List of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero characters (A–C)

This is an alphabetical list of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero characters whose code names start with the letters A-C.

Ace
Ace is the G.I. Joe Team's original fighter pilot. His real name is Brad J. Armbruster, and his rank is that of air force captain O-3. Ace was born in Providence, Rhode Island.

Ace was originally the pilot for the Skystriker. He would rather fly planes than anything else, and worked during high school to pay for flying lessons. He spent a year flying pipelines in Alaska and two years stunt flying for movies, before he enlisted in the USAF, and later transferred to the G.I. Joe team. He is also a cutthroat poker player, who apparently never loses.

In the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon, Ace is voiced by Pat Fraley.

Agent Faces
Agent Faces is the G.I. Joe Team's infiltrator. His real name is Michelino J. Paolino, and he was born in Parma, Ohio. Agent Faces was first released as an action figure in 2003, in a two-pack with Zartan.

His primary military specialty is intelligence. His secondary military specialty is language instructor. Agent Faces was born with an uncanny talent for mimicry. After doing a brutally accurate impression of his first sergeant during basic training, he was sent to a top-secret intelligence school. There, he learned the tricks of cloak and dagger, and the use of advanced makeup and disguise techniques.

Agent Faces appeared in the direct-to-video CGI animated movie G.I. Joe: Spy Troops, voiced by Ward Perry.

Airborne
Airborne is the G.I. Joe Team's helicopter assault trooper. His real name is Franklin E. Talltree, and he was born in a Navajo Reservation in Arizona. Airborne's parents are oil-rich Navajos who indulged their eldest son with sky-diving lessons, forever setting his love for being in the air. In college, he studied law and passed the Arizona State Bar exams. He later joined the army and opted for airborne training, graduating top of class from Fort Benning Airborne School. He is an expert with the Hughes Helicopter Chain Gun, M-16, M-60 and M-1911A auto pistol.

In the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon, Airborne is voiced by Peter Cullen.

Airtight
Airtight is the G.I. Joe Team's hostile environment specialist. His real name is Kurt Schnurr and he was born in New Haven, Connecticut. His primary military specialty is CBR (Chemical, Biological and Radiological Warfare), and his secondary military specialty is ordnance. His rank is corporal E-4. He is noted for being a practical joker, but his actions during battle make up for this reputation.

Airtight is voiced by Pat Fraley in the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon, and by Troy Baker in G.I. Joe: Renegades.

Airwave
Airwave is the G.I. Joe Team's audible frequency specialist. His real name is Cliff V. Mewett, and he was born in Louisville, Kentucky. The same name Cliff V. Mewett was also used a few years later for Colonel Courage, even though the character is African-American and born in a different city. Airwave was first released as an action figure in 1990, as part of the "Sky Patrol" line. He is the Sky Patrol communications specialist, and is also the Signal Corps Adjutant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is noted for being able to gain a signal where few others can.

Airwave appears in the DiC G.I. Joe cartoon voiced by Michael Benyaer.

Alpine
Alpine is the G.I. Joe Team's mountain trooper. His real name is Albert M. Pine, and his rank is that of corporal E-4. Alpine was born in Minidoka, Idaho. He grew up in the "Snake River Plain", where mountains surrounded on all four sides. This affected his childhood, and he took up mountain climbing as a symbolic representation of overcoming his life. Alpine is an expert climber, having mastered the challenge of climbing encumbered with weapons, armor, ammunition, communications equipment and other military gear. During his time with G.I. Joe, Alpine has also forged a strong friendship with Bazooka.

In the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon, Alpine is voiced by Lee Weaver.

Altitude
Altitude is the G.I. Joe Team's recon scout. His real name is John Edwards Jones, and he was born in Cambria, California. Altitude was first released as an action figure in 1990, as part of the "Sky Patrol" line. He is a full-blooded Apache. He joined the military after his budding artistic career was cut short by the collapse of the syndicated cartoon industry. Altitude utilizes his photographic memory and drawing skills to bring back intelligence as a recon scout.

Altitude appeared in the Devil's Due G.I. Joe series. He is part of the assault team sent to Cobra Island to destroy the forces of the revived Serpentor.

Altitude appears in the DiC G.I. Joe cartoon voiced by Terry Klassen.

Ambush
Ambush is the G.I. Joe Team's concealment specialist. His real name is Aaron McMahon, and he was born in Walnut, California. Ambush was first released as an action figure in 1990. There was a "Dinosaur Hunter" release in 1993. A new version of Aaron "Ambush" McMahon was released in 2004, as part of the Toys R Us exclusive "Desert Patrol Squad" set, which also included the figures Dusty, Gung Ho, Snake-Eyes, Stalker and Tunnel Rat.

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue #111. There, he is part of an advance recon team that was sent to the Middle Eastern country of Benzheen. As the Battle of Benzheen rages on, Ambush, Recoil and Sneak-Peek are shot by Cobra soldiers who themselves are killed by other Joes. Sneak-Peek does not survive his injuries. Ambush later drove the "Battle Wagon" during a mission in Trans-Carpathia, in which the Joes defended Destro and the Baroness against Cobra forces. Later, Hawk and Lady Jaye were captured in Grodsnz, the capital of Borovia, by local security police. Ambush and the remaining Joes drove the Battle Wagon into the city to rescue their teammates.

In the Devil's Due series, Ambush is seen as one of the many Joes interfering in the second Cobra civil war, again caused by Serpentor. This conflict takes place on Cobra Island.

Ambush appeared in the DiC G.I. Joe cartoon series, voiced by Josh Andrew Koenig. In the episode "United We Stand", Ambush and Pathfinder have to work together or perish. In the episode "I Found you Evy", Ambush reveals a story from his past, about the only person who has ever been able to find him, a childhood friend who had become a female Range-Viper.

Armadillo
Armadillo is the G.I. Joe Team's driver of the Rolling Thunder vehicle. His real name is Philo R. Makepeace, and his rank is E-7 (Sergeant First Class). Armadillo was born in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and was first released as an action figure in 1988 with the "Rolling Thunder" missile launcher.

His primary military specialty is that of armored assault vehicle driver. His secondary military specialty is advanced reconnaissance. Prior to his military career, he used to drive semi trucks, before his aggressive driving style got him into trouble.

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, the character Armadillo was called Rumbler. His first appearance was in issue #80, when he helped the G.I. Joe team to keep Cobra Command from claiming a newly-formed island near the original Cobra Island. However, just as the battle was over, the island sank back beneath the waves. He later participated in a secret mission to rescue captured Joes and members of the Oktober Guard from Sierra Gordo. He participates in the Battle of Benzheen.

In Marvel UK's Action Force comic, Armadillo appeared in G.I. Joe Annual 1992, as part of a team sent the fictional country of Sao Cristobel. The mission is to keep Cobra from acquiring a nuclear warhead.

Avalanche
Avalanche is the G.I. Joe Team's cold weather specialist who drives the "Dominator" vehicle, a tank that was specially designed for use in freezing weather conditions. He is KIA in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #113; he dies while maneuvering through an oil field when it is bombed by Cobra Commander.

Backblast
Backblast is the G.I. Joe Team's Anti-aircraft soldier. His real name is Edward J. Menninger, and his rank is that of Sergeant E-5. Backblast was born in New York, New York, and was first released as an action figure in 1989. The figure was repainted and released as part of the Battle Corps line in 1993. Different versions of the character were released in 2004 and 2005.

Backblast's primary military specialty is air defense, and his secondary military specialty is signal corps. He grew up in a house next to one of the most popular airports in the world. His bedroom was directly under the landing path of incoming jets. When asked his job preferences upon his enlistment, he answered, "Where can I go to shoot airplanes out of the sky?"

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue #92. He was part of a covert team of Joes sent into the fictional country of Sierra Gordo. They successfully rescue Shockwave, Recondo and Lt. Falcon, as well as the surviving members of the Oktober Guard. Backblast personally shoots down a Cobra Condor plane, which was attempting to destroy the Joes' vehicle, before the team could get across the border into the friendly nation of Punta del Mucosa.

Backblast was in the Joe's Utah HQ when Clutch and Rock 'n Roll nearly went berserk due to Cobra brainwashing. He is one of the many Joes sent to the fictional Middle Eastern nation of Benzheen during the conflict in that nation. He works with Rampart to shoot down a Cobra Rattler pursuing Joe pilots. The Cobra pilots, Wild Weasel and a Techno-Viper, both survive. The Joes had gotten to their sentry point, thanks to Rampart driving the Joe vehicle "Hammer" around various checkpoints and across the desert.

In the Devil's Due series, Backblast is seen as one of the many Joes fighting against the new army created by Serpentor. This conflict takes place on Cobra Island.

Backblast appeared in the DiC G.I. Joe cartoon series, in a non-speaking cameo role in the episode Operation Dragonfire part 5. He also appears as a playable character in the G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra video game voiced by Chopper Bernet.

Back-Stop
Back-Stop is the G.I. Joe Team's Persuader tank driver. His real name is Robert A. Levin. Back-Stop was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He was first released as an action figure in 1987, packaged with the "Persuader" high-speed tank. A second version of Back-Stop was available as an authorized exclusive figure included in the 2009 Canadian G.I. Joe Convention box set. The set was limited to 100 with all figures being done in a 25th style design.

Back-Stop's primary military specialty is armor, and his secondary military specialty is mechanized infantry. As a youth playing in junior league hockey in Canada, he injured so many opposing players that his family had to move to the United States to escape angry parents. He grew up in Detroit, where he boxed in the Golden Gloves under he was barred from competing; he also spent two years as his high school's undefeated wrestling champion when no one would challenge him. After a short demolition derby career, he found his true calling in the Army and eventually the G.I. Joe Team.

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue #64 (October 1987). He joins the team when they are in their Utah Quonset hut base. His Persuader tank is used with an A.W.E. Striker for transport for some of the Joes who have joined at the same time. He is not informed of the top-secret aspects of the Joe team right away, such as the underground complex and the space shuttle, the USS Defiant. This is because while their new Joes had their transit orders, their top-secret clearances simply had not caught up to them yet. The shuttle itself, in its own transport, almost crushes the two vehicles. As Back-Stop was not allowed to see the Defiant, Leatherneck moves the vehicles.

Back-Stop is seen driving the Persuader to greet a trio of Joe soldiers that had been illegally imprisoned for five months. He appears in issue #68 as part of a security team sent in to support Battleforce 2000, who are operating in the fictional country of Frusenland. Cover-Girl rides the gunnery position in the Persuader. Assisting them are Hawk, Frostbite and Iceberg in another craft. Back-Stop ends up assisting in a firefight against Cobra forces, who had allied themselves with the government of Frusenland, as they attack as soon as the vehicles are literally dropped onto the runway. A running battle ensues, and continues to go bad as violence-causing sonic "paranoia waves" created by Cobra end up affecting the Joe team. The Joes go the wrong way on the ice and become trapped. Cobra launches a missile barrage which is shot down mid-air by Battleforce 2000, which had developed a defense against the rage devices. Further fighting is stopped when the Frusenland leader makes a deal with G.I. Joe.

The 2009 Canadian G.I. Joe convention had a limited edition box set that included a 25th Anniversary-style figure of Back-Stop. The set also included a comic book, 110 copies, produced for attendees. Part of the story featured Back-Stop fighting Cobra allies in Canada. His Persuader tank is destroyed by his adversaries. The use of the trademarked character was approved by Hasbro.

Back-Stop also appears in the British Action Force continuity.

Banzai
Banzai is the G.I. Joe Team's Rising Sun ninja. His real name is Robert J. Travalino. His primary military specialty is first-strike commando. His secondary military specialty is nunchaku instructor. His birthplace is Hartsdale, New York. Banzai trained for some time in the hostile mountains Tibet; training with a reclusive ninja master. He is noted for training while blind-folded.

Barbecue
Barbecue is the G.I. Joe Team's firefighter. His real name is Gabriel A. Kelly, and his rank is that of corporal E-4. Barbecue was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Barbecue's primary military specialty is fireman, and his secondary military specialty is infantry. Barbecue would have been the seventh Kelly in his family line in the Boston Fire department, if he hadn't joined the G.I. Joe Team.

Barbecue is voiced by Loren Lester in the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon, and by Jerry O'Connell in G.I. Joe: Renegades.

Barrel Roll
Barrel Roll is the G.I. Joe Team's high-altitude sniper. His real name is Dwight E. Stall, and he was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Barrel Roll was first released as an action figure in 2003, and is the brother of both G.I. Joe Bombstrike and Cobra Black Out. A version of Barrel Roll with no accessories came with the Built to Rule Rising Tide, which followed the G.I. Joe: Spy Troops story line. The forearms and the calves of the figure sported places where blocks could be attached.

His primary military specialty is marksmanship instructor. His secondary military specialty is fixed-wing aircraft pilot. Barrel Roll pushes himself to practice daily on the sniper range. He is a crack shot, and a skilled HALO jumper and pilot. He can claim the high ground without being spotted, drifting in silently by glider or parachute, and then disappear into the underbrush, sitting absolutely still to align the perfect shot.

Barrel Roll appeared in the direct-to-video CGI animated movie G.I. Joe: Spy Troops, voiced by Paul Dobson.

Barricade
Barricade is the G.I. Joe Team's bunker buster. His real name is Philip M. Holsinger. Barricade was born in Pittsburg, Kansas, and was first released as an action figure in 1992. His 1993 release was part of the Battle Corps line. In 2004, he was released as part of a Toys R Us exclusive "Anti-Venom Task Force" set. The story behind the Anti-Venom Task Force, is that they are G.I. Joe's response to Doctor Mindbender and Cobra Commander turning civilians into dangerous monsters.

His primary military specialty is bunker busting, i.e. penetrating hard targets. His secondary military specialty is the driver of the "Badger" vehicle. Barricade is also explicitly trained to fight enemy agents in city and urban areas.

Bazooka
Bazooka is the G.I. Joe Team's missile specialist. His real name is David L. Katzenbogen, and his rank is that of sergeant E-5. Bazooka was born in Hibbing, Minnesota. He was operating as an Abrams tank driver in the Third Armored Division, when he came to believe that they were too vulnerable to rocket launcher fire. He put in for a transfer as soon as possible. Bazooka trained at the Advanced Infantry School, Fort Benning, Armor School, Fort Knox, and is a qualified expert with Dragon Anti-Talk Missile, Milan System, LAW rocket system, recoilless rifle, and all Warsaw Pact RPG systems. He is noted for being a swift, strategic thinker.

In the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon, Bazooka is voiced by John Hostetter.

Beach Head
Beach Head serves as the G.I. Joe Team's Sergeant Major. His real name is Wayne R. Sneedon, and he was born and raised in Auburn, Alabama. Beach Head went through Airborne and Ranger school Ft. Benning, Georgia, and went on to join Central America's Covert Ops as an Observer/Advisor. After his training in Central America, he returned to Ft. Benning as a lane instructor. He was offered a spot in the G.I. Joe team as a Ranger. Beach Head's habits include getting up hours before his teammates and going on a 10-mile run, then undergoing rigorous physical training that make the most gung-ho of his comrades weary - and all before breakfast.

In the Sunbow G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero cartoon, Beach Head is voiced by William Callaway.

Big Ben
Big Ben is the G.I. Joe Team's SAS Fighter. His real name is David J. Bennett, and his rank is that of Staff Sergeant. Big Ben was born in Burford, England, and was first released as an action figure in 1991. The 2002 release of Big Ben came in a double-pack with an Alley Viper figure.

Big Ben received training at Bradbury Barracks in Hereford, before becoming a cadre member at the NATO Long Range Recon Patrol School in West Germany. He is a member of the 22nd Regiment of the British Special Air Service, on his second assignment with the G.I. Joe Team, as part of a temporary exchange program between American Special Forces and the British SAS. His primary military specialty is infantry, with a secondary of subversive operations.

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he assists the Joes in defending Destro, when the allied group is entrenched in Destro's Trans-Carpathian castle. He also appears in issue #137.

In the Devil's Due G.I. Joe series, he assists the Joes when they invade Cobra Island to interfere in their second civil war.

Big Ben appeared in the DiC G.I. Joe cartoon, voiced by Maurice LaMarche.

Big Brawler
Big Brawler is the code name of Brian K. Mulholland. He is the G.I. Joe Team's jungle mission specialist, and was first released as an action figure in 2001. A new version with red hair was released in 2003, in a Tiger Force five-pack exclusive to Toys R Us stores. His specialties are counter-intelligence and espionage, and he is a master of both psychological warfare and hand-to-hand combat. When it came to terrorist attacks orchestrated by the Cobra Organization, Big Brawler transferred from the Army Intelligence to the G.I. Joe Team.

Blaster
Blaster is the G.I. Joe Team's ground effect vehicle operator who loves to design hovercrafts. He is a fan of loud rock and roll music, and operates the "Vindicator", an advanced hovercraft. He is KIA in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #113; he dies while maneuvering through an oil field when it is bombed by Cobra Commander.

Blast-Off
Blast-Off is the G.I. Joe Team's flamethrower. His real name is Jeffrey D. Thompson, and he was born in Kirkwood, Missouri. Blast-Off was first released as an action figure in 1993, as part of the "Mega Marines" subset. The Mega-Marines are several Joes teaming up to battle Cobra-allied monsters. His figure came with "moldable bio-armor".

His primary military specialty is flamethrower. His secondary military specialty is firefighter. He is recruited into the G.I. Joe Team from his firefighting job, after he single-handedly put out an entire forest fire. When it is discovered that the "Mega-Monsters", a recently emerging threat, are vulnerable to fire, Blast-Off is assigned to the "Mega-Marine" team under the command of Gung-Ho. His other squad-mates are Clutch and Mirage.

Blizzard
Blizzard is the G.I. Joe Team's arctic attack soldier. His real name is Gregory M. Natale, and his rank is that of Sergeant First Class E-7. Blizzard was born in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire (spelled "Wolfboro" on the action figure's file card), and was first released as an action figure in 1988. In 1991, he was one of six exclusive European releases under the "Tiger Force" line. In 1997, he was released as part of an "Arctic Mission" triple pack with Iceberg and Snow-Job.

Blizzard's primary military specialty is Arctic warfare training instructor, and his secondary military specialty is infantry. Blizzard led an experimental security team based at Thule, Greenland for an entire winter, whose objective it was to determine what kind of training and conditioning worked best to prepare trainees for combat in Arctic conditions. Blizzard's team found that training and conditioning had little effect, as only the hardest and meanest men made it through the course – of which Blizzard was the hardest and meanest. He is noted by his teammates as being difficult to work with, though his success record makes up for it.

Blizzard is featured as a playable character in the 1991 G.I. Joe video game created for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Blocker
Blocker is the G.I. Joe Team's driver of the "Eliminator", a jeep-like assault vehicle. He is KIA in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #113; he dies while maneuvering through an oil field when it is bombed by Cobra Commander.

Blowtorch
Blowtorch is the G.I. Joe Team's original flamethrower. His real name is Timothy P. Hanrahan, and he was born in Tampa, Florida. His rank is that of corporal (E-4). Blowtorch's primary military specialty is infantry special weapons, and as his secondary military specialty he is a small-arms armorer. He is familiar with all military incendiary devices and flame projection equipment, and is a qualified expert with the M-7 Flamethrower, M-16, and the M1911A1 Auto Pistol.

In the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon, Blowtorch is voiced by Michael Bell.

Bombstrike
Bombstrike is the code name of Alyssa Renee Stall. She is the G.I. Joe Team's forward air controller, and was first released as an action figure in 2005. Bombstrike is the sister of Barrel Roll and Black Out, and was said to have been kidnapped by her brother Black Out after an assault on a Cobra base.

Breaker
Breaker is the G.I. Joe Team's original communications officer. His real name is Alvin R. Kibbey, and he was born in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. He has a habit of chewing bubblegum in any situation. Breaker is familiar with all NATO and Warsaw Pact communication gear, as well as most world export devices. His primary military specialty is Infantry, and his specialized education includes Signal School, where he studied covert electronics and was involved with Project GAMMA. He is a qualified expert in the M-16, M-1911A1, and MAC-10 (Ingram). Breaker is described as "efficient and self-assured, and has an uncanny ability to turn adverse situations to his favor." He also speaks seven languages.

Breaker is voiced by Chris Latta in the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon, and by Greg Ellis in G.I. Joe: Renegades.

Budo
Budo is the G.I. Joe Team's samurai warrior. His real name is Kyle A. Jesso, and his rank is that of sergeant E-5. Budo was born in Sacramento, California, and was first released as an action figure in 1988.

Budo's primary military specialty is infantry, and his secondary military specialty is hand-to-hand combat instructor. Budo's father was an orthodontist in Oakland, his grandfather a farmer in Fresno, his great-grandfather a track-worker on the Rocky Mountain Line, and his great-great grandfather was a fencing master in one of Japan's last great samurai warrior families. Budo was given the family swords on his eighteenth birthday, as well as a haiku written by his ancestor. Budo has a fifth-degree black belt in Iaidō, and similar rank in three other martial arts. He has an affinity for his chopped, pan-head Harley and for heavy metal music.

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue #82. He has just joined the Joe with Repeater and Lightfoot. Their veteran instructor, Grand Slam is injured, leaving the three to defend a weapons depot from enemy forces.

In the Devil's Due series, Budo has an interrupted romantic relationship with the ninja Jinx. He also spends some time undercover, infiltrating and partially converting a Japanese businessman's private army. Gung-Ho and Wild Bill assist in this mission. His efforts save Japan from a military takeover.

Bullet-Proof
Bullet-Proof is the G.I. Joe Team's Drug Elimination Force leader. His real name is Earl S. Morris. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, and was first released as an action figure in 1992, as part of the DEF (Drug Elimination Force) line. He was released in 1993 with the Battle Corps line.

In addition to leading the G.I. Joe DEF (Drug Elimination Force), he is also an official federal marshall. Before being assigned to the G.I. Joe team, he served with the Drug Enforcement Administration in the Caribbean, the "Golden Triangle" and Central America. His code name resulted from his enemies, as they observed how he remained unscathed while leading his men through firefights.

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue #124. He also appeared in #125 and #127. As part of the DEF, he helps eliminate the drug trade from the town of Broca Beach without realizing the entire town was a Cobra front. The DEF also confront the enemy operatives Headman and his Headhunters.

Bullet-Proof appeared in the DiC G.I. Joe cartoon series.

Bullhorn
Bullhorn is the G.I. Joe Team's hostage negotiator. His real name is Stephen A. Ferreira. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and was first released as an action figure in 1990. Version 2 was released in 2008 for the International G.I. Convention which was held in Dallas, Texas. It came with the transport called "S.W.A.T. R.T.V". This was produced in relation with the "Official G.I. Joe Collectors' Club".

Bullhorn taught hand to hand combat at the F.B.I. Academy in Qauntico, Virginia. He is also a contender for the "national practical pistol title", another skill practiced at the Academy. He is noted as being a reckless driver.

Bullhorn appeared in the DiC G.I. Joe cartoon series, voiced by David Willis.

Bushido
Bushido is the G.I. Joe Team's snow ninja. His real name is Lloyd S. Goldfine. His primary military specialty is cold weather specialist. His secondary military specialty is strategist. His birthplace is Hollis, Queens, New York. He has trained in Iceland and continues to prefer to train in cold weather environments. He wears a helmet similar to the one his father wore. He considers fellow Ninja Force member Banzai his 'blood brother'.

Cannonball
Cannonball is the code name of John Warden. He was first released as an action figure in 2005, as the driver of the R.H.I.N.O. Cannonball is rumored to have gotten his nickname because of once serving as a human cannonball.

Captain Grid-Iron
Captain Grid-Iron is the G.I. Joe Team's hand-to-hand combat specialist. His real name is Terrence Lydon, and his rank is that of captain O-3. Captain Grid-Iron was born in Evergreen Park, Illinois, and was first released as an action figure in 1990. He was released as part of the tradition of Hasbro to release a sports figure each year, starting with Bazooka in 1985. A recolored version was also released in India.

Grid-Iron was quarterback for the West Point football team. He graduated in the top ten of his class. He passed up an appointment to the U.S. Army War college, for a conventional infantry command at the company level. His determination to be "where the action is" brought him to the attention of G.I. Joe. According to his file card, his personality is grating, but tolerable. The other Joes think if he would stop trying so hard to be likable, "they might let him play quarterback at the annual G.I. Joe Fish Fry Football Game!"

Grid-Iron makes a single panel appearance in issue #130 of the Marvel Comics series. He is seen defending G.I. Joe headquarters from Cobra attack. Years later he appears on the cover to the Devil's Due series America's Elite #25. He is listed as a reservist in Special Missions: Manhattan. In America's Elite #28, he is listed as fighting in the Sudan.

Captain Grid-Iron's most significant appearances were in the first-season of the DiC G.I. Joe cartoon series, voiced by Dale Wilson. His speech was peppered with football terminology. Grid-Iron was partnered with Lady Jaye many times during his appearances, and at one point they go out on a social date. He was in charge of the team in the absence of General Hawk and Sgt. Slaughter, and took orders from both of them when they appeared. As for Duke, Grid-Iron never took orders from Duke, because his last appearance was in "D-Day at Alcatraz". Duke appeared after him in the episodes "The Mind Mangler" and "Stuck on You", and when Duke appeared in Season 2, Grid-Iron was absent for most of the season. He was featured in the second-season episode "Metal-Head's Reunion". In the episode, it was revealed that Grid-Iron and the Cobra officer Metal-Head both attended the same school.

Captain Grid-Iron is featured as a playable character in the 1991 G.I. Joe video game created for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Chameleon
Chameleon is the illegitimate half-sister of the Baroness, who infiltrated the Cobra organization by assuming the Baroness' role. She serves as a secret agent and intelligence officer for G.I. Joe.

Charbroil
Charbroil is the G.I. Joe Team's flamethrower. His real name is Carl G. Shannon, and his rank is that of corporal E-4. Charbroil was born in Blackduck, Minnesota, and was first released as an action figure in 1988. The figure was repainted and released as part of the "Night Force" line in 1989, packaged with Repeater. In 2004, he was part of a Toys R Us Exclusive "Anti-Venom Task Force", a G.I. Joe response team to enemy agents turning civilians into monsters. Charbroil had a new sculpt in 2009, as part of the line released for the G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra movie.

Charbroil's primary military specialty is flame weapons specialist, and his secondary military specialty is small arms armorer. One of his childhood chores was to heat the water pipes in his family's basement with a blowtorch in the winter to keep them from freezing and bursting. As a teenager, his job was to feed coal into the blast furnaces in the mills on the Great Lakes. As such, when he was recruited into the Army he requested a job dealing with open flames.

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue #80 (November 1988). He is part of a Joe effort to stop Cobra from claiming new territory forming near Cobra Island. The land mass eventually sinks on its own. Charbroil is part of a G.I. Joe squad sent to investigate Cobra activity in the sewers of New York City. He works with Airtight, Spearhead & Max and Tunnel Rat. They are assisted by a homeless man named Sgt. Gramble, who knows the sewers. The team is fooled by harmless stink gas, a successful ploy by Cobra to hook into the New York telephone exchange for an illegal telemarketing scheme. Gramble attempts to save the Joe's lives, by leaping on a grenade tossed by the Dreadnok Buzzer. The grenade is a dud, but the stress kills Gramble.

In the Devil's Due G.I. Joe series, Charbroil is one of the many Joes called back into service to fight The Coil, a new army formed by the former Cobra agent, Serpentor. This mission again focuses on Cobra Island.

Checkpoint
Checkpoint is the code name of Jared Wade. He was first released as an action figure in 2006, and serves as security for the Steel Brigade. He is the only man to ever best Major Barrage on the wrestling mat.

Chuckles
Chuckles is the G.I. Joe Team's undercover specialist. His real name is Philip M. Provost, and he was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. Chuckles's primary military specialty is criminal investigations, and his secondary military specialty is intelligence. His first exposure to "hole-and-corner" operations was working for Southeastern Insurance Group in Fort Lauderdale. He then eventually made his way to the US Army's Criminal Investigations Division before joining G.I. Joe. He is known for being so conscientious about keeping up his "cover" that he volunteers for missions no one else wants.

In G.I. Joe: The Movie, Chuckles appeared but had no dialogue.

Claymore
Claymore is the code name of John Zullo, who was born in Manchester, Vermont. He attended and graduated at the top of his class from Dartmouth, majoring in Eastern Philosophy. He enlisted in the US Army and served three back-to-back tours in Southeast Asia. His actions there are classified. He is an expert in NATO long distance sniper rifles, and all NATO and Warsaw Pact small arms. He can speak Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Portuguese. When asked to join the G.I. Joe Team, his only stipulation was that he be called in for special assignments only.

Clean-Sweep
Clean-Sweep is the G.I. Joe Team's Anti-tox trooper. His real name is Daniel W. Price, and he was first released as an action figure in 1991, as part of the Eco-Warriors line. He is a U.S. Army Sergeant, and he was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He is a chemicals operation specialist and combat engineer. He is often called in to utilize his remote control devices to clean up Cobra chemical spills; the problem is that Cobra soldiers are often still around. His primary offensive weapon is a laser pistol.

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue #123. He becomes part of the "Eco-Warriors", assigned to stop environmental threats. With Flint, the team leader and Ozone, they confront the Cobra agent Cesspool. This man was causing pollution from an abandoned oil platform. Flint later moves on from leadership of the group.

Clean-Sweep appeared in the DiC G.I. Joe cartoon series.

Cloudburst
Cloudburst is the G.I. Joe Team's glider trooper. His real name is Chuck Ram. He was born in San Diego, California, and was first released as an action figure in 1991, as part of the Air Commandos line. As a teenager, he designed and built his own working prototype gliders. After joining the Army, he helps develop stealth-gliders for troop-insertion and recon. He is now on special assignment to the G.I. Joe team as their in-house glider specialist. He's noted for constantly working on his equipment because he knows his services are a 'last resort' situation.

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he is mentioned by name in issue #118, but not seen.

Cloudburst appeared in the DiC G.I. Joe cartoon series.

Clutch
Clutch is one of G.I. Joe Team's motor vehicle drivers. His real name is Lance J. Steinberg, and he was born in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

In the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon, Clutch is voiced by Michael Bell.

Cold Front
Cold Front is the G.I. Joe Team's Avalanche driver. His real name is Charles Donahue. He was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and was first released as an action figure in 1990, packaged with the "Avalanche" arctic tank/hovercraft. This vehicle should not be confused with the G.I. Joe Battleforce 2000 character, also called Avalanche.

Cold Front's primary military specialty is Avalanche driver, and his secondary military specialty is fire control technician. He grew up literally close to the weapons testing facilities at the military base called Fort Knox, hearing the sounds of the M-80 tanks. This inspired a lifelong love of tanks. Self-taught strategy and his affiliation with military vehicles got him an assignment to the 3rd Armored Division when he enlisted in the Army at the age of eighteen. From the Army, he was reassigned to the G.I. Joe "Arctic Patrol". From there, he was picked by General Hawk to drive the Avalanche. He is noted for his poor treatment of civilian vehicles.

Colonel Courage
Colonel Courage is the G.I. Joe Team's strategic commander. His real name is Cliff V. Mewett, and he was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Colonel Courage was first released as an action figure in 1993, as part of the Battle Corps line. The name Cliff V. Mewett had been used a few years earlier for the character Airwave, though the character is Caucasian and born in a different city. A Brazil variant of Colonel Courage has him as a Caucasian.

His primary military specialty is administrative strategist. His secondary military specialty is Patriot driver. He is often assigned to intelligence tasks behind the lines and behind a desk, partly due to his attention to detail. This also translated into a noted tendency to dress well, something he tries to pass onto those he commands.

Countdown
Countdown is one of the G.I. Joe Team's astronauts. His real name is David D. Dubosky, and his rank is that of Captain, USAF O-3. Countdown was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, and was first released as an action figure in 1989. The figure was repainted and released as part of the Star Brigade line in 1993, and again in 1994.

Countdown's primary military specialty is astronaut/fighter pilot, and his secondary military specialty is electronics engineer. He is a qualified F-16 fighter pilot, a NASA astronaut, an electronics engineer, and even a ranking chess master.

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue #109 and again in #110. He takes part in a mission that launches a Joe vehicle into orbit and then into the fictional country of Trucial Absymia. The mission, which succeeds, is to rescue the survivors of a Joe squad that has suffered many fatalities.

Cover Girl
Cover Girl is a tank jockey, specializing in the "Wolverine" missile tank. Her real name is Courtney A. Krieger, and she was born in Peoria, Illinois. Prior to joining G.I. Joe, Cover Girl was a highly successful fashion model in Chicago and New York, and graced the covers of countless magazines. She eventually found the world of modeling unfulfilling, and joined the army to seek out new challenges in life. Cover Girl attended Armor School at Fort Knox and related tech schools, and felt very driven to master distinctly unfeminine traits, in order to prove that she was not just a pretty face. She is a qualified expert in diesel mechanics, gas turbine technology, LAW rocket, Dragon A/T Missile, M-16 and M-1911A auto pistol.

Cover Girl is voiced by Liz Aubrey in the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon and by Grey DeLisle in G.I. Joe: Resolute.

Crankcase
Crankcase is the G.I. Joe Team's A.W.E. Striker driver. His real name is Elwood G. Indiana, and he was born in Lawrence, Kansas. Crankcase's primary military specialty is motor vehicle driver, and his secondary military specialty is armor. He was building street machines by the age of thirteen and racing them at sixteen. He worked the stock car circuit for years, until a recruiting sergeant signed him up with promises of speed and glory. Crankcase graduated from Ranger School and Desert Warfare School, and attended the Special Air Service Tactical Driving School under the NATO Exchange program. He is a qualified expert in the M-16, M-1911A1, M-60, and TOW.

Crazylegs
Crazylegs is the G.I. Joe Team's assault trooper. His real name is David O. Thomas, and he was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Crazylegs's primary military specialty is infantry, and his secondary military specialty is parachute rigger. Crazylegs could have been an organist if his fingers hadn't been too short; instead he applied for the Airborne Rangers with a willingness to jump out of a helicopter into a hot landing zone with nothing but a rifle and a couple of grenades. Aside from being Airborne Ranger qualified, he has been cross-trained as a forward artillery observer.

Cross-Country
Cross-Country is the G.I. Joe Team's H.A.V.O.C. driver. His real name is Robert M. Blais, and he was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. Cross-Country's primary military specialty is armor, and his secondary military specialty is heavy equipment operator. His father was a bulldozer operator, and his mother drove a grader, therefore he had a natural affinity for heavy machinery, coupled with an uncanny sense of direction and fearlessness under fire. He is a qualified expert with the heavy laser cannon, M-16A2, M-2 50 cal. MG, and .45 auto-pistol.

In the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon, Cross-Country is voiced by Michael McConnohie.

Crossfire
Crossfire is the G.I. Joe Team's machine gunner and heavy weapons operator His real name is Bill White, and he was first released as an action figure in 2001. Crossfire is an expert at assembling and disassembling various types of small weaponry in the dark.

He is not to be confused with the vehicle of the same name.

Cross Hair
Cross Hair is the G.I. Joe Team's infiltrator and marksmanship instructor His real name is Don G. Fardie, and he was first released as an action figure in 2003. He can blend into his surroundings so completely that the enemy won't see him. He uses this talent to study his targets and predict where they are going to move.

Cutter
Cutter is the G.I. Joe team's hovercraft pilot. His real name is Skip A. Stone, and he was born in Kinsley, Kansas. Cutter's primary military specialty is hovercraft captain, and his secondary military specialty is special services (he coached the women's swimming team at Annapolis). After trying unsuccessfully to get into Annapolis for two years, Cutter opted for the Coast Guard Academy at New London, Connecticut instead. Although his home town is in the central United States, Cutter always wanted a life at sea. When he found out the G.I. Joe Team had no members from the Coast Guard, he pressured the Coast Guard, until they pulled strings to get him on the team and out of their hair.

In the Sunbow G.I. Joe cartoon, Cutter is voiced by Gregg Berger.