Samuel Gwozdz

"In the years to come, we will be tested as a warfighting unit. No matter who or what stands in our way, we will succeed. Not for our glory and personal gains, but for humanity to live another day."

- Samuel Gwozdz in 2568.

Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Gwozdz is a commissioned officer of the UNSC Marine Corps. He enlisted into the Marines in 2538 on Sigma Octanus IV. He served in the 44th Marine Reconnaissance Division as a reconnaissance marine and scout sniper before moving up to the 105th Shock Troops Division during the Human-Covenant War. Following the Human-Covenant War, Samuel commissioned into the Marines as a Ground Intelligence Officer and later served as a Special Operations Officer until his retirement in 2578.

Following his retirement from the UNSC Marine Corps, Samuel worked for Törött Group with fellow ODSTs as a Managing Partner. There, he assisted with contracts to the UNSC, private sector security companies, and a small client profile until the Excession Conflict in 2581. He returned to the UNSC and served as a operations consultant for the Office of Naval Intelligence's Bravo-9 Division. Samuel went on to found Aperture Group where he is the Chief Executive Officer.

Early life
Born on May 17, 2520, Samuel grew up in Côte d'Azur on Sigma Octanus IV. His father served in the UNSC Army Rangers as a Civil Affairs and Simulation Operations Officer while his mother was a civilian Data Scientist for the UNSC Army Futures and Concepts Center. Samuel and his younger sister were raised to follow the family's footsteps of serving in the United Nations Space Command. He took an interest in the history of the UNSC and its notable successes surrounding the Inner Colony Wars, Insurrection, and other major activities in between. Samuel enjoyed learning about the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers and their legendary status among the UNSC Special Warfare Community. His teachers noted him as being excellent in mathematics and history while citing he wanted to serve in the UNSC. He decided to join the Marine Corps with the goal of becoming an ODST. After graduating from St. Veridiana School in 2538, Samuel enlisted into the UNSC Marine Corps to become a Reconnaissance Marine.

Military career
Enlisting into UNSC Marine Corps at 18 years of age in 2538, he was assigned to the 44th Marine Reconnaissance Division, 46th Reconnaissance Regiment, 1st Battalion, A Company on Alluvion as a Reconnaissance Scout Sniper Marine. He served as a Shooter and Spotter before becoming a Scout Sniper Fireteam Leader during the Battle of Alluvion in 2542 alongside the XV Marine Expeditionary Force. Following the fall of Alluvion, Sam relocated to Reach and volunteered for an ODST tour. He joined the 105th Shock Troops Division and deployed with the 105th Marine Force Reconnaissance/ODST Battalion (Special Operations Capable), B Company for one rotation as a Scout Sniper Combat Element Team Member where he was attached to Task Force 122.7 in Gemini Sector conducting contingency response operations. After a rotation within the 105th, Sam completed another while attached to the 193rd Marine Expeditionary Unit (SOC), he deployed within the ODST Special Purpose Force as a Scout Sniper Assistant Combat Element Team Leader.

During his deployment, he participated in the Battle of Actium in 2545 and was wounded by a Covenant blast. Sam returned to Sigma Ocatnus IV in 2546 and joined the 77th Reconnaissance Training Battalion to serve as a Reconnaissance Scout Sniper Instructor. He later joined the 57th Shock Troops Division to serve as a Shock Troops Scout Sniper Instructor in 2548. During his stints as an Instructor he competed in the 77th Reconnaissance Division's Recon Challenge and Scout Sniper Challenge while also completing UNSC Army Ranger Leadership School and the Ranger Sniper School. He enrolled into the Enfield Military Academy by 2547 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis by 2549. After graduating from Enfield Military Academy, he traveled to Reach to join the 105th Shock Troops Division as a Shock Troops Operator. By 2550, he completed training and joined the 9th Shock Troops Regiment, 10th Shock Troops Battalion, G Company as a Reconnaissance Shock Troop Operator.

In the final years of the Human-Covenant War, he participated in the Battle of Reach as a Combat Element Team Leader and led numerous missions behind Covenant lines. He was then present at the Battle for Earth where he was deployed around Eastern Africa, India, and the Pacific Rim supporting the defense of Earth. Sam led numerous reconnaissance missions during New Mombasa's glassing and occupation where one mission earned him a Navy Cross. During the Pacific Rim Campaign, he rose to become a Combat Team Leader and worked alongside the Pacific Amphibious Corps. Following the end of the Human-Covenant War, Sam was selected for a Combat Meritorious Commission by the 105th Shock Troops Division and became a Second Lieutenant. He attended Marine Officer Candidates School - Exton where he completed The Basic School and Infantry Officer Course to earn a line commission into the UNSC Marine Corps by 2554. Promoted to First Lieutenant, he was assigned to the same unit and served as a Reconnaissance Shock Troops Platoon Commander.

As a Platoon Commander, he participated in Operation: HIGH TIDE and Soell System Patrols before becoming a Company Executive Officer in 2557 for G Company for one year. Promoted to Captain, he served as under the 9th Shock Troops Regiment, G34 as a Regiment Assistant Strategy and Planning Officer until 2558 then took command of 9th Shock Troops Battalion, H Company as the Company Commander for three years. During his time, he participated in a controversial Operation: PALE HORIZON deployment between 2561 and 2562. Upon returning from Operation: PALE HORIZON, Samuel served as a Company Commander within the Shock Troops Training Group where he ran the 105th Sniper Course and other advanced reconnaissance courses. After two years as a Company Commander, he was assigned as a Shock Troops Liaison Officer to the 24th Ranger Division and acted as a link between the two special warfare units for two years. By 2568, Samuel was promoted to Major and accepted into the Naval Postgraduate School - Tribute to complete his graduate education.

Upon completing his Master's Degree in 2570, he served as the Executive Officer of the Advanced Skills Battalion under the 105th Shock Troops Support Group until 2572 then completed a two-year tour as a Special Warfare Liaison Officer to the Bravo-9 Division's Special Operations Group. While at Bravo-9, he provided a crucial connection between NAVSPECWAR's operational forces and ONI's intelligence-driven missions to target High-Risk Threats to the UNSC. By 2574, Samuel was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and returned to the 105th to command the 9th Shock Troops Battalion and completed two deployments to Mamore and as the Naval Regional Special Warfare Crisis Response Force. He received a Honorable Discharge from the UNSC Marine Corps in 2578 and after 40 years of service.

Post-Military Careers
Following his retirement, Samuel joined the Törött Group on Tribute as a Partner in 2578. He provided advisory services for crisis management and leadership development. Samuel worked with multiple business intelligence, private military, and executive protection companies in handling conflicts and high-stress situations. In the rise of the Excession Conflict, he returned to the UNSC as a civilian consultant and subject matters expert for the Bravo-9 Division in 2582. Working inside of the Special Operations Group, Samuel served as a consultant to the group's operations officer by studying plans and providing advice on how to retake the Sol system. Samuel also served in various positions as a Squadron and Group Principal Consultant. During his time, Samuel was awarded Civilian of the Year in 2586 by the Bravo-9 Division. Following the end of the Excession Conflict in 2587, he left the Bravo-9 Division and rejoined the Törött Group as a Managing Partner.

In 2589, Samuel was elected as Chapter Vice President and later Chapter President of the Helljumper Foundation on Tribute to assist active duty and veteran ODSTs across the colony world. He joined Nomad Tactics as a Marksman Instructor and subject matters expert to train clients in target analysis and scout sniper tactics. During a ceremony with the 105th Shock Troops Division in 2590, Samuel was inducted into the 105th Hall of Fame for his service with the 105th Shock Troops Division. He left Törött Group in 2590 to form a private technology firm named Aperture Group with support from ONI. Samuel served as the Chief Executive Officer and hired people he worked with while in the UNSC. The firm provided cyber spyware, intelligence, research and, exploitation technology services to private companies and later the UNSC. He joined the Board of Directors for a private military company named Tenet Solutions in 2594 and a data consulting firm named Securitas Analytics in 2597.

Personality
Throughout Samuel's life, he focused on being a calm and patient individual. He took the time to understand situations as they unfolded, waited for the perfect opportunity to strike, and managed his time to get the most of the experiences he endured. His cool-headed nature makes him known as a respected leader within the ODST community and business world. Samuel is known to be extremely analytical with his decision-making and task orientation to give him the chance to make the best decision. During times of crisis, he is capable in handling various tasks and procedures to help make the best decision at the time. Samuel is relentless in pursuing the next goal. Ranging from joining the ODSTs to running his own company, he attacks the process and incorporates his experiences to ensure he walks away from each task successfully.

Following the end of the Human-Covenant War, Samuel took the chance to become a mentor for many of the new ODSTs joining the 105th Shock Troops Division. As an Instructor, he focused on producing quality traits in candidates and teaching them the importance of well-being. Many of the ODSTs Samuel served with were given the chance to see what life was like within the Division during the Great War and the valuable lessons he learned. He made a significant effort to pass along the skillsets and experiences he had to younger ODSTs. Samuel spent various times as an Instructor throughout his career and helped with creating ODSTs the Division needed. Taking his lessons from the battlefield, he continues to mentor and teach leadership in the business world as a way to help people grow from his experiences.

Personal life
His father, a Brigadier General and Deputy Commanding General (Operations) for the 27th Ranger Division, and mother were killed during the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV in Côte d'Azur. His younger sister, Imka Gwozdz, survived the Human-Covenant War on Cascade. She served in the UNSC Aerospace Force as an Operations Research Analyst, Space Operations Officer, and Multi-Domain Warfare Officer between 2540 to 2570. She retired as a Colonel with her final position being Wing Commander of the 727th Command and Control Wing. She works as a Senior Partner in Aperture Group.

Samuel graduated from Enfield Military Academy in 2551 with a Bachelor of Science in Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis and earned a Master's of Science in Operations Research from the University of Cabash in 2571. He is fluent in French, English, and Hungarian.

Samuel married Aniela Kasowska, an Office of Naval Intelligence Section One officer in 2557. The two met at the end of the Human-Covenant War in 2552 before she attended university. Aniela retired as a Commander in 2577 after serving as a Squadron Commanding Officer in the Bravo-9 Division's Cyber Warfare Group. The two had a son in 2561 named Wolfgang Gwozdz and a daughter in 2564 named Laralyn Gwozdz. Wolfgang graduated from the Tribute Naval Academy in 2582 to commission into the UNSC Marine Corps as a Cyberspace Warfare Officer. Laralyn graduated from Tribute Naval Academy and later Tribute Naval Medical School to commission into the UNSC Navy as an Aerospace Experimental Psychology Officer.