Category:Richard Kokich



= Richard 'Phoenix' Kokich =

Richard M. Kokich is a UNSC Marine NCO formerly a member of the 5th MEU, 4th Marines, Echo Company. He served during and post the Human-Covenant War and to this day remains in active duty at the age of 33 years.

He attained the position of First Sergeant before his transfer from the unit. He is currently serving with the 8th aboard [redacted] in a senior leadership position. He currently retains the rank of First Sergeant.

Early Life:
Richard was born in the region of Jericho in the continent Avalon on Epsilon Erandi IV to Trevor Kokich and Megan Hale in the town of Atlas. The eldest brother of three siblings -The second eldest is his sister Lilly and the youngest his brother Troix - he was born to a relatively well off middle class family. The age range being 4 years between the youngest and oldest. There is not much to mention in regards to early childhood. The Kokich family was quite close to several other households in the neighborhood notably the Barclay and Valentine households in regards to Richard's history.

By the time Richard came around to his adolescent years his life had been following a good path. He had secured part time work at the age of 15 working after school as a mechanic's assistant in Atlas. At school his grades were above the average marks usually sitting at solid Bs through to A- he was active on the school football team as a reserve Lineback. He could also be found in theater performances at school in both background and supporting performance roles. He found interest in sciences, theater -Which was in fact more of a hobby than anything he felt he wanted to pursue in life- and military history. By this point Richard had found himself attracted to one of the Barclay daughters -Misty- and they maintained a strong relationship until her death in 2537 - The same date in which his closest friend Damian Valentine would also loose his life.- at that time Richard was 18 and Misty 17. Their relationship had lasted for the most part of three years and often they could be found together around town or at parties.

The 2537 Insurrection (Kokich Record)
2537 had come around with the end of Spring; Richard had found himself living a healthy happy and peaceful life until the Insurrection of 2537 would throw everything he had known upside down. Richard, Misty, Damian, Maria Valentine and several others were on Pegasus beach - 17th July, 0200 Hours - when the Insurrection of Avalon occurred. A large underground force of fanatical republicans (Known as Avalon Liberal Fenian Army or ALFA for short.) would at this time seize many strategic locations across the continent and terrorize the population. Although ALFA was not unknown to the planet's defense force their approximate numbers and strength were however greatly underestimated. In a matter of a month the ALFA had imposed their regime on Avalon and many of the citizens made off for remote lands away from terrorism and oppression. On the actual 17th of July Richard and his group were captured by several former convicts released by ALFA in vein of new 'orderly' members. Their plans were to use the group for various things and end with ransom. Damian and Nicolas Sparks lost their lives creating a means for the teenagers to escape when they overpowered one of the felons that had been guarding them and shot several of the other captivators. Misty was injured during the escape and unfortunately died from her internal bleeding as Medical professionals were close to saving her. The rebellion lasted for several months but after the first week UNSC Marines had secured 77% of the region back into the UEG's influence. The damage was however done, Richard's father had died fighting alongside the Valentine family (The only survivor of the Valentine's being Maria who was present on the beach.)

Post Insurrection
Atlas had suffered early during the insurrection, many of its residents had been killed or injured during the fighting; SO much as to say that there wasn't a home where a relative or friend hadn't lost their life during the brief conflict. There was nothing left in Avalon for Richard and with what little money he had he left for Reach with Maria. There Richard worked for Misriah Armory for a few months before he found himself drawn to enlist within the UNSC as a Marine and get his life back into shape. Maria stayed behind on Reach and continued to stay there until 2545 when she would travel back to Avalon on Epsilon Erandi IV. What spare credits he had leftover were set aside into his account before he began his chapter in the UNSC.

Recruitment
Richard was sent to Military Reservation 01478-B and spent several months there training in the facility. This section of Richard's life is not terribly well documented other than the official published records and few audio files recovered mentioning him. He was trained by GySgt Finn O'Sullivan and SSgt Nelson Wesley, during his training period it was suggested he could work towards the ODST but the offer of extended training was rejected, Richard instead became a rifleman in Echo Company from where he is most remembered.

Echo Company
Richard entered the unit during it's commission aboard the UNSC Prefect under the command of Captain Cain Powell and 1st Lieutenant Johnny Whelson in 1st Platoon. Richard found quite a few friends during his first few days the documents and log entries of this time provide great detail as to what his relationship was with those surrounding him. In the first night aboard the vessel Richard was introduced to at that period: 2nd Lieutenant Axel Hunter -Platoon leader for 3rd Platoon (Engineering)- Sergeant Dmitri Pryzcki, Privates Odell (Frenchy), Aleksander Karzkov (Ruskie), Aytoym Makarov, Jenifer (Mouse) and Lance Corporal Kaitlynn Carter. Mouse had died within the first days of the unit's establishment with a bullet through the brain. By this point Richard had made quite good friends with those listed above and Sergeant Dmitri suffered quite a dilemma when Private Rapture took his own life in front of the Sergeant; With persuasion and efforts organised by Richard the Sergeant was convinced to carry on his duties and get his head back in the game. This act being the defining moment of Dmitri and Richard's friendship. Carter and Richard had also become closer during this period and it is believed that during the first days is when their attraction supposedly began. Ruskie had been found to have a severe drinking problem during this first week and this would later put strain on their friendship. He had also at this point discovered Ian Summer's suicidal tendencies and had at more than one occasion saved him from his depressed outbursts.

Several weeks passed and by now Richard was quite known among the ranks, he had attained the rank of PFC and spent some time expanding his contacts within the company, he found himself spending time -with Xalos Keener, Eoin "Ghost" McGuigan, Hayden Walker and Bambino- after missions having a drink of whiskey and it was from a counter after one operation over a bottle of Whiskey that the squad would be formed

Whiskey Chronicles
Whiskey squad was the first official unit within Echo Company that acted as a permanent organised unit before the incorporation of Force Reconnaissance and the ODST, although they never considered themselves special forces the boys of Whiskey squad were the closest thing the company had. They regularly found themselves under the leadership of Corporal Ghost -the founder of Whiskey Squad- able to accomplish tasks more precisely than some of the other Marines. They gained a reputation for their actions and Staff Sergeant Basilone took and interest in the squad, their presence being required during the trial of Sergeant Nicolas Lambert as credible witnesses at Lambert's attempt to challenge Basilone's authority. It was never revealed the exact nature or intention of Whiskey squad's war cries that could be heard during deployments or on the field; These cries were "Whiskey!, Basilone! and Steal the Thunder!" the best analysis of these cries was that they were inside jokes the members had, an example of the brotherhood between these men.

The members of whiskey squad grew slightly so that it sat at 12 men including Richard, Xal, Ghost, Hayden and the Provost Officer Xeno Bambino who was the brother of the former Bambino in Whiskey squad. Whiskey squad was notorious for it's drinking culture but it was accepted and was a tradition rather than something to stop them from being combat efficient. They served many operations together even after the introduction of ODST and FORECON on the vessel. Their numbers had gradually decreased by now. Xal, Ghost and Richard were all Corporals and were beginning to be called away from running about as Whiskey squad having to take leadership positions as fire team leaders for the regular marines. Not that it would deter their bond or stop the tradition of after operation drinks. The legacy of Whiskey lived on so much that it was insulting for anyone other than the original member of Whiskey Squad to use the call sign within Echo Company; This insulting action was avoided for the most part as a sign of respect for the fallen of Whiskey and still serving veterans in the unit.

Kaitlynn Carter
Kaitylynn "Kaity" Carter was Richard's significant other he met during time spent in Echo Company, they would in the first few weeks of the unit's commission enter a relationship that would be one of the longest present in the unit's members histories. With Richard's promotion to Sergeant and Kaity's acquisition of the rank Corporal they decided towards a future engagement during a later R&R in which Richard fulfilled when they were in their early 20's. They fought on many operations together and there is a collection of private logs in regard to her that have been recovered, most of them are however corrupted and very little is salvageable. From what has been recovered their relationship was healthy and there was support from many of Richard's friends to the relationship and it was decided Xal (Richard's closest friend) would take the role of Best man whenever Kaity and Richard finally got married; They would do this in 2549 when Richard was 30. Present at the ceremony were the four remaining members of Whiskey squad, Sergeant Dmitri, Lieutenant Alastair Takugawa, Aleksander Makarov and others that had been close to Richard. It was a small wedding that happened on the Isles of Bahamut in the Epsilon Erandi System where Echo Company was stationed. At the time of his marriage Richard had attained the rank of Gunnery Sergeant, Carter had reached Sergeant and happily maintained that rank for the rest of her time in the unit. Their marriage has lasted even today and they maintain regular contact with old friends from their new unit.

NCO Journey
(WIP)