Major Eastwood
Biographical Details
- Full Name
- Henry ("Harry") Eastwood Jr.
- Born
- 16 February 1935; Denver, Colorado.
- Died
- 31 December 1999, Algiers.
- Relatives
- None living.
- Occupation
- Former Major in the United States Army; later head of DICE West Coast branch; later employee of FINI.
- Associates
- Ally of Strikeforce. Commanding officer of Don, Huey, Luey, and Dewey of DICE.
Description
Height 5'10" (178cm); Weight 160lbs (73kg); short, grey hair (formerly blonde); blue eyes.
Slim and wiry,
Wears a standard-issue DICE uniform. Smokes large cigars.
History
Harry Eastwood was born into a family with a long and distinguished military pedigree. His father joined the army at 17, just in time to serve in Europe during the closing months of World War I, and died as a captain in the Ardennes in early 1945, Harry learning of his death shortly before his 10th birthday. Eight years later, Harry defied his mother's wishes to enlist in the army.
Following several years of postings around the globe, Eastwood first saw significant action as a platoon commander in Vietnam, where he distinguished himself and established a reputation for accomplishing difficult missions with minimal loss of men.
After 1974, leaving Vietnam with the rank of captain, Eastwood worked in military intelligence, based in the Pentagon but with frequent trips to Central American where he still managed to find himself in front-line action from time to time. He was promoted to Major in 1981, and shortly after this he met a young DEA pilot named Don Newman who was flying clandestine missions into Central America. Though they only shared one mission, Eastwood was impressed with the younger man's skills and resourcefulness and would remember him in the future.
In 1982, Eastwood was approached to take a major leadership role in the newly-formed Department of Intelligence and Counter-Espionage. With some reluctance, he resigned his army commission (though he continued to be called "Major", DICE was not a true military organisation and did not use army ranks) and threw himself into his new role.
DICE was a brand new concept, and Eastwood had literally no precedent in how to perform his role. Working closely with the other regional commanders Colonel Tempest and Major Dawson, Eastwood was responsible for creating much of DICE's standard operating procedure. He also took a major responsibility for recruitment of the men who would form the core of his command. With freedom to approach any government agency to poach resources, one of his first acts was to recruit Don Newman and make him his second in command. Many other of the agents under Eastwood's command were recruited by him personally. One recruitment he had no control over, however, was the appointment of CIA analyst Edward Mallard as his executive staff officer in 1986, and there was considerable friction between them as their ideas of how to run an effective spy organisation were completely at odds.
Eastwood's "tough but fair" leadership style won him great loyalty from his men, and his willingness (even eagerness) to pick up a gun and fight side-by-side with them only cemented that.
At one point, Eastwood was impersonated by the super-human criminal known as the Stalker, and was imprisoned for several weeks before being rescued by Newman and Strikeforce. He soon recovered from his ordeal, however, and returned to duty.
Beginning in 1991, budget cuts made Eastwood's job harder and harder, and his clashes with Mallard more frequent. Eastwood began to feel disillusioned with his role, and in 1995, when ordered to oversee the dismantling of the organisation, he resigned.
In 1996, Eastwood began to work for the private intelligence agency FINI, working again with Don Newman who was briefly a member of the same organisation. In 1999, he took part in Fennec's last mission against Black Zero, and died in action while helping to avert a global disaster. Though he was given no formal recognition for his actions, his funeral was attended by a huge number of the men who had served with and under him.
Psychological Profile
Eastwood was gruff, sarcastic, and short tempered, presenting a very unfriendly first impression. To the men who knew him, however, he was a good and loyal friend, and he was not above socialising with his men, and always present at any unofficial memorial held for fallen comrades (usually held in a bar). He treated all men equally, regardless of their status or backgrounds.
He was fearless and decisive in action, winning the respect of all the men who served with him.
Skills and Abilities
Eastwood has years of experience in the military and espionage work and is highly trained in more skills than can be listed here. He is proficient with a wide range of firearms and heavy weapons, as well as unarmed combat. He has a shrewd tactical mind and is a capable strategic planner and a strong and respected leader of men.
Equipment
As an agent of DICE Eastwood has used almost every conceivable item of combat and espionage equipment ever produced on (or off) Earth.
His typical equipment is a DICE-issue jumpsuit of bullet-resistant (Resistweave) cloth and a plasma energy sidearm.