SCOOP. The code name used by U.S. Army Sergeant Leonard Michaels from Chicago, Illinois. Scoop has an advance degree in journalism and a masters degree in electrical engineering. He could have made a career with the network news, but decided he wanted to be there as the news was happening. After joining the Army, Scoop was assigned to the G.I. Joe team for a mission into Sierra Gordo. Scoop was to videotape the operation for the Defense Department. Scoop had never been out in the field and had no experience with any kind of combat situation. Some of the small team of Joes resented Scoop at first, seeing him as a liability and a distraction. The Joes were to ambush an Iron Grenadier convoy in the Sierra Gordo jungles, and despite his duties as a journalist, Scoop was given the task of keeping Tunnel Rat's ammunition coming as he fired his heavy machine gun. In the chaotic battle in the jungle, Tunnel Rat was knocked out, leaving the mostly unarmed Scoop to fight with a Grenadier. In the end, to save himself and Tunnel Rat, he smashed his video camera into the Grenadiers head before passing out himself. When he came to, in the Joes' extraction helicopter, the others were impressed that he destroyed all of his video footage for the sake of the team and the mission. Scoop would return to Sierra Gordo some time later on a mission to rescue Joes and members of the October Guard being held by rebel troops. Scoop served with the Joes on many other occasions before the team was shut down in 1994. Some time after the G.I. Joe team was reinstated, Scoop again worked with the team.

(GI 92; SM 23; FL 18; Figure: 1)