Joque Kurtz

**Joque Kurtz**(Born August 20, 2532) was an ODST in the 105th ODST Division and Seventh Battalion. He was also a member of the 73rd Homefleet Regiment and Fifth MEU as a Force Recon Operator. He achieved the rank of Gunnery Sergeant in Force Recon before being briefly transferred to the Fifth's ODST Battalion and then reassigned to the 73rd Homefleet Regiment. He was shortly after reassigned back to the Fifth and returned to the 105thDV/7thBT.

## Early Life and Education

Joque Kurtz was born to Melinda and Henry Kurtz in 2032 at Helping Hands Continental Hospital on Reach. Joque's first memory is of his family's crops as seedlings. His mother was a Corporal in the UNSC Army. She was stationed in orbit on a Super MAC Platform until it's destruction in the fall of reach. Joque's father was the owner of a farm, which was where Joque spent the majority of his early life. Joque went to a local "Roman Catholic" school, as his mother and father were of the same religion.

Two months before Reach was invaded, Joque and his father went on a vacation together to Earth. Joque's mother was not due for leave time for another few months, and therefore stayed behind.

The Fall of Reach occured while Joque was on Earth with his dad. With the glassing of the planet, Joque and his father were left on earth as IDP's. Only a few months later, his father was killed in the Battle of New Mombasa by a Jiralhanae Captain whilst attempting to find safety in the embattled city with his son. Afterwards, Kurtz was left to scavenge the city in poverty. After several run-ins with the law, Kurtz enlisted in the UNSC Marine Corps.

## The Great War

### 174th Battalion Marines

Upon completion of basic training, Kurtz was deployed to the 174th Marine Battalion. His first deployment was to a Jungle planet. His squad was deployed as a routine patrol, here a Jiralhanae squad nearly wiped out the patrol to a man. Being the sole survivor, he was allowed extended leave. When he returned, he filed for a transfer to the UNSC Force Recon which was allowed.

## Post-War

### UNSC Force Recon

Upon transfer to the UNSC Force Recon, Kurtz was deployed to the UNSC Icarus. During these times that Joque later regarded as "The best damn time of my life," he grew a close bond to the Force Recon section attached to the Icarus-- Romeo. Here is where he formed bonds with lifelong friends, Alexander Renai, Tucker Sheppard, and others. Later, he'd recall that every person in Romeo was family to him and that he'd rather see himself die than witness them die themselves.

It was during this time that Kurtz captured the Harbringer. After a handful of months and several ship-changes, Kurtz was transferred to the 138th Homefleet Regiment on Earth for disaster relief. It was here as well, where he was transferred to the ODST's and trained.

### 7th ODST Division

Several months later, after his completion of the ODST training courses, Kurtz returned to the Fifth MEU's UNSC Sephton, where he had previously been deployed. It was during this stretch of his life that in later interviews he says was "The biggest shitfest I've seen, but also the second best time of my life." It was during these times that Kurtz says that most of Romeo was killed in action; released combat reports support this claim as various figures from his service in Force Recon were reported killed in action. He regards as some of the worst deaths being "That indestructible Nord-- Ragnar." and "The Most Metal Chick I've seen, Ashlyn Malon."

<HEAVY WORK IN PROGRESS>

## Trivia

Kurtz has apprehended the Hands of the Harbringer's leader, Harbringer, on one occassion. Coming close on a few others.

Kurtz was a part of the Fifth MEU's "time warp" through three years when the UNSC Jaeger went through a portal created by a Forerunner installation.