John Kozak

John Kozak is a young human male in his late twenties, he enlisted in the UNSC Marine Corps in December 2555, and was assigned to Echo Company on board the UNSC Prefect. His ethnicity is Russian, but was born in America in New York, New York—more specifically, Brooklyn in Brighton Beach.

He is engaged to his fiancée, Amy Kogawa. However, he usually doesn't talk about her and knowledge of his engagement usually isn't public, since he refrains from actually wearing his ring in combat or while on duty. Usually, it's in a pocket or compartment of his. He also, along with an engagement ring, holds with him a small paper booklet given to him by Amy, which he holds dear. He is a combat engineer in the marines and he likes his job, he is also equipped with a M41 Rocket Launcher. Unfortunately, it lacks guidance systems. He has used man portable line charges and C-12 plastic explosive before.

Childhood
John Kozak was born on January 30th, 2529. Kozak went to school at P.S. 253, he was an average student and had a small friend group consisting of boys. He had a close family with a loving father, mother and an illusive older brother. His older brother, Alexi, cared deeply for him—but his family just moved from Russia—Kozak was born in America. Unfortunately the Human-Covenant war was raging and the focus was on the war, domestic crime was ignored. Thugs formed gangs and they took over, New York was lucky being one of the largest cities in the world. They could afford a huge police force and specialized tactical units, still it gangs were prevalent especially in Little Odessa (Brighton Beach). One day he wandered into the apartment of a girl named Kaitlin Ingram. Her parents worked for the Office of Naval Intelligence, no one knew. He became friends with her, the second thing she said to him was, "Are you a bully?". Come her birthday, her being very reserved and having no friends but Kozak, he said he would get some of his friends to come over. Unfortunately his friends being young boys, they scoffed him. "I don't want to go to a girl's birthday party," he was embarrassed and failed to show up to her party. Kaitlin was alone. Kozak naturally felt guilty and at midnight he ran back, he found a fire blazing inside her apartment on a wooden desk. Kaitlin was weeping on the floor, Kozak ran for a small cup of water but a figure in an armored suit ran in with a fire extinguisher and extinguished the fire. He spoke to Kaitlin but Kozak barely remembers the events of the night, in fact anything he does remember he considers a dream. He continued his childhood normally and moved on to a middle school of his choice, in New York City parents and children can choose their middle school and then high school. Kaitlin disappeared and he forgot almost everything about her, only until his senior year of high school would old memories resurface.

Kozak continued to grow like a normal child and graduated at the fifth grade.

Pre-teens
Kozak went to Junior High School 302 for middle school, he continued to have his friend group but he never really got close to any girls, friend zone or otherwise. He managed through sixth and seventh grade fine, but when he turned fourteen and was in the eighth grade his father was shot and killed by Alexi. It turned out that the family was in some financial trouble being new 'immigrants' they were harassed by the local thugs. Alexi had to protect his family, and what better way to do that then by joining them if you can't beat them? Kozak was almost shattered, he ended up turning Alexi in to the URNA federal police force. It turns out he did a lot more then just one homicide. Alexi was sentenced to life in an isolated cell in a maximum security prison. Instead of being shattered and going into a depression he turned towards delinquency himself. His grades dropped and he barely graduated, he played jokes on his friends which were considered "Low" and he lost all of his friends. But he still had his mother—so he thought.

As his life went on, so did the war. The wrath of the Covenant Navy came ever closer to the place called home by humans. The UNSC Navy would remain unflinching in their efforts to heed off the daunting foe, but they were far from equal opponents. The empire loomed ever closer to reaching the Sol System.

Teens/High school
Arguably, this was one of the most important parts of his life. Kozak was a wreck in highschool, while his grades did drop, occasionally they went up, he event had a few honors classes. His mother turned towards alcohol, the apartment was a wreck with glass bottles everywhere. He had to keep order, he had to succeed. He kept his room neat and made dinner for his mother. Things were far from easy. He passed his freshman year on the High Honor Roll. "I can do this," he thought. Sophomore year things ran astray. He became a bit depressed. He began cutting class and sleeping in missing most of the morning showing up around lunch and occasionally he cut in the afternoon. He was struggling and going down hill, the same continued if not worsened in his Junior year. Kozak wasn't one to pick fights but he had his fair share of them, whether he would want it or not. While this happened he did join the basketball team, barely making the cut. However this didn't last long as he got into a fight with the team captain, and his grades were dropping below the cut line. One day near the end of his Junior year he met a student named Stephan Oliver. It turned out that he and Stephen both got into a fight on the same day, same time, both ended up in the principal's office. From that they forward they became best friends. He had a poor relationship with his mother at this point, he was wary of always cleaning up the apartment only for it to become a mess again. Stephen said he would let Kozak stay in his dorm, which Kozak gladly accepted. Like Kozak, Oliver also was a delinquent at this point. He was bullied off the school soccer team, the two boys both were taken out of the teams. They resolved to living life like a kid until their high school days were over.

While they let their high school days rot, Kozak's semester averages were going down. By the end of his Junior year he was doing worse than his Freshman year. Oliver could be described as idiotic but still free willed. Kozak would often tease him and trick him with all these stupid plans. On a cool April day a girl named Roe, who was the class president confronted the two of them about always being late. Her protective sister stormed into the room, first throwing a dictionary at them before talking. The course of his Senior year was complicated but nonetheless, set him on a good path in life. He had a girlfriend who was a year older than him, but she had to take her Senior year three times over for complex medical reasons. The name of the girlfriend being, Amy Kogawa. He met her while she was standing alone on a sidewalk and later, in school during his lunchtime, he found her eating alone. From there, he found out she wanted to do theater, or at least join the theater club. She however, lacked confidence and was small and somewhat weak. He encouraged her to pursue her dream—but the club was suspended—there were not enough members and in order to save money, inactive clubs were suspended. He decided to help her still, and so through their quest to reestablish the theater club he met new people and made some new friends. He also, rediscovered, Kaitlin Ingram. It turns out, she devoted herself to studying the sciences, largely due to the fact that her parents were scientists. Eventually through trying to reestablish the club and all the effort and hours Kogawa and Kozak put in, one fell for the other, and the other reciprocated the feelings. And thus, [from an intimidated Kozak who prayed that she would say 'yes,'] life declared them boyfriend and girlfriend. (Although, Kogawa didn't actually say 'yes,' she was at a loss of words and cried in happiness). After she [Kogawa], finally graduated, he visited Alexi's prison to talk to him. He couldn't even have a civil conversation, to him, Alexi was the cause of his hellish childhood and high school life. At least in his eyes. On that day, after leaving in frustration, he proposed to his girlfriend. By nineteen he needed to have a job, he got one at a construction company. He bought an apartment, however he could not afford a wedding at the time. She was everything to him, she got him through high school, now she would get him through his early adult years.

Young Adult Life
While Kozak worked at the construction company, by the end of his first day he walked through his front door and instantly collapsed on the floor face first. He was shot, he was a tired wreck but Amy, his fiancée, came over every day to visit and keep him company, even cook for him. It was tiring work and while at first he enjoyed it, he even made a few loose friendships with his fellow workers he had something else on his mind. Every day he saw people struggling: kids trying to make it through school, kids trying to avoid the school bully, others trying to escape the grasp of drugs, people suffering. People trying to escape the violence, the death. He remembered his father. He remembered Alexi. He remembered his mother. He knew what he wanted to do. He applied to become a police officer, when he turned twenty-one he was accepted (after he passed the physical test, medical test, two psych evaluations and other written tests) and went to New York City Police Academy, located on East 20th Street, Manhattan. After twenty weeks he graduated the academy and was fully fledged police officer. New York's Finest.

However, by September 4th, it has been decided that Earth's location has been compromised. GATL-1 Longsword fighters constantly buzzed over the city, blue water warships were deployed in the Atlantic and New York Harbor. The 10th Mountain Division was occasionally seen on patrol in lower New York. When the Covenant invaded he was thrust in the fighting, New York's police department was a very effective paramilitary force. But the Covenant was a fierce opponent. But he survived the war. But they still weren't married, the war occupied their time and coming out of the war everyone had some form of financial damage. There was no time, and still no money for marriage even when he was a part of the police force.

After spending four years on the force, and surviving the invasion of Earth, he knew about the Emergency Service Unit (ESU), he had seen them respond to many scenes which had escalated violence—usually involving an active shooter. Kozak excelled at his job and one of the teams needed a new member early January 2555. In December 2554 he wanted to join their unit, and so in January 2555 he was authorized by the aforementioned team's sergeant to apply and go through the application course with the other candidates. Surprisingly to the team members, he met all requirements. It was decided to let him on with only four years and one month. The standard is five years on the job. He had the right motivation, his father's death. His poor relation with his mother and brother, and with Amy's constant encouragement—he made it. But there was something yearning at him... he saw what the Covenant did... he saw what the world was like... he needed—he wanted—to be part of something big. To see the galaxy. It was almost selfish but he saw the death the "Covies" brought upon his home... He talked to Amy and she agreed – but he broke an important promise to her... even with her consent... He holds this against himself, and blames himself for breaking promises to her and leaving her.

Post Enlistment
Now Kozak left in December 2555, he was assigned to Echo Company which was stationed on board the UNSC Prefect. Then transferred to the Icarus, a few months passed and the unit was reformed into a Marine Expeditionary Unit. From the Avalon, Derigard, Warspite to the Jaeger. From there he made his living. Sometime in-between he took a vacation to see Amy, while at a bar he got into a fight with a navy cadet. It turned out however, that the cadet's father was an Admiral and he lost his Corporal rank. Of course, later on he regained it and even made Sergeant. But ever since he went through the portal—the same one that sent the unit three years into the future—he lost all contact with Amy. Furthermore, it has been revealed that his mother died some time ago. Family is important, family can keep people going it can save lives. Family is powerful—he lost his family. This sent him into an emotional wreck. He would drink much more and be drunk and hungover while sleeping in on his cot. He was stripped of his Sergeant rank by order of Trementias for this conduct unbecoming of a marine and NCO. This is his current state, he is able to push the thought of losing everyone he held dear to in the back of his head during operations but when things are civil and everyone is cordial – the pain comes back. The pain comes back occasionally, but he has convinced himself that he must be happy for Amy. He has two material possessions of family, an engagement ring from Amy and a booklet, also from Amy. He however, from the urging of Allyson Engel, and the consultation of other peers, has decided to try and be happy for her. This is where he stands now. Trying to be happy, but still missing his lover and feeling a small sense of regret for joining the Corps. But he has his emotions in control to a slightly greater degree.