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.

Colonel Samuel Gwozdz is a retired mustang officer of the UNSC Marine Corps. Born on Sigma Octanus IV in 2520, he enlisted into the Marines in 2538 hoping to become a reconnaissance infantry marine. Samuel served in the 44th Marine Reconnaissance Division as a reconnaissance marine and scout sniper for four years before joining 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 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 completed the Marine Reconnaissance Training Pipeline on Sigma Octanus IV and assigned to the 44th Marine Reconnaissance Division, 46th Reconnaissance Regiment, 1st Battalion (Forward Deployed), A Company on Alluvion in 2540. He served as a Rifleman for one-year before graduating from the Marine Reconnaissance Scout Sniper Course where he served as a Shooter, Spotter, and Fireteam Leader. In 2542, he fought against the Covenant during the Battle of Alluvion and received a Combat Meritorious Promotion to Corporal where he led his fireteam in sniper-observation missions across the planet. After escaping from Alluvion, he arrived on Reach and volunteered for a Orbital Drop Shock Troops three-year tour with the 105th Shock Troops Division. He completed selection and was assigned to the 105th Marine Force Reconnaissance/ODST Battalion (Special Operations Capable), B Company. Samuel was attached to the 193rd Marine Expeditionary Unit (SOC) as a member of the ODST Special Purpose Force supporting contingency response operations.

During his second rotation, Samuel participated in the Battle of Actium as a Crisis Response Force. He rose to become a Combat Element Assistant Team Leader, receiving another Combat Meritorious Promotion to Sergeant, during the conflict until being wounded during a Covenant aerial bombing attack. Samuel was evacuated off the planet and returned to Sigma Octanus IV in 2547 where he underwent surgery and rehab. He joined the 77th Reconnaissance Training Battalion and 57th Shock Troops Division as a Senior Scout Sniper Instructor. Between 2548 and 2549, he competed in the 77th Reconnaissance Division's Scout Sniper Challenge while also completing UNSC Army Ranger Sniper School and the Naval Special Warfare Sniper Team Leader Course. In 2549, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis from Enfield Military Academy then requested to return to the 105th Shock Troops Division. After completing selection in 2550, he was assigned to the 9th Shock Troops Regiment, 10th Shock Troops Battalion, G Company.

In the final years, Samuel participated in the Battle of Reach as a Combat Element Team Leader. He was deployed following the declaration of WINTER CONTINGENCY and ran deep reconnaissance missions into Covenant-held territory across Reach. He participated in the Battle of New Alexandria and later the Battle of Manassas until being pulled off the planet. On Earth, he supported the Battle for Earth around Eastern Africa, India, and the Pacific Rim supporting the defense of Earth. He led numerous reconnaissance missions during New Mombasa's glassing and occupation where one mission earned him a Navy Cross. Promoted to Gunnery Sergeant, he served as a Platoon Sergeant during the Pacific Campaign where he participated in the Battle of Aranuka and an island-hopping campaign with the Pacific Amphibious Corps. By the end of the Great War, Samuel was on-track to become one of the youngest Master Sergeants in the 105th Shock Troops Division, but decided to commission at the request of the command.

Samuel attended the elite Marine Officer Candidate School on Mars where he completed The Basic School, Infantry Officer Course, Expeditionary Reconnaissance Officer Course, and Scout Sniper Unit Leader Course to become a Ground Intelligence Officer in 2554. He returned to the 105th Shock Troops Division as a First Lieutenant and served as a Platoon Commander and later Company Executive Officer between 2554 and 2557. Samuel supported Operation: HIGH TIDE in 2554 and completed two-rotations supporting the Soell Systems Patrol. By 2558, he became a Special Operations Officer and completed the Special Warfare Expeditionary Course as a Captain and served as a Company Commander for three years under the 9th Shock Troops Regiment. During his time, he participated in a controversial Operation: PALE HORIZON deployment between 2561 and 2562 and was selected for Joint Duty Officer after the deployment. He was assigned to Bravo-9 Special Operations Group as a Marine Liaison Officer and conducted a two-year assignment as a Element and Troop Commander where he supported clandestine operations across the Outer Colonies.

Picking up Major in 2565, he attended the Marine Command and Staff College on Luna where he attended the School of Advanced Warfighting and earned a Masters of Science in Defense Planning and Strategy. Samuel returned to the 105th Shock Troops Division in 2567 during the Black Years where he served as the Executive Officer of the 105th Shock Troops Support Group, Advanced Skills Battalion and later for 9th Shock Troops Regiment, 10th Shock Troops Battalion. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 2571, Samuel commanded the 10th Shock Troops Battalion where he deployed to Mamore and other Outer Colonies as a Special Purpose Crisis Response Force. He then served one year as a Regiment Executive Officer for the 9th Shock Troops Regiment before being promoted to Colonel in 2576. As a Colonel, Samuel served as the Executive Officer of the 105th Shock Troops Special Missions Detachment, a specialized unit being reassigned under Naval Special Weapons.

By 2578, Samuel had completed his duty as Executive Officer and decided to retire from the UNSC Marine Corps 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.