"Chicago born and raised. Expelled from high school after defending another student. Self-taught student of history. Joined Marine Corps to qualify for GI Bill, went career instead. Served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Marine Raider."
Damian Raines was born in Chicago. During his youth, he was expelled from high school after defending another student. In 2006, at the age of 20, Raines joined the United States Marine Corps to qualify for the G.I. Bill but chose to continue his career in the Marines.[1]
Raines served as a Marine Radio Operator in the Iraq War between 2007 and 2009 in infantry, armored and special reconnaissance. He developed a reputation as a fearless, "laser-focused" Marine. He passed the selection to become a Marine Raider and served with distinction in Iraq before being redeployed in Afghanistan between 2011 and 2015 where he was assigned to train Afghan Security Forces. During that time he considered retirement from the military.[1]
At one point, Raines and Sergeant Marcus Griggs of the Demon Dogs cooperated in an operation, code named "Sepulcher". Not many details were known about that mission but the speed of Raines reassignment to the Demon Dogs suggests a connection. He was immediately deployed in Urzikstan to serve with his new unit.[1]
In March 2020, Al-Qatala's new leader Khaled Al-Asad launched a full-scale assault against Verdansk in Kastovia. Operators from Coalition and Allegiance were deployed to Verdansk to stop Al-Qatala as part of the Armistice initiative. During his service with Armistice, Raines had taken an interest in the Allegiance operator known as Grinch, extending to independent research outside of the battlefield.[1]
