Angela Ellis

== Angela Ellis ==
Angela Ellis was a Marine infantrywoman who later served as a Sergeant for the Appalachian Republic. She was well respected on the battlefield, first gaining recognition from her battle prowess during the Skirmish of Pine Ridge. Under a company overseen by Captain Emilio Gonzales, Ellis was assigned to units pushing Seaboard forces away from the state center. She was promoted rather quickly to a Corporal, until the central authority of the Armed Forces for the Harrisburg Committee was annihilated.
After training for nearly two years in Canada, Ellis returned to the United States as a Recon Task Force Sergeant. She was often assigned special missions as her commanders placed high levels of trust in her. After being promoted to a Staff Sergeant, she was chosen by Lieutenant Alex Mitchell to lead a small platoon of specialized Marines in the Battle of Cobleskill. Despite the confidence of mission commanders, Angela Ellis and her comrades were outnumbered, outflanked, and eventually cornered. Ellis was killed in the Battle of Cobleskill along with Lieutenant Mitchell and their junior General, Nathan Krauss.
Despite the tragic loss, Ellis was remembered and honored as a fearless soldier who was memorialized afterwards. Many who knew her in the Recon Task Force looked to her as a martyr, as well as being a role model for various female troops in all branches.
== Life Prior to the Great Collapse ==
Angela Ellis was born to a single mother in Houston, Texas, possibly having one or more siblings. She is of Pacific Islander, African, and European descent. Her mother frequently entered into and out of relationships, which caused the unstable family to move often. In High School, Ellis began a relationship with another woman, much to the horror of her mother. After being disowned, Angela's girlfriend moved to Pennsylvania.
As a testament of her own strength, Ellis committed herself to a 1,300 mile journey from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Reading, Pennsylvania. She completed this trip over a few months, and was welcomed by her girlfriend and her girlfriend's family, who, in retrospect, would've helped with her trip had she asked. Despite this, Ellis took pride in the accomplishment, hiking much of the Appalachian Trail along the route. To continue her search for self-worth, Ellis decided to join the USMC when she turned 18. She first attained her GED, and then was sent to boot camp. Halfway through, however, the Great Collapse occurred, and she returned home.
== Service to the Harrisburg Committee ==
In the middle of 2018, Ellis' girlfriend, already battling a weakened immune system, succumbed to the Jinanvirus. Others in the family may have, as well, and Ellis lived alone for around a year, going through hardships as she tried to learn homesteading on her own and without research. in early 2019, Ellis had her identity registered in Harrisburg, and she was later flagged by military recruiters due to her prior enlistment. She accepted an offer to rejoin the military.
As a Private First Class, Ellis was assigned on a team who was responding to a distress call in Pine Ridge in the north of the state. Two Seaboard squads were present, who had taken control of the community and apparently stolen resources. While initially cooperative and non-violent, the two sides, who were untrusting, quickly resorted to more aggressive measures, possibly following orders on either side. The Seaboard units were driven out from the community, much to the citizens' appreciation. Not long after the skirmish, Ellis was promoted to Corporal, as her Sergeant was impressed with her ability to work well, especially under pressure.
Assigned under Captain Emilio Gonzales, Ellis was later deployed north. Following Seaboard expansion into New England, it was decided engaging and snuffing out the growing threat would be the best way to solidify safety and stability in the region. However, Ellis never made it past New York, where she was kept in fights against the Seaboard presence there. All of this eventually led to the Battle of the Big Indian, which saw a turning point in the Catskill Offensive. Ellis' Sergeant was killed, and she led the rest of the team to a safe retreat. She then found and saved Maria Burnett, who joined the team in the retreat. The two quickly had an intimate relationship, despite the two being in adjacent units, and explicit rules against fraternization. After an unconditional rout and retreat, Ellis left the United States to Toronto, Canada, where she'd stay training for the next two years.
== Joining the Recon Task Force ==
Ellis was active in the battles to retake Appalachia following the force's defeat in the Battle of Harrisburg. Her persistence, caution, and boldness in battle kept her alive and continued to add to her reputation. Following the Battle of Batavia, she was partaking in rather advanced missions with highly-trained squads, despite not officially being anything other than a standard infantry riflewoman. After retaking Harrisburg in October, 2021, her position and rank was analyzed. She was transferred to the Recon Task Force, a company of highly specialized Marines and Navy sailors who were under the command of Major Davidson. When the lurking threat of disjointed Seaboard positions in the north was assessed, it was decided that pushing them out of New York would be required to maintain stability in the region. Ellis was promptly dispatched to the North as a Sergeant.
General Krauss personally assigned his apprentice, Leonardo Evans, to Ellis' squad, hoping to bolster the team because of their differing personalities. The two quickly clashed, as Ellis was insistent on strictly following protocol and usually kept a very serious demeanor in the field. Evans, on the other hand, had no difficulty straying from plans and rules, as it reminded him of being a soldier in the Seaboard Army. He was far more carefree and spontaneous, believing randomness to be a solid strategy at times. Despite the initial conflict the two faced, they soon learned to get along and respect the complimenting skills they offered the team.