Chief D.O.A.®™

lead protagonist and antihero

Damien Oliver Alexander a.k.a. Chief D.O.A.®™ earned his nickname the hard way. Pronounced clinically dead no less than five times, once before the age of seven, and four others as a results of wounds sustained in combat, he has emerged a marvel of modern medical science.  Some say that Damien was stamped warrior at birth and that almost like a premonition, the place of his birth Warroad Minnesota, stood as testament to path he would inevitably choose. Loosing both his parents in a drunk driving accident which found his father the guilty party set Damien in his self sufficient ways as he became a ward of the sate at the age of seven.  But perhaps even more so later, when at the age of 15 and after multiple foster families his violent tendencies cost him his freedom. Incarcerated by the Minnesota Department of Juvenile Detentions for multiple assault and batteries young Damien found himself once again a ward of the state only this time, it was at a boot camp inspired youth detention facility sponsored by the MDJD. Damien, had at last identified his road to war. On the day of his 18th birthday he was escorted in a stripped prison jumper, shackled and handcuffs into a Marine Recruiting Center where he promptly signed on the dotted line and was at once released from the custody of the MDJD into that of the USMC. He was put on a plane and shipped off to Parris Island that very same afternoon.  Damien never looked back.  Testing for Marine Force Recon following his basic infantry training and then Scout Sniper he quickly ascended up the enlisted ranks adding MFF a.k.a. HALO and Advanced Combat Diver to his resume on his way to becoming Gunnery Sergeant Alexander. Deploying to every major conflict including Operations Urgent Fury, Just Cause, Desert Shield and Storm, Restore Hope, and countless minor dirty secret wars in between from 1980 until 1993 when he shocked his Marine Corps superiors with his decision following his deployment to Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope to traded his Marine Blues for a set of Navy Blues.  Gunny Alexander had accepted a challenge from Master Chief Ahab Turner USN (SEAL), and one of the primary recruiters for DEVGRU / ST-6, who had long monitored his career. While many have since miscategorized the challenge as honoring a lost booze inspired bet, the fact was that Master Chief Turner has simply presented Gunny Alexander with an opportunity to increase his field exposure by testing for SEAL via BUD/S.  Giving his deep knowledge of the Team's needs and Damien's capabilities, Ahab Turner knew that in Gunny Alexander he would surely find the next legendary Navy SEAL fit for service aboard "Six". But to Ahab's chagrin by the time "Six" came calling offering an opportunity for "Selection", widening rifts within the Teams had emerged and in particular between "Eight" (newly minted CPO Alexander's Team) and "Six".  As such Damien resisted the strong gravitational pull of "Six", rebuffing every attempt to pull him in choosing instead to remain loyal to his beloved Team Eight, 6th Platoon that had fought so hard to win him, a rare Old Salt, in the post BUD/S inter team draft generally comprised of nothing but young green Boots. Deep in his core Chief D.O.A.®™ was a no nonsense Recon Marine who lived by the code: Semper Fidelis (always faithful).