Kyle Carpenter Joins Call of Duty
PHOTO CAPTION: “Retired U.S. Marine and Medal of Honor recipient, William Kyle Carpenter, shoots an M4 Carbine during a range event at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Nov. 21, 2019.”
Marine Corps veteran and Medal of Honor recipient Kyle Carpenter will appear as a playable character in the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 as part of a new downloadable content pack supporting veteran employment.
Activision and the Call of Duty Endowment announced the partnership Aug. 21. The C.O.D.E. Valor Pack is scheduled to arrive Oct. 23, the same day Modern Warfare 4 launches.
Carpenter's likeness was digitally scanned for the game, according to Task & Purpose. Footage released with the announcement shows Carpenter undergoing a 360-degree scan before revealing a digital version of the former Marine wearing combat gear inside the game.
The real-life story behind the character dates to Nov. 21, 2010, when then-Lance Cpl. Carpenter was serving with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment in Marjah, Afghanistan.
Carpenter and fellow Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas Eufrazio were manning a rooftop security position when enemy forces attacked their position with small-arms fire and grenades.
According to Carpenter's Medal of Honor citation, Carpenter moved toward a grenade in an attempt to shield Eufrazio from the explosion. When it detonated, Carpenter's body absorbed the brunt of the blast.
Both Marines were severely wounded.
Carpenter suffered catastrophic injuries, including extensive damage to his face and right arm and the loss of his right eye. He spent weeks unconscious and underwent a lengthy recovery before being medically retired from the Marine Corps in 2013.
President Barack Obama presented Carpenter with the Medal of Honor at the White House in June 2014.
The Call of Duty Endowment is a nonprofit organization backed by Activision that works to help veterans transition into civilian employment. Carpenter's Valor Pack is the latest collaboration between the video-game franchise and real military veterans.
Earlier Call of Duty content has also drawn from the experiences of veterans, including former Navy SEAL and NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy. Medal of Honor recipient and Army veteran Florent Groberg previously inspired content released for the franchise.
The new Carpenter pack will be available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PlayStation 5, Battle.net, Steam and Nintendo Switch 2.
Modern Warfare 4 is scheduled for release Oct. 23.
Sources: Call of Duty; U.S. Marine Corps; Task & Purpose
(Source: OAF Nation)
