David Cox

Personnel File: David Cox

Summary:
At the beginning of Book I (Countdown to Armageddon: The Book of Daniel), David Cox holds the rank of Sergeant Major in the United States Marine Corps. He is an old-school Force Recon Marine who disappeared into the classified world of PIRDD decades ago. But somehow, never quite came back, despite never having officially left.

Officially, he is still United States Marine Corps.

Operationally, things get considerably more complicated and highly classified.

Personnel File: L. David Cox

Summary:

Sergeant Major Leroy David Cox, who strongly prefers L. David Cox unless you have an unusually casual relationship with your continued breathing. He is the longest-serving combat member of DOD-PIRDD.

Cox began his career in the United States Marine Corps and served with Force Recon, including multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan.

His career took a much stranger turn when Major Cain was recruited into PIRDD. Because Cain specifically requested that then-Gunnery Sergeant Cox come with him.

Both men were promoted.

The resulting unit became the Fifth Special Operations Group, a specialized combat element built to conduct highly classified missions inside active war zones. Decades later, Cox is still officially a Marine. But it has been decades since he was assigned a normal Marine assignment.

Subject Identification

NAME: Cox, Leroy David
RANK: Sergeant Major
SERIAL NUMBER: [REDACTED]
SERVICE BRANCH: United States Marine Corps
OFFICIAL AFFILIATION: 2nd Recon
STATUS: Active Duty
ASSIGNMENT: SPECIAL DETACHED DUTY / JOINT-AGENCY ADMINISTRATIVE DETAIL / [REDACTED]
ATTACHED TO: 5TH SOG / PIRDD / DOD
CURRENT THEATER: [CLASSIFIED]
YEARS SINCE NORMAL FLEET MARINE ASSIGNMENT: [REDACTED]

Service Record

Cox served alongside Cain in Force Recon before either man entered PIRDD. Their relationship spanned multiple combat tours, including Afghanistan, where Cox saved Cain’s life during a particularly ugly engagement. For his actions, Cox received the Medal of Honor.

Years later, Brigadier General Alexander Winters recruited then-Captain Cain for a new classified combat program. Cain made Cox part of the deal.

Captain Cain was promoted to Major. Gunnery Sergeant Cox was also promoted to Master Sergeant. So they became the Commanding Officer and Senior NCO of the Fifth Special Operations Group. That unit went places conventional forces were already fighting. But 5th SOG handled problems conventional forces were never supposed to know existed.

Most of those records remain highly classified to this day.

Decorations / Awards: Sergeant Major L. David Cox

Confirmed or Reported:

• Medal of Honor
• Navy Cross (3 awards)
• Distinguished Service Cross
• Silver Star
• Bronze Star (with Combat “V” device)
• Purple Heart (9 awards for wounds received in action)

Pending:

• Silver Star – Classified action during the Battle of 77 Westing, 26 July 2058
• Purple Heart – Wounds received during the Battle of 77 Westing, 26 July 2058

Analyst Note: While Lieutenant General Lewis “Chesty” Puller represents the pinnacle of public Marine Corps bravado and leadership, Sergeant Major Cox represents the unyielding wall that protects the United States and its citizens from things they are not ready to understand. To regular Marines, he is a terrifying ghost who has been an E-9 longer than most Marines have been alive. Currently assigned as the Senior NCO of 5th SOG / 2SSF.

DO NOT RELEASE TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS. Sergeant Major Cox represents an administrative anomaly that cannot be explained under current Department of Defense guidelines. His extended service exceeds DoD, Department of Navy, and USMC age requirements. Also, the extreme level of secrecy around his current assignment cannot be overstated while still listed as active duty.

Operational Notes:

• Force Recon combat background.
• Decades of PIRDD operational experience.
• Extensive experience with unconventional and anomalous threats.
• Senior-enlisted advisor to Captain Daniel Penn.
• Maintains an unhealthy relationship with coffee.
• Intermittent County Cork speech patterns become more noticeable when unusually pleased, tired, or otherwise insufficiently miserable.
• Demonstrates a strong preference for practical field solutions over elaborate theories.
• Has repeatedly expressed the belief that certain tactical problems can be improved through the generous application of larger caliber weapons.
• Known possible OPSEC concerns with his frequenting Madame Ti’s Dragon Lady Gentlemen’s Lounge in Richmond, Virginia, and salacious liaisons with a performer known as Miss Yum-Yum.
• Further inquiry into that subject is strongly discouraged.

Command Assessment

Sergeant Major L. David Cox is blunt, profane, difficult to intimidate, and exceptionally resistant to nonsense. He generally respects the chain of command. Generally.

Cox’s relationship with Captain Penn increasingly places him in the traditional senior-enlisted role of advising the commander, protecting the unit, and occasionally informing said commander that he is being a dumbass. However, he does not provide comfort particularly well.

He does provide coffee, ammunition, unwanted advice, practical solutions, and the judicious application of threats of corrective violence. For most military problems, this appears sufficient. Particularly for the United States Marine Corps.

Additionally, Cox possesses significantly more knowledge of PIRDD’s institutional history than his official Marine Corps personnel record would suggest. There are reasons for that. Almost all of which remain highly classified and top secret.

Personnel Disposition: Sergeant Major L. David Cox

Recommended Handling:

Retain on special detached duty. Do not mistake age for diminished capability. Do not confuse official assignment with actual operational history. Also, do not refer to subject as Leroy without medics standing nearby. Finally, do not leave civilian personnel, especially Marcus Kriggs, unsupervised within the subject’s area of responsibility.

If subject begins explaining what Miss Yum-Yum can do with ping-pong balls, terminate the conversation immediately. You have been warned.

File Status:

• ACTIVE
• MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT
• HIGHLY DECORATED
• EXTENSIVELY CLASSIFIED
• STILL A MARINE
• STILL EVERYBODY’S PROBLEM