- Name: Rafael Menendez
- Rank: Sergeant Major
- Call Sign: Diamondback
- Date of Birth: Feb. 26, 2002
- Place of Birth: South America
- Status: Killed in Action during the Second Robotech War
Personality
Menendez has an inquisitive mind and his upbringing taught him how to maintain a diplomatic demeanor. Inside however Rafael is a morose, unforgiving, jealous man whose primary motivation is greed for what he believes is owed him.
Biography
Menendez comes from a wealthy South American family with strong connections in the Southern Cross and UEG. As a young man he had an affinity for the outdoors, often taking hunting trips into the forest. His generally happy life was upset by the suicide of his first love, an event that hardened his attitude.
Due to his family's wealth and connections, Rafael was sent into the Southern Cross to become an officer. His career path was interrupted when he killed a man in a jealous rage, believing the man was having an affair with Rafael's lover at the time. His family connections managed to cover up the details, but his military career was damaged. After several months in custody as the military hearings proceeded Rafael was released. His official commission was taken away but he was still given an NCO rank (rather than being busted down to Private, or Court Martialled). Despite the family connections Rafael's actions had earned him an enemy in Southern Cross command, an enemy who made sure Rafael was assigned to the 21st ATAC.
Update: Diamondback served with the 21st throughout the NWO conflict and most of the Second Robotech War. He was never on friendly terms with his teammates, though there was no animosity either. Diamondback was killed in action in January 2031, a victim of his own teammate, Tracy Myers, a highly-skilled soldier who had been captured by the Robotech Masters and brainwashed into being one of their Bioroid pilots.
Call Sign: Menendez earned his call sign while stationed in Mexico Quadrant. During one of his violent outbursts a fellow soldier compared him to a rattlesnake and the idea stuck, leading to the call sign Diamondback.