank. Despite his Iceman reputation, Colbert doesn't hide his feelings very well. In combat he looks almost ecstatic; now he appears overwhelmed, though still trying to deal with this situation.''
46* TheOneThatGotAway: He had been with his ex for nearly ten years starting from junior high and they were also engaged at one point. For unknown reasons, [[DidNotGetTheGirl it didn't work out]] and she eventually married his best friend from junior high. Brad still seems to harbor some resentment over how things ended, and it colors his views on women and marriage.
47* ThePerfectionist: Wright writes that ''everything about [Colbert] is neat, orderly and crisp.''
48%%* SergeantRock
49* SherlockScan: He deduces that a civilian is actually a deserter from the military-style belt he wears.
50* ShirtlessScene: He appears shirtless a couple of times.
51* StayFrosty: His CatchPhrase. In fact a running theme of the series is how modern soldiers model themselves after war movies.
52* TheStoic: There’s a reason he's called Iceman, after all.
53* StraightMan: To Person's more goofy and irreverent antics.
54* SurferDude: Inverted. Surfing is one of his main hobbies, but personality-wise he's about as far from this trope as they come.
55* TeamDad: To his squad. He took responsibility for all of his team's screw ups, namely Trombley's shooting of the "camels," and he sees his squad's morale as his own personal responsibility.
56* VitriolicBestBuds: With Person. Doubles as OddFriendship since the two of them have wildly different personalities and backgrounds.
57
58!Corporal Josh Ray Person
59->'''Played by''': Creator/JamesRansone
60[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gk__person_5687.jpg]]
61[[caption-width-right:350:''"If Saddam invested more in the pussy infrastructure of Iraq than he did in his fucking gay ass army, then this country would be no more fucked up than, say, Mexico."'']]
62
63Colbert's best friend in the battalion - the frenetic, outspoken, obscenity-spouting Marine driving Bravo's lead Humvee. Like Colbert, he's a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. His sole purpose for participating in the invasion seems to be to mock everything around him - a goal he accomplishes with ease and finesse. While others often poke fun at his white-trash trailer-park background and over-the-top behavior, he's still considered to be something of a genius in the unit.
64
65* BoisterousBruiser: Unusually for this trope, he's on the skinny side and is the team's [[TheSmartGuy Smart Guy]].
66* BrakeAngrily: This was real-life Person's way of disagreeing with Colbert's orders, particularly after he becomes progressively grouchier when he runs out of his beloved Ripped Fuel; the tendency did not carry over to the series.
67* BunnyEarsLawyer: Odd personality notwithstanding, he's highly capable at what he does.
68* CharacterFilibuster: The trope personified.
69* CommunicationsOfficer: He's Bravo's (most talented) RTO. Interestingly enough, he doesn't actually fill this role within the vehicle. He drives, and Colbert talks on the radio.
70* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: He may be a skinny spaz, but he's most certainly a BAMF.
71%%* DeadpanSnarker
72* DisappearedDad: Was raised by a single mother, something Colbert good naturedly makes fun of.
73* DumbassHasAPoint: Consistently. If you concentrate on what he says rather than how he says it, he's actually very reasonable.
74* FunctionalAddict: His bizarre behavior stems from an addiction to legal stimulants; he mellows down considerably after he's forced to go cold turkey.
75%%* GayBravado
76* {{Geek}}: In high school, he was pudgy, nonathletic, and a member of the debate club.
77* GeniusDitz: As a result of near-permanent [[AlcoholInducedIdiocy Ripped Fuel induced idiocy]].
78* GlamorousWartimeSinger: Played with; he dreams of being a rock star, but since he insists on deliberately butchering the stuff he sings for the fun of it, his actual musical skills are hard to evaluate.
79* GuysAreSlobs: He can't eat or drink anything without getting half of it all over himself.
80* HeroicFatigue: He is sleep-deprived and able to drive for days on end only thanks to ripped fuel.
81* HiddenDepths: He was on the debate team at school, he can play a multitude of musical instruments, and he was planning on studying philosophy in college before he took a 180-turn and became a Marine.
82%%* IdiotHero
83* {{Jerkass}}: While he cares for his friends, he can be extremely insensitive and his warped sense of humour is extremely offensive. However, a great deal of this is due to a mix of fatigue, combat stress, and being high on ripped fuel.
84* MacGyvering: He's good at fixing bum radios with whatever is lying around. Or by unplugging everything and licking sockets.
85* MakingASpectacleOfYourself: He dons golden "Elvis impersonator" shades which look doubly ridiculous on a Marine in full battle gear. They also hold the honor of being featured on the miniseries cover.
86* MotorMouth: Due to his use of ripped fuel, he jabbers on almost constantly.
87%%* MyGirlBackHome
88* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Subverted; when he detoxes (cold turkey), he becomes noticeably quiet and subdued. Which is worrying, sure - except that is his real, off-stimulants personality.
89* PluckyComicRelief: Played with; although he ''is'' the squads resident comedian he's also an extremely capable Marine in his own right. You don't get into Force Recon by being a slacker, after all.
90* PopCulturedBadass: In contrast to his CulturedBadass squad leader. Person eschews Sun Tzu and other famous war philosophers in favor of pop stars (Avril Lavigne) soul R&B/Soul singers (Minnie Riperton) and etc.
91* PuppyDogEyes: Especially prevalent during the rare moments when he shows signs of vulnerability.
92* TheSmartGuy: Surprisingly fits this despite his constant [[AlcoholInducedIdiocy Ripped Fuel Induced Idiocy]], Person is still a gifted radio repairman and has an encyclopedic knowledge of radio encryption protocols. Wright notes he's so good at his role as comms expert that he can fix radios and relay information to Colbert while driving in pitch darkness with nothing but a pair of bad NVGs to help him see.
93* SadClown: Addiction to stimulants and insecurity are the two things fueling his hilarious and uber-offensive humor.
94* SociopathicSoldier: This quote pretty much says it best.
95-->'''Person:''' Dear Frederick, thank you for your nice letter. But ''I'm'' actually a U.S Marine who was born to kill, where you have clearly mistaken me for some wine sipping communist cock-sucker. And although peace probably appeals to tree-hugging-bisexuals like ''you'' and your parents. I happen to be a death dealing, blood crazed warrior who wakes up every day just hoping for the chance to dismember my enemies and defile their civilizations. Peace sucks a hairy asshole, Freddie. ''War'' is the [[PrecisionFStrike motherfucking]] answer.
96* SophisticatedAsHell: Intelligent and articulate, while at the same time being very crude and insensitive.
97* UniversalDriversLicense: He's not actually licensed to drive the Humvee. At one point during the invasion, he lampshades this by asking Colbert whether he thinks he has enough hours now to qualify for the license.
98
99!Cpl Walter "Walt" Hasser
100->'''Played by''': Pawel Szajda
101[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gk__hasser_114.jpg]]
102[[caption-width-right:350:''"Ooh ooh, dress blues and a sword!"'']]
103
104The friendly, golden-haired Marine manning V01's Mark-19 gun. Occupies the Turret position of the vehicle.
105
106* AccidentalAimingSkills: Lobotomized an Iraqi by [[EyeScream shooting him through the eye,]] through a car windshield, just from a nervous reflex.
107* DoesNotLikeSpam: Peanuts, since he's allergic to them. Too bad MRE rations include peanut butter all the time.
108* GlamorousWartimeSinger: In direct contrast to Person, he has a wonderful singing voice, but doesn't like to sing. This information did not make it from the book to the series.
109* NiceGuy: By far the most polite, reserved and well-liked member of Colbert's platoon.
110* TheQuietOne Going along with his NiceGuy persona he doesn't talk all that much. In fact it's even {{Lampshaded}} by Person at one point.
111-->[Person jumps on to Walter in an effort to elicit a response from him]
112-->'''Walter''': Would you knock it the [[PrecisionFStrike fuck off]] already!
113-->'''Person''': ''(mock gasp)'' At last he speaks!
114
115!Lance Cpl Harold James Trombley
116->'''Played by''': Billy Lush
117[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gk__trombley_1584.jpg]]
118[[caption-width-right:350:''"Hey, you know what sucks? All those dead bodies we saw today, and I didn't get to shoot any of them."'']]
119
120The lead vehicle's machine gunner (and youngest occupant) - a baby-faced Marine with the heart of a natural-born killer. He enlisted specifically to be able to shoot people in the line of duty.
121
122* AxCrazy: He went to war because the idea of killing people excites him.
123* BlackComedy: He earns the nickname "Whopper Jr"[[note]]which comes from the name "Burger King", which itself is derived from "Baby Killer"[[/note]] for his suspect actions against Iraqi civilians; it's used good-naturedly.
124* BlatantLies: Trombley tends to make up facts about his family and life, which Wright notes tend to change with every retelling. Naturally, the marines don't believe it.
125* BloodKnight: All he wants to do is kill people and dogs.
126* DissonantSerenity: Trombley is completely unfazed by combat situations of every kind and he fights in a sort of serene calm. His squadmates remark that this is because he's a born cold-hearted killer. On one occasion, his convoy came under fire, immobilizing a vehicle and forcing everyone to dismount and take cover in a ditch... ''except him'', casually sitting out in the open with his binoculars to spot the enemy. Iceman had to drag him by the back of his combat vest into cover before he got himself killed.
127* ImprobableAimingSkills: He fired off two short bursts, maybe around seven rounds total, from a moving vehicle at man-sized targets about 200 meters away, and he hit what he was aiming at. Walt lampshades this when he calls Trombley a "cold-on, dead eyed killer."
128* KickTheDog: He attempts to do so using high-velocity lead on many an occasion. Thankfully Colbert is always there to make sure he doesn't.
129* MyGirlBackHome: He's married to a Mexican girl and is planning on having kids after he comes back home from the war.
130* NewMeat: He's explicitly younger and less experienced than veterans like Brad and Ray, although he isn't ''the'' youngest, and he tends to be slow on the uptake when it comes to certain recon traditions. Still, he is an extremely well trained Marine in Force Recon, and his marksmanship is astounding.
131* PsychopathicManchild: A rare non-villainous example. On a related note, he's a self-professed [[CatsAreMean cat lover]].
132* ARealManIsAKiller: He ''certainly'' seems to think so.
133* SociopathicSoldier: By far the most sociopathic of the entire platoon. He seems to show just a little ''too'' much enthusiasm when it comes to wanting to see soom action if this quote is any indication.
134-->'''Trombley:''' Sergeant, I didn't get to shoot.
135-->'''Person:''' That fucking sucks, Trombley. Did your recruiting officer tell you could just shoot anyone?
136-->'''Trombley:''' Fuckin' A he did.
137* SouthernFriedPrivate: Comes off like it, although at one point it's mentioned he's actually from Michigan.
138* TokenEvilTeammate: Like the aforementioned [[SociopathicSoldier trope]] lets us know he is by far the most blood thirsty and seemingly amoral squad mate out of the entire platoon.
139
140!Evan "Rolling Stone" Wright
141->'''Played by''': Creator/LeeTergesen
142
143A ''Rolling Stone'' reporter embedded with the 1st Recon Battalion of the USMC. The other Marines quickly warm up to him (especially once they learn he used to write for ''Hustler''), though he still doesn't get to be one of the guys.
144
145* BadassPacifist: Wright doesn't fight and the only time he picks up a gun is when Ray insists he does so. This doesn't stop him from constantly getting himself in the thick of the battlefield and documenting everything up-close.
146* ButtMonkey: Subverted. The Marines quickly adopt him as their own, and when they start hazing him he realizes that they've started to like him.
147* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: The other Marines invariably refer to him as Reporter, Scribe, Rolling Stone, Beaver Hunt, or some variation on his profession thereof. His actual name is never said in the series, and since the book is written from his perspective, the same thing is true.
148* FirstPersonPeripheralNarrator: In the book.
149* GasMaskMooks: Subverted in a couple of different ways. Most obviously, he [[EpicFail completely fails]] to don his chemical warfare gear the first time it is needed, partly due to it being the wrong size for him (he ends up spending most of the war with the crotch ripped out of his suit).
150* HollywoodTactics: "Always run in a serpentine fashion!"
151* IntrepidReporter: Was initially supposed to work with a supply and logistics unit, but decided to persuade lt. Col. Ferrando into letting him tag along with 1st Recon because he'd be able to see more action.
152* IShouldWriteABookAboutThis: And he does.
153* MyGirlBackHome: Occasionally worries about his girlfriend who's is waiting for him in the U.S., and carries a picture of her with him. Humorously, the picture is passed around among the Marines for "entertainment".
154* NervesOfSteel: He shows remarkable restraint in combat situations, despite being a civilian with no prior combat training or experience. This actually wins him a lot of respect from the Marines, who all thought he would pack his bags and leave after his first combat experience. One scene (in the book, the series, and Fick's book ''One Bullet Away'') has Wright looking at the side of the Humvee after their first ambush, seeing 6 bullets that could have killed him but for the vehicle's armor. He's notably rattled and seems to be in a bit of shock, but when asked by Fick if he wants to arrange for transport back to safety, he immediately says no.
155* NonUniformUniform: His chemical warfare suit is in desert camo, while everyone else in the battalion was issued woodland green chemical warfare suits due to a supply snafu. Although it is in tone with the surrounding in Iraq, it is also too small and had to be torn open right at the beginning of the invasion because it was "crushing his nutsack".
156* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: In the miniseries, Wright's name is never utterred. The marines, instead, call him various nicknames like "Reporter", "Rolling Stone", and "Scribe".
157* OffTheRecord: Averted. He is told by the Marines to write it how he sees it, including quoting the various outrageous things they say and some of the more dubious orders handed down. Fick even tells him outright to write it ho he sees it. That said, in the book, Wright chooses refers to less favourable characters by their nicknames as to somewhat protect their anonymity.
158* RecklessGunUsage: At one point, he hands a rifle to a Marine with the barrel of the gun pointing ''directly'' at the Marine's face. Naturally, no one allows him to handle any firearms after this. [[spoiler:Although he considers this for the best, since he wasn't supposed to handle weapons anyway.]]
159* TemptingFate: During the first employment of his MOPP suit during a possible gas attack, Wright notes he's pleased with himself for not fucking up the complex MOPP suiting up process despite not being a well trained soldier and having only had a cursory training experience on how to do it... Only to immediately have to swallow a wad of chewing tobacco he forgot he had in his mouth, almost throwing up in the process[[note]]something that could have potentially fatal implications, [[CruelAndUnusualDeath as choking to death in "chunky vomit" while wearing a gas mask is a very real concern]][[/note]], drool all over himself because of the salivation said tobacco causes, then collapse in pain because his undersized MOPP suit's [[GroinAttack strap is crushing his nuts]]. He is only saved when Garza notices his struggle, and rips a dime sized hole in his pants stopping the crotch squeeze. Wright then notes that this earns him further acceptance among the marines, who find it hilarious.
160* TheTeetotaler: He had quit drinking a short while before going to Iraq.
161
162
163[[/folder]]
164
165[[folder: Bravo Co., 2nd Platoon, Team One Bravo]]
166
167!Sgt Antonio "Poke" Espera
168->'''Played by''': Creator/JonHuertas
169[[quoteright:347:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gk__espera2_7164.jpg]]
170[[caption-width-right:347:''"The real story of Pocahontas is about a bunch of white boys who come to my land, bribe the corrupt Indian chief, kill off all the warriors and fuck the Indian princess silly."'']]
171
172Assistant squad leader to Colbert, and the leader of Team One Bravo. He's efficient, professional and, much like Person, prone to spewing rants at the drop of the hat (most of them about how the white man screws everyone else over). He's also an Afghanistan vet like Colbert and Person.
173
174* ActorSharedBackground: Espera's actor, Jon Huertas, is a veteran of the US Air Force.
175* AmbiguouslyBrown: Lampshaded. Others remark that he talks like a black guy, claims to be Native American yet looks like a Mexican.
176-->'''Sgt Brad Colbert:''' Poke, what the fuck are you anyway? You wife is half white, you talk like you’re black, most of your friends are fucking white and, every once in a while, when you feel like it, you throw in with the Indians. Is it just you’re whatever race happens to be cool at the moment?
177* CharacterFilibuster: He gets almost as many rants as Ray, which is to say, a lot.
178* ConsummateProfessional: Poke takes his job very seriously, and is thoroughly disgusted when the Marines act unprofessionally, such as when he realizes the colossal amount of littering the Battalion did on the way to Nasiriyah.
179* FamilyBusiness: Tells Wright that his father was a marine who fought in Vietnam, and was apparently an extremely deadly soldier, but a [[BrokenAce completely disfunctional individual outside of combat]], something that Poke doesn't wish to become.
180* GreekChorus: According to Evan Wright, Espera fulfills this role whenever he finds himself next to Colbert, talking about him in the third person.
181* MyGirlBackHome: He sometimes talks about his wife, whom he loves and admires.
182* VitriolicBestBuds: With Brad Colbert. Evan Wright notes that Poke is one of Colbert's closest friends in the platoon, according to Wright, Poke liked Colbert because he respected him as a fellow warrior, whereas Colbert appreciated his maturity and competence. The real Poke himself admits to befriending Colbert first out of pity (because he was alone), but then realized that Colbert simply doesn't like people, and kept being his friend to annoy him.
183** It's also played up more in the book how unlike the rest of the soldiers recruited from across the US, Poke and Colbert are both from southern California and while of very different groups, share that common background.
184
185!Cpl Gabriel "Gabe" Garza
186->'''Played by''': Rey Valentin
187[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gk_garza_783.jpg]]
188
189Starts the series as the gunner on Colbert’s team, but is eventually transferred to Espera’s team, where he mans the Humvee's M2 .50 cal machine gun.
190
191* BizarreTasteInFood: Finishes his dinners with a saltwater glass and wedges of lemons or oranges covered in salt. When questioned on this, he simply tells Wright that "it makes you tough"
192* DumbMuscle: Jokingly considers himself this, attributing his prodigious physical prowess to "retard strength" when his friends compliment him on it.
193* FriendOrFoe: Comes under fire from members of Alpha Company at one point, after they mistake him for an Iraqi due to his dark skin color, the general tension of fighting deep in enemy territory, and the fact Garza was wearing an Iraqui helmet due to having lost his original one some time prior.
194* NiceGuy: Wright notes that his overall affable and unassuming personality means literally everyone in the platoon likes him.
195* NonUniformUniform: After losing his helmet, he ends up having to make do with a motorcycle helmet and a scavenged Iraqi helmet, the latter of which causes him to be fired upon by his own comrades.
196* SpecsOfAwesome: He's the only character in the series who wears glasses, which makes him easy to identify.
197* StrongerThanTheyLook: Although not built as impressively as Anthony 'Manimal' Jacks for example, Garza is considered to be one of the strongest men in the whole platoon.
198
199!Cpl Jason Lilley
200->'''Played by''': Kellan Lutz
201
202The driver of Bravo Vehicle 02 who undertakes the task of filming the invasion in the hopes of selling it to some news channel later on.
203
204* BattleCouple: Subverted. His wife enlists in the Marine Corps, but they obviously won't get to serve together.
205* InUniverseCamera: He owns one.
206
207!Cpl Nathan Christopher
208
209!Cpl Hector Leon
210
211[[/folder]]
212
213[[folder:Bravo Co., 2nd platoon, Team 2]]
214
215!Lt Nathaniel "Nate" Fick
216->'''Played by''': Creator/StarkSands
217[[quoteright:329:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gk_fick_2642.jpg]]
218[[caption-width-right:329:''"Most people in America right now probably think of Iraq as a dangerous country. Now, if I were to stand up, I might get killed. But to us, behind this wheel, it's pretty safe. So to us, Iraq is a safe country."'']]
219
220The commander of Bravo's 2nd platoon. Clear-headed and logical, he often gets in trouble for questioning the inane orders of the higher command.
221
222* ActuallyPrettyFunny: First befriends Wright by regaling him with the stories of the absurdities he experienced during his deployments[[note]]Such as being billed for 500 dollars worth of rations after a weeks long combat deployment in afghanistan and delivering leg workout machines to a humanitarian catastrophe's victims[[/note]], and how they amuse him despite his overt idealism.
223* BerserkButton: Do not ''mess'' with his men.
224* CharacterDevelopment: Through the course of the book, he goes from being an [[OfficerAndAGentleman idealistic believer in the justness of the war]] to a state of bitter resentment at how badly the Americans are screwing everything up and making things worse.
225-->If Iraq stays a flaming cesspool until the end of time, [[DespairEventHorizon does anyone really care?]] Does it fucking matter?
226* CulturedWarrior: As expected from a graduate of Dartmouth.
227* DissonantSerenity: When under fire, he demonstrates the ability to dissociate himself from the danger and remain calm. He even takes a moment to give Evan Wright friendly reassurance while under fire, as seen from his page quote.[[note]]In the book and his own memoirs, Fick says that he operated under the belief that death was inevitable so he didn't really feel fear. He also described being under fire as seeming so unreal that the danger didn't register sometimes.[[/note]]
228* FamilyBusiness: His grandfather and father served as Marines in [=WW2=] and the Korean War, respectively.
229* AFatherToHisMen: Despite being younger than some of the troops, Fick is always looking out for them. He even tells one of his marines who is shooting wide how he's making a mistake and how to fix it. Interestingly, his care for his men at times causes him to be more callous towards the Iraqi people when looking out for the Iraqis exposes his marines to danger. A perfect example of this occurs when a small detachment of marines sets up a roadblock on a road for the duration of a night with orders to shoot anything that doesn't turn around before getting to close. When Brad questions this, Fick tells him exactly why they can't afford to take chances:
230-->''The R.O.E. aren't a lot of help here. We're all alone. And to our south, we've got an entire hostile town in between us and closest friendlies. And 40 kilometers to our north, we've got a full mechanized division up there in Al Kut. And there's 70 of us, Brad, holding this road.''
231* TheFettered: As he is an officer in the Marines, him disobeying his superior officers would have dire consequences both in battle and in a court-martial. As such, no matter how stupid his company and battalion commanders are acting, the most he can do is respectfully voice his objections.
232* GeniusBruiser: Fick is a Recon Marine and he graduated from Dartmouth College with high honors. After he left the Marines, Fick earned Master’s degrees at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
233* HeroicFatigue: Like all the other men in his platoon, Fick gets very little sleep over the course of the series. However, his situation is played for more drama as he, being the platoon's commander, is responsible for the well-being of his men.
234* HeroOfAnotherStory: His memoir ''Literature/OneBulletAway'' shows many of the same events as ''Generation Kill'', albeit from a different POV, and with the insight into the inner workings of the Marine Corps that Rolling Stone would not have.
235* KnightInSourArmour: Fully understands how idiotic and dysfunctional the US Military can be when dealing with military campaigns and humanitarian emergencies, but still does his utmost to keep his men alive and improve the world around him.
236%%* TheMentor
237* NiceGuy: In keeping with being AFatherToHisMen, Fick is always very polite and civil when dealing with his men and often goes out of his way to help them with any problems they have, be they big or small.
238* NotSoAboveItAll: Although his position in the platoon means he can't voice his displeasure with the resident [[TheNeidermeyer Neidermeyers]] as openly as the enlisted men.
239%%* OfficerAndAGentleman
240* OnlySaneEmployee: Often forced to deal with idiotic orders from above.
241* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: While several of the other officers in Recon are glory hounds, cowards or just plain ineffective leaders, Fick is a confident and compassionate leader who inspires trust in the Marines under his command.
242%%* SupportingLeader
243* WarriorPoet: He penned a memoir titled ''Literature/OneBulletAway''.
244* YoungAndInCharge: Of 2nd Platoon, despite being one of the youngest among them, Fick's authority is firmly respected due to his status as a veteran and his [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure general competence]] [[OnlySaneMan in relation to most of the command staff]].
245%%* WhenHeSmiles:
246
247!Gunnery Sergeant Mike "Gunny" Wynn
248->'''Played by''': Marc Menhaca
249
250Platoon gunnery sergeant and the driver of Vehicle 04.
251
252* ConsummateProfessional: Wright notes he takes his job of keeping his and Fick's men safe and functional very seriously.
253* FriendlySniper: Led a sniper team in Somalia in the early 90s, and built a reputation among 1st Recon for [[OneManArmy killing a whole load of people in that deployment]]. Nevertheless, Gunny Wynn is still a friendly, levelheaded and sensitive guy.
254* NumberTwo: To Fick.
255* SergeantRock: The chief one of the platoon, Wynn is a distinguished battle hardened veteran and his status as one gives him substantial gravitas among the men.
256* SouthernFriedPrivate: He's from Texas, though he mentions he's not "one of those guys that drives around with a Texas flag, it's just the place [he's] from". According to him though, the [[TrainingFromHell SERE]] instructors still tried to use this to get under his skin.
257* TeamMom: As platoon sergeant, his main concern is the safety of his men, as well as maintaining the discipline and confidence necessary for them to survive.
258* WouldNotShootACivilian: Preaches restraint to the platoon when it comes to engaging the enemy so as to be absolutely sure they don't breach UsefulNotes/TheLawsAndCustomsOfWar, something he bases on his experiences in the US intervention in Somalia, a similarly confusing battlefield with hazy distinctions between combatants and noncombatants.
259--> ''I spent five months in Somalia, and we got a lot of good kills out there, but we let a lot more bad guys get away than we killed, and that's okay. Don't fucking waste a mother or some kid. Don't fire into a crowd. Those people north of here have been oppressed for years. [[NotSoDifferentRemark They're like us]]. Don't hurt them, even if you can justify it later under our ROE''
260
261!Sgt Larry Shawn "Pappy" Patrick
262->'''Played by''': Josh Barrett
263
264Team 2's squad leader who doubles as the platoon scout sniper.
265
266* BashBrothers: With Rudy, as they're a shooter-spotter sniper team, with Pappy being the shooter.
267* ColdSniper: He's very dispassionate about sniping and taking lives, in direct contrast to those who slap him on the back and prod him for descriptions so they can experience killing visecerally through him.
268* GameBreakingInjury: Gets shot in the foot during in an ambush and [=CASEVACed=].
269* IceCreamKoan: He occasionally disperses bits of wisdom such as "Don't pet a burning dog".
270* TheQuietOne: The rare times he speaks, it's in very terse sentences.
271%%* SergeantRock
272
273!Sgt Rodolfo "(Fruity) Rudy" Reyes
274->'''Played by''': [[AsHimself Rudy Reyes]]
275[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gk__reyes_7977.jpg]]
276[[caption-width-right:350:''"I don't dress like no goddamn pimp queen! I wear clothes that are body conscious".'']]
277
278A bubbly (yet super-manly) spotter to Pappy's sniper who also serves as the driver for V03. He's fond of New Age philosophy and keeping fit, and joined the Marines "for idealism and romance".
279
280* TheAce: It’s not really brought up much in the series and it’s only barely alluded to in the book, but Rudy is one of the best trained Marines in the Recon Battalion. He completed the entirety of Marine Recon training (including Airborne and Combat Diver training), Scout Sniper school, helicopter insertion training and a plethora of other highly challenging military training courses prior to the events of the series.
281* AsHimself: The actor playing Rudy Reyes? That’s the real Rudy Reyes.
282%%* AlliterativeName
283%%* AutobiographicalRole
284* BashBrothers: With Pappy, comes with being a shooter/spotter sniper team.
285%%* TheBigGuy
286* CampStraight: By far the most effeminate and ''manly'' Marine in the battalion.
287* CulturedWarrior: The best example in the series. In the book he is mentioned as having an encyclopedic knowledge of Eastern philosophy and spirituality. And plans on moving to San Francisco when he gets out of the Marines, citing the city's deep connection with martial arts culture as his reason.
288%%* CurtainsMatchTheWindow
289* DarkAndTroubledPast: It’s not really brought up in the series or book, but Sergeant Reyes had a very difficult upbringing. He grew up in poverty and was forced to take custody of his younger brothers when he turned 18 because he didn’t have responsible parental figures in his life.
290* EvenTheGuysWantHim: {{Lampshaded}} when Person tries to invert it by telling Evan Wright "You know it doesn't make you gay if you think Rudy's hot? We all think he's hot. Jesus, you're ''beautiful''." (He says this because he notices Wright staring at Rudy, clearly captivated.)
291-->'''Random Marine''': I love you, Fruity!
292* FamilyBusiness: His father was a US Marine as well. Subverted, however, as Rudy describes his father as a rather broken, abusive man, and specifically denies that he joined the Marines in order to follow in his father's footsteps.
293%%* FriendlySniper:
294%%* GentleGiant
295%%* GranolaGuy
296* HiddenDepths: Has an interest in East Asian philosophy and spirituality.
297%%* LovableJock:
298* RealMenWearPink: Rudy's easily the most macho marine in the entire battalion, despite being CampStraight, and is mentioned as being a fan of ''Oprah'' no less! In fact, maybe he's so manly ''because'' he's CampStraight and yet still seems to reek of testosterone.
299* ReligiousBruiser: A practicing buddhist and a bona-fide killer.
300* ShirtlessScene: ''Constantly''; in fact in one episode he takes it one step further by going completely ''naked''
301* YouAreInCommandNow: He assumes command of Team 2 after Pappy is shot.
302
303!Cpl James Chaffin
304->'''Played by''': Creator/EricLadin
305
306%%* SouthernFriedPrivate
307
308!Sgt Michael “Budweiser” Brunmeier
309->'''Played by''': Justin Shaw
310
311!Cpl Anthony “Manimal” Jacks
312->'''Played by''': Rich [=McDonald=]
313
314Mans V03's main gun.
315
316* BigDamnHeroes: Widely credited by the marines for managing to save his unit by taking out the primary machinegun nest during the first ambush they go through.
317* TheBigGuy: Tall and powerfully built, he cuts quite an imposing figure.
318%%* BoisterousBruiser
319* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Sometimes he doesn't grasp Ray's sarcasm, leading to this.
320* DearJohnLetter: The first piece of correspondence he receives is divorce papers from his wife.
321* OnlySaneMan: After the first ambush the marines drive through, Wright notes that Manimal is the only one that seems to grasp that they are incredibly lucky to not all be dead, and that war might "in fact, kind of suck".
322* ToothyIssue: He is missing two front teeth after getting them shot off in a BB gun fight with his brother, making his smile "unforgettable", according to Evan Wright.
323
324!Evan ”Q-Tip” Stafford
325->'''Played by''': Creator/WilsonBethel
326
327A Marine from Tampa, FL, who identifies strongly with the black culture (especially the music and philosophies of Music/TupacShakur).
328
329* BigBrotherMentor: In one scene in the series, he is shown teaching Christenson the general tricks of observing building compounds.
330* CatchPhrase: "Screwby", a word used to denote a variety of emotions - from "this sucks" to "this is awesome".
331%%* CommunicationsOfficer: in name only.
332* ManOfAThousandVoices: He has a reasonable talent for mimicking accents.
333%%* PluckyComicRelief
334%%* PrettyFlyForAWhiteGuy
335%%* ThoseTwoGuys: with Christenson.
336
337!PFC John Christenson
338->'''Played by''': Daniel Fox
339
340The youngest (and lowest-ranking) member of Bravo's 2nd platoon, most often seen in the company of Stafford.
341
342%%* BashBrothers: with Stafford.
343%%* NewMeat
344
345[[/folder]]
346
347[[folder:Bravo Co., 2nd Platoon, Team 3]]
348
349!Sgt Steven Lovell
350->'''Played by''': Langley Kirkwood
351
352Team leader of Team 3.
353
354* BeleagueredAssistant: His frustration with Captain America grows throughout the series to the point where he chews him out for firing scavenged [=AKs=].
355
356!Sgt Leandro “Shady B” Baptista
357->'''Played by''': Mike Figueroa
358
359The Brazilian driver of V05.
360
361%%* ActorSharedBackground
362* ForeignLanguageTirade: Lapses into his native language when under stress.
363->'''Cpl. Ray Person''': Goddamned Baptista! How would he like it if I joined the Brazilian marines and only spoke English!?
364* RefugeInAudacity: When Encino Man asks for his opinion on his conduct so far, Baptista calls him incompetent to his face and gets away with it by doing it in a bizarre mixture of Portuguese and English.
365
366!Corpsman 2nd Class Second Class Timothy "Doc" Bryan
367->'''Played by''': Jonah Lotan
368
369A Navy Hospital Corpsman who serves as 2nd Platoon's medical support. He has tons of common sense, a caring heart and a remarkable ability to criticize his superiors to their faces.
370
371* TheAce: He’s a Navy SARC (Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman). SARC's are amongst the most highly trained medics in the U.S. military (their training pipeline is around 2 years long) and are regularly assigned to special operations units in both the Navy and the Marines.
372* BerserkButton: In his hospital, children are first in line, and you'd better not make any of them cry.
373* BrutalHonesty: Both {{played for laughs}} and {{played for drama}}:
374** PlayedForDrama: Whenever company or battalion command is being particularly stupid, Doc will not hesitate to criticize them, even to their faces. In fact, when Encino Man, trying to appear more relate-able to the men under his command, asks them to openly state their grievances and promises not to punish anyone who insults him, Doc straight up told him, "It's just that you're incompetent, sir," although he obviously didn't enjoy saying it.
375** PlayedForLaughs: Whenever people make idiots of themselves around Doc, he will not hesitate to tell them how retarded they are. For instance, he once told Rolling Stone, who was previously having certain... [[GroinAttack problems]] with his bio-hazard suit, "Reporter, you are possibly the biggest fuck-up I have encountered."
376* CombatMedic: He himself carries a weapon and fights as well as any other man in the platoon.
377* TheConscience: When they bring him the wounded child, he's horrified that he was shot by a Marine weapon.
378-->'''Bryan''': Marines shot this kid. Fucking jackasses. Trigger-happy motherfucker.
379** He quotes specific articles of the Geneva Convention pertaining to the treatment of captured soldiers when Fick is ordered to "un-surrender" Iraqi prisoners.
380* FieryRedhead: While he's usually calm and collected, his tendency to harshly and angrily insult superior officers ("You dumb motherfucker, sir, even the most boot-fucked marine knows danger-close.") cements him as this. Evan Wright describes how Doc Bryan used to get in bar fights all the time back home, and how he always looks like he's angry at something.
381* HeroOfAnotherStory: He does some remarkable things while assigned to 1st Recon, but after his time with them ends he goes on to complete another deployment alongside an unspecified special operations unit. After being discharged from the military and returning to civilian life, he became a full-fledged doctor.
382* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Doc's refusal to sugarcoat anything he says makes him come off as more than a bit of a dick, but he's a good man who looks out for his platoon mates, especially the younger, less experienced ones, and who would fight tooth and nail to save the life of a single Iraqi casualty.
383* SelfMadeMan: He came from a modest background and was the first one in his family to go to college. He would later go on to become a full-fledged doctor.
384* WithDueRespect: He speaks his mind to his incompetent superiors and doesn't bother with including any "due respect" because, as far he's concerned, they don't deserve his respect.
385-->'''Bryan''': Dumb motherfucker, sir, even the most boot-fucked Marine knows danger close, sir!
386
387!Cpl Teren “T” Holsey
388->'''Played by''': Sydney Hall
389
390* CulturedWarrior: Seen reading The Art of War in the very first episode.
391* ScaryBlackMan: Outwardly appears to be this, yet is fast proven to have HiddenDepths.
392
393!Corporal Michael Stinetorf
394->'''Played by''': Bjorn Steinbach
395
396[[/folder]]
397
398[[folder: Other members of Bravo Company]]
399
400!Captain Craig “Encino Man” Schwetje
401->'''Played by''': Creator/BrianPatrickWade
402
403Bravo’s CO - a former intelligence officer put in a position he is distinctly unsuited for.
404
405%%* BigOlEyebrows
406* DumbJock: He was a football player in college, and the stereotype of athletes being dumb definitely applies to him. He manages to sound off like a dumb jock when pushing the Humvee out of its predicament in the bridge, via Major Eckloff's motivational speech.
407-->'''Cpt. Schwetje:''' "Men! Over here! Two-minute warning, guys, two-minute warning!" (''The men move the stuck Humvee'') "YEAH! WHOO! Gentlemen, this is the end zone! (''Does an end zone dance'') Whoo! Whoo! Yeah! Go Yellow Jackets!"
408* LethallyStupid[[invoked]]: He's so boneheaded that even other characters thinks he's a dumbass. Case in point, the aforementioned attempted artillery strike call that was suicidally close to his own position, although luckily he was stupid enough to get the protocols wrong:
409-->'''Sgt Lovell:''' Sir, that's a cunt hair over 200 meters, sir. That's danger-close for artillery.\
410'''Cpt. Schwetje:''' Danger-close?\
411'''Sgt Lovell:''' Sir, "danger-close" is an artillery strike within 600 meters of a friendly position. 200 meters... that's pretty much on top of our heads.
412** The fire direction center[[note]]in laymen's terms, the middleman between the caller and the guns[[/note]] is more subtle in their response:
413--->'''Steel Rain''': Hitman, this is Steel Rain, reconfirm grid zone designator.\
414'''Hitman''': Umm, what do you mean?\
415'''Steel Rain''': Stand by Hitman, break, break. Assassin, this is Steel Rain, ''your'' grid zone designators are correct. Message to observer... ''(followed by a read back of ''Assassin''[='=]s call for fire instead of Hitman's)''
416%%* TheNeidermeyer
417* RousingSpeech: Attempts one but it's so terrible, it makes Sixta's rants look like poetry.
418%%* ThoseTwoGuys: with Griego.
419* TooDumbToLive: {{Inverted}}: He tries to call in an artillery strike practically on his own position, despite the protests of his subordinates, against enemy forces that his Marines had already destroyed. They're all saved only because he manages to screw up the protocol for properly calling in an artillery strike -- meaning that the artillery won't go ahead -- and he isn't even using the right grid coordinates to accidentally kill himself and his men (analysis of the coordinates indicates that he's calling a strike on ''Saudi Arabia''). His EpicFail is so complete that it loops right back around and saves him and his men.
420** Other highlights include taping over the windows of his Humvee (to make it extra-tactical) to the point he can no longer see out of it, and ordering Bravo to assault an enemy position already under fire from USMC [=LAVs=], on foot DIRECTLY IN FRONT of said [=LAVs=], practically begging for a friendly-fire incident.
421
422
423!Gunnery Sgt “Casey Kasem” Griego
424
425Bravo Company Operations Chief. He's Encino Man’s senior enlisted man and is similarly disrespected by the Marines.
426
427%%* TheDragon: to Encino Man.
428* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: The miniseries and bulk of the book portray him as a self-serving prick who's incompetent as a supply specialist. The book's post-script reveals that he excelled when placed in a combat role and that the marines who used to despise him came to respect and like him.
429* TheNeidermeyer: Initially; however, ''after the events of the book/series'', he was put in a position of leadership where he excelled, thus becoming…
430* SergeantRock: After the events of the story.
431%%* TookALevelInBadass: post-series.
432
433!Captain Dave "Captain America" [=McGraw=]
434->'''Played by''': Eric Nenninger
435
436The inept commander of Bravo's 3rd platoon, prone to bouts of hysteria and stupidity. Due to his higher rank, he has the right to order Fick and his men about -- a right that he doesn’t hesitate to abuse.
437
438* AttackAttackAttack: "Follow my tracers!"
439* BayonetYa: When he isn't using an AK, he always appears to have his bayonet fixed to his issued service rifle, despite being well out of range to use it.
440** When he tries to stab a restrained POW, he predictably fails badly.
441* BattleTrophy: He's more interested in collecting Iraqi weapons and uniforms than running his platoon. Although he abandons this when one of his own men threatens him with physical harm the next time he fires off an AK and ends up burying his collection in the desert.
442* DirtyCoward: Panics at the first sign of danger. Worse, he does it over the radio so the whole platoon can hear him freaking out.
443* DoWrongRight: He tries to murder a captured Iraqi citizen with his bayonet, but misses repeatedly. One of the marines notes that Captain America is such an incompetent asshole that he's an EpicFail even at committing war crimes.
444* EnsignNewbie: Of the worst sort.
445* FishOutOfWater: He was never supposed to be in the field, as his job entailed something completely different, but much like his entire battalion, he was used for a role he hadn't been meant for. By all accounts, he was highly competent at his actual job.
446* IronicNickname: Nickamed after perhaps the most level headed and professional superhero in the US comic book pantheon for being incredibly panicky and unhinged in the field.
447* KarmaHoudini: Due to Godfather's unwillingness to act and having connections he manages to go unpunished for his attempted murder of a prisoner and mental torture of another.
448%%* KickedUpstairs
449* LargeHam: Most of his dialogue has him either having a FreakOut over the radio or going LeeroyJenkins on inanimate objects.
450* LeeroyJenkins: Seems to think he's in some kind of epic action movie, and his ineptness causes problems for Fick and the other members of his team.
451%%* TheLoad
452* TheNeidermeyer: Not so much a nasty officer, but completely incompetent and utterly despised by the men under his command. Any interactions he has with his men end with them shaking their heads - even ''when he's being friendly''.
453-->'''Captain America:''' Godspeed! God-fucking-speed to you! (''He waves to Colbert, Fick, and Kocher'')
454-->'''Kocher:''' Fucking Captain America.
455* NeverMyFault: In the book, he tries to blame one of his corporals for firing the captured [=AKs=], but fails when no one else in the vehicle will support his story. Later, when Redman and Kocher are demoted for the bayonet incident (that he was responsible for) he doesn't seem very interested in setting the record straight.
456* NoIndoorVoice: He tends to raise his voice a lot, sometimes because of panic, other times for dramatic effect.
457* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: His real name is never stated in the book. This is deliberate, since Wright didn't want him to get harassed about his actions. The series averted this: in the DVD, he's constantly referred to by his first name (Dave), and the Blu-Ray version shows his full name in the Chain of Command extra.
458* RealityIsUnrealistic: The series actually toned down his more outlandish behavior.
459* TriggerHappy: He tends to open fire at abandoned vehicles ("Denying the enemy transportation") or unoccupied buildings, often using scavenged Iraqi [=AKs=].
460* ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: One of the reasons he gets away with his unprofessional conduct; his uncle is a colonel at USCENTCOM. Some of the marines believe the only reason he got into Recon in the first place is due to nepotism.
461* WrongGenreSavvy: thinks he's in an epic action movie.
462** He might think he's in Vietnam since he references it all the time.
463-->'''Captain America:''' These people are worse than the goddamn V.C.!
464* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Like Encino Man, he's so stupid that everyone in the series knows it.
465-->'''Corporal Person:''' Can you believe that fucking retard is in charge of people?
466
467!Sgt Eric Kocher
468
469One of 3rd platoon team leaders.
470
471* HypercompetentSidekick: He is infinitely more capable than his platoon commander.
472* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Eric actively tries to counteract the dangerous idiocy of Captain America including slugging him in the jaw to prevent his execution of a prisoner. On another occasion Captain America psychologically tortures a prisoner as Kocher stares on horrified and tries to talk him out of it. The entire team is reported as Kocher is suspended whilst Captain America retains his position.
473* OnlySaneMan: in his relationship with Captain America.
474%%* SergeantRock
475
476
477[[/folder]]
478
479[[folder:Other battalion members]]
480
481!Lt. Colonel “Godfather” Ferrando
482->'''Played by''': Chance Kelly
483
484Previously a commander of the parade ground at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington DC, now the man in charge of 1st Recon battalion. He's the highest ranking officer in the field and answers directly to General Mattis.
485
486* CatchPhrase: During his briefings to his officers, he's fond of "What does Godfather think?" as a lead-in to his summation.
487* TheChainsOfCommanding: Most of his orders involve using his Recon Marines for missions they are entirely poorly suited for (massed assaults, high speed gun-and-run mounted recons, etc. rather than small teams of highly trained scouts). He is getting his orders from General Mattis, [[SureLetsGoWithThat and feels that, while he and his unit are not even close to the best one for that particular job, he isn't in any position to refuse them]]. Which is a correct thought, [[YouHaveFailedMe considering what happened to Colonel Dowdy]].
488-->'''Godfather''': Major General Mattis's plan went against all our training and doctrine, but I can't tell a general I don't do windows.
489%%* ColonelBadass
490* GlorySeeker: In the book, the men speculate he’s trying to get his men killed on purpose.
491%%* LanternJawOfJustice
492* HorrifyingTheHorror: Mentions that, for all his unflinching authority and ability, his one fear is doing something that'll displease [[TheDreaded General]] [[GeneralRipper Mattis]].
493* JerkJustifications: Justifies his boneheaded and seemingly ridiculous obsession of maintaining the Grooming Standard as instilling discipline into his men, and stating that any discipline is going to help them survive. How much of a point he has is up for debate.
494* NomDeGuerre: Because of the throat cancer he speaks like Creator/MarlonBrando in Film/TheGodfather.
495* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: It varies from one scene to another; his decisions are not very popular with the Marines, but he’s definitely competent and he'll often come to some sort of compromise.
496* ThirdPersonPerson: He often refers to himself as "Godfather" or "Ferrando."
497* WrongGenreSavvy: He seems to think he's in charge of an armoured infantry unit instead of a light recon unit. In fact, if he had been put in charge of armoured infantry, his orders and tactics would be perfectly valid, and as pointed out during the mini-series, his superiors are using his unit like they were armoured infantry anyway, and expecting Godfather to follow that. Later editions of the book say that the men under his command, in hindsight, acknowledge that he was a good commander and making the right decisions based on the intel and resources at his disposal.
498** The biggest example is the assault on the airfield. Having failed to recon the airfield they are forced into a blind assault in their Humvee's, which had the enemy had been there, probably would have resulted in extreme casulties.
499
500!Major Todd Eckloff
501->'''Played by''': Benjamin Busch
502
503Battalion XO.
504
505* DeathGlare: Shuts up a panicking Captain America with one.
506%%* MajorlyAwesome
507* PinkMist: The result of him using his below mentioned shotgun on an Iraqi soldier in the book.
508* ShotgunsAreJustBetter: Carries a Benelli automatic twelve-gauge shotgun in the book and more than proves its effectiveness when called upon.
509
510!Sgt Major John Sixta
511->'''Played by''': Neal Jones
512
5131st Recon Battalion Sergeant Major.
514
515* BerserkButton: The grooming standard.
516%%* DrillSergeantNasty
517* GenghisGambit: Knows exactly how ridiculous it is to keep harping on the Marines for the grooming standard, and not only does he do it so they can hate him as an outlet, he has Gunny Wynn tell him when morale drops so he can time it right.
518** Pappy lampshades this after Sixta chews him out for not having yet shaved his moustache.
519--> '''Sgt. Patrick''': Well, we all got jobs to do. Sgt. Major Sixta's job is to be an asshole... and he excels at the position.
520%%* HiddenHeartOfGold
521* JerkassHasAPoint: Occasionally manages to do some good despite still firmly being an asshole.
522** He berates Garza for losing his helmet, and by extension endangering the lives of fellow Marines. While this may have seemed like InsaneTrollLogic at first, Sixta is proven right a few episodes later. Not long after requisitioning a replacement Iraqi helmet, Bravo 2-1 comes under fire from Alpha Company after a [[FriendOrFoe one of their gunners spotted an Iraqi helmet]].
523** Later on, he chides a group of his Marines, who were catcalling a distinctly unamused [[TheLadette female Marine]], for demeaning her, looking like idiots in the process, and [[InsaneTrollLogic misusing their MOPP gear in sexually suggestive ways]].
524* NoIndoorVoice: Constantly shouting abuse at his Marines.
525%%* ObfuscatingStupidity:
526* PetTheDog: In a way. He intervenes to discipline Marines making extremely inappropriate catcalls towards a female Marine by... [[ItMakesSenseInContext telling them to stop messing around with their chemical warfare gear]].
527* RousingSpeech: Fails to deliver one in Episode 1.
528* TheUnintelligible: Due in part to his [[SouthernFriedPrivate distinct accent]]. Or as Ray calls it, "Illiterate fucking retard-ese."
529
530!Captain Bryan Patterson
531->'''Played by''': Creator/MichaelKelly
532
533CO of Alpha Company.
534
535* ADayInTheLimelight: "Combat Jack" is the only time he's shown on one of Alpha's missions away from Bravo Company.
536* {{Foil}}: For Encino Man. Each commands a company, yet Patterson actually knows what he's doing.
537%%* OfficerAndAGentleman
538* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: After most of the action is done, he has what is officially described as an "outburst", which is to say he puts Encino Man into a headlock and slams him into a wall after Encino Man roughly shoulder-checked an enlisted Marine from Alpha during an athletic competition.
539* HeroOfAnotherStory: Alpha Company's missions are mostly heard about but not shown. Justified as Wright is rarely ever in the same place as Patterson.
540* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The one shining example among the higher command.
541* ScarfOfAsskicking: In the series, even if he's only about 3/4ths his size, Patterson has a similar face to "Encino Man" so he has a big blue shemagh around his neck to tell him apart.
542
543!Sgt Christopher Wasik
544The battalion driver, famous for his characteristic Hitler ‘stache.
545
546!Lt Alex Aubin
547Battalion Surgeon.
548
549* TheConscience: He's the one who suggests bringing the boy next to Godfather's tent in the hope of forcing his hand and ordering a casevac. It works.
550* ThouShaltNotKill: He takes his Hippocratic oath very seriously, as he refuses to consider performing a MercyKill on the Iraqi driver who was accidentally lobotomized by Walt Hasser. Instead, he injects him with painkillers and stabilizes him.
551
552!Meesh
553->'''Played by''': Nabil Elouahabi
554
555The 19-year-old Kuwaiti Battalion Translator.
556
557* BigEater: He's quite overweight.
558* BlatantLies: Half of what he's translating for Bravo men is made-up shit, per orders from above.
559* BrassBalls: The Marines come to respect him for the sheer obliviousness to danger that he displays. For a dope-smoking, overweight 19 year old with no military training, it's nothing to scoff at.
560* CunningLinguist: He is at least bilingual and pretty much the only translator the battalion has. The Americans can tell that most of the time, he's heavily embellishing what the villagers tell him, and are frustrated with that.
561* FunctionalAddict: He's a serious dope smoker.
562* GeekPhysiques: He's overweight, which makes him stand out among the rest of the cast.
563* {{Greed}}: He hates Iraqis, mostly because of what they did to his people during [[UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar their last war]], and greedily relieves them of their sunglasses, cigarettes and alcohol at any opportunity as payback.
564* OnlyOneName: We never find out his full name.
565* {{Revenge}}: His desire to steal from the Iraqis and assist the war effort in general is partly because of his anger over atrocities commited by the Iraqi army against Kuwait during the UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar.
566* ShotgunsAreJustBetter: Carries one as his defensive weapon.
567* SpellMyNameWithAnS: His name is written either as Meesh or Mish, with the latter being the more correct version.
568* TheSlacker: He's not particularly conscientious about his work.
569* UnfazedEveryman: Despite being young, untrained and out of shape, Meesh isn't too bothered about being in an active warzone in the company of an elite unit whose job it is to get ambushed.
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