About

Cooper Hawkes is an In Vitro, a human gestated artificially in a controlled facility, one of thousands who have been created to become part of Earth's fighting force. Although he had been treated and educated as all the other In Vitros, there was something different about him: he dared to question a Monitor during In Vitro indoctrination. It was an act that changed his life, for upon hearing that the Monitors considered him defective and that he was to be erased, Hawkes escaped the facility and plunged into the strange world of the outside.

Living in the slums and on the streets of Philadelphia, he dodged authorities who would return him to the facility. He took on odd jobs, avoiding "Anti-Tank" hate gangs that seek out In Vitros for brutalization and other crimes. Experience had taught him that life is an ongoing series of fights and challenges.

Alive for only six harsh years, Hawkes was arrested and brought before a judge who sentenced him to a term in the United States Marine Corps instead of incarcerating him. Initially, he refused to cooperate, delighting when training sessions ended in failure. He was almost finished with Officer Candidate School (OCS) and Accelerated Flight Training (AFT) when news of the Vesta and Tellus Colonies being destroyed by aliens was released and the Chig War began. Being thrown into actual combat taught him that cooperation means survival. Eventually, he discovered that his life has little meaning without his friends in the 58th Squadron. He has an especially close relationship with his commander, because he is also an In Vitro and therefore understands what Hakes is going through.

Cooper matured into a disciplined sharp shooter and skilled pilot, call sign "Jack of Spades."

Source: http://spaceaboveandbeyond.wikia.com/wiki/1LT_Cooper_Hawkes