[The first iteration of Red Team on Shield 0459.]

Few organizations in the annals of human history reach the legendary status of the SPARTAN-II PROGRAM. The program went public in 2547 in the middle of the war to boost rapidly falling moral. With glorified stories of their victories and the infamous “Spartans never die”, ONI enhanced the exploits now mythical soldiers. 

However, what is known only by a very select few within ONI, is the SPARTAN-II Program’s questionable and highly controversial origins.

In order to effectively combat rebellion against the UNSC, soldiers of superhuman abilities were required. 150 six year old children across human controlled space were found to possess superior physical and mental abilities, however due to cut funding only 75 would enter the program. Orchestrated by Catherine Elizabeth Halsey, each child was kidnapped and flash-cloned. The children were replaced by the clones, who all died off in a matter of months, tying up the loose end of 75 children suddenly disappearing. 

The children were trained by CPO Franklin Mendez and a handful of trainers. Treated like adult marines, the children were forced to adapt to their new situation, or feel the shock of a stun baton until they cooperated. Due to their young and impressionable age, the children were easily indoctrinated with military values and warfare tactics. 

[JOHN-117 undergoing augmentation procedures.]

When they reached the age of fourteen, all 75 children went under augmentation procedures to enhance their abilities.

These augmentations were:

• Occipital Capillary Reversal-  Surgery is performed on the occipital lobe of the left cerebral hemisphere of the brain; the occipital lobe is the visual processing center of the brain, containing most of the anatomical region of the visual cortex. The surgeon performs a procedure on the capillaries, the smallest of the body’s blood vessels, to reverse the direction of blood flow in each capillary to boost the blood flow beneath the rods and cones of the subject’s retina. The rods and cones of the eye are light-sensitive receptors located in the back of the eye. Together they are able to detect movement, light and color, and relay that information back to the brain. This procedure produces a marked visual perception increase. {RISK: 11% of subjects could face retinal rejection and detachment causing permanent blindness. }

Out of the 75 to undergo the augmentations, 30 were killed, 12 became physically deformed and unfit for combat, and 33 of the children survived to move on to the next phase of the program: MJOLNIR.

[Technicians outfitting a Spartan-II in MK V MJOLNIR Armor.]

After the Covenant attacked Harvest in 2554, the SPARTAN PROGRAM was accelerated to its final phase: MJOLNIR. The enhanced power armor that would further increase the capabilities of the Spartans. Immediately after they had donned the armor, the Covenant attacked the planet CHI CETI IV. JOHN-117, SAM-084, and KELLY-087, boarded the Covenant ship, set off a bomb, and destroyed the vessel, although Sam gave his life for the victory.

[The Spartan-IIs newly equipped with MJOLNIR MK IV.]

The Spartans would continue to use the MJOLNIR MK IV armor for 26 years until the MK V, equipped with reverse engineered Covenant energy shielding would replace it. With their new armor, the Spartans were to take part of OPERATION REDFLAG. REDFLAG was the plan to hijack a Covenant vessel using the AI CORTANA, kidnap the Covenant leadership, and force a cease fire. In 2552 the Covenant located REACH, humanity’s fortress world on Earth’s doorstep. The majority of Spartans were left on Reach, as the MASTER CHIEF boarded the PILLAR OF AUTUMN, and was forced to leave the system.

Several Spartans did survive the Fall of Reach however, and proceeded to harass the occupying Covenant force. Following the Master Chief’s return from Halo, the surviving Spartans regrouped to warn Earth of the incoming attack. To give Earth a fighting chance, the Spartans were able to destroy the Covenant refit and refuel station, UNYIELDING HIEROPHANT; along with over 500 enemy ships.

[Spartan-IIs aboard Unyielding Heirophant.]

Returning to Earth, the remaining Spartans were upgraded to MJOLNIR MK VI. All Spartan-IIs excluding the Master Chief were called to ONYX. After the PROPHET OF REGRET fled Earth following the decimation of the most of his forces, IN AMBER CLAD with the Master Chief on board followed the Prophet to Delta Halo. While his fellow Spartans discovered and fought along the SPARTAN-IIIs on Onyx, the Master Chief assassinated the Regret, witnessed the death of the PROPHET OF MERCY, and through a chain of events found himself returning to Earth aboard the Forerunner Keyship that had until recently powered HIGH CHARITY, carrying the PROPHET OF TRUTH.

The Master Chief was forced to abandon the ship as it entered Earth’s atmosphere. The Master Chief regrouped with UNSC forces and defend the city of Voi from the BRUTE led invasion. The majority of Truth’s forces fled through the portal that led to the ARK. The Master Chief along with the ARBITER, killed Truth and put a stop to the Flood threat.

[The legendary Spartan-II, John-117 better known as the Master Chief, in his customized MK VI armor.]

In the aftermath of the BATTLE OF ONYX, the ONI black ops group KILO-FIVE recovered the remaining S-IIs and S-IIIs and arrested Dr. Halsey. In 2553, the remaining Spartan-IIs along with the Spartan-IIIs were offered the opportunity to integrate within the SPARTAN-IV PROGRAM.