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| GS12 Briar Jackson, ca 1995 |
Major Briar Jackson’s service to his country goes back more than eight generations, starting with
his great great great grandfather, celebrated general of the Confederate Army, Thomas “Stonewall”
Jackson. Since the end of the Civil War, every male in Briar’s family has been given the middle name of
Stonewall. And in every house Briar has owned there has always been an office decorated in the motif
and colors of his fearless predecessor, complete with wall-sized portrait of Stonewall Jackson in action
at the first Battle of Bull Run. In it the General is clearing a river on the back of his horse, called by his
troops Old Sorrel. The expert horsemanship demonstrated in Briar’s painting can not be confirmed by
historical records of General Stonewall, though it is known that Old Sorrel outlived her master to reach
the ripe age of 36.
Raised in the picturesque country of northern Georgia, Briar enters ROTC at Dartmouth
at 17, graduating HS after his junior year. A double major in military science and the Russian language,
Briar is prepped from an early age to become a player in the Cold War. While Briar finishes his degrees
the stakes in Eastern Europe amp up, first with the end of the détente period in the early 70s, then with
the onset of the oil crises of 1973 and 1979. The cost of energy increases by so much that the already-in-
debt economies of the Eastern Bloc begin to markedly decline. Briar enters the Cold War arena at a time
when long lines in the freezing winter to obtain even a roll of toilet paper are becoming the norm.
Discontent among citizens of Eastern Bloc countries is increasing. From 1979-1990 Briar is stationed in
West Germany, doing much of his work out of U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels, an army training center
that both hosts and cooperates with NATO forces on joint tasks.
During this time, Briar is highly involved
in cooperation with US friendly organizations in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Slovenia [part of
Yugoslavia until 1990]. He also takes a year leave to receive his Masters in Systems Intelligence from
West Point. When in 1988 Hohenfels becomes the Combat Maneuver Training Center, Captain Briar
Jackson is named a Director of the Training Program.
Shortly thereafter he is transferred to Bosnian Yugoslavia as a member of a NATO task force, simultaneously receiving his promotion to Major.
In 1990, Briar begins to work extensively in the Balkans, in preparation for the anticipated military
conflict between Serbia and Bosnia with Croatia. He will be in the Balkans for the next five years,
working in planning and logistics. During this time Briar will be exposed to a number of unexplainable
phenomena that will lay the foundation for his entrance into Delta Green. In 1995, Briar leaves active
duty but stays in the Army. His knowledge of aircraft and [undeclared] interest in the supernatural, lead
him to a position in the Joint Staff of Intelligence with the Defense Intelligence Agency. Briar’s devotion
to service of his country is stronger than ever and can be summed up perfectly with part of the DIA’s
mission statement: Dedication, Strength, and Urgency of Purpose to provide for our nation's defense.
At the DIA Briars hones his expertise in cartography and aircraft identification amongst other things. Briar can I.D. an aircraft in a heartbeat and seems to be a living encyclopedia of modern helicopters and fixed wings.He also develops a somewhat known reputation for abilities in the unexplainable. On this topic he is
extremely reticent, no one besides his Delta Green cell has any idea of this extracurricular interest.
Although reverent of his long-bearded, wild riding ancestor, Briar is himself extremely clean cut
and extremely disciplined. Six times a week he starts his morning with a five mile run and on Sundays
he plays tennis after church. He considers dallying over drinks and long-winded conversations worthless
frivolities. Briar prefers to spend his free time out in the woods around his property in Johnny Cakes,
Maryland, teaching his sons shooting techniques and bagging wild turkeys. Briar married a hometown
girl, Miranda, and with her has four boys. They are all either in high school/university and all are
outstanding athletes and sportsmen. Any other way of life would not be permitted under Major Briar
Jackson’s roof.
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