Gelzer was forged in the fire of foreign conflicts. As a U.S. Army Ranger and combat engineer, his life was measured in centimeters and seconds. He specialized in Breaching Operations and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)—the man who went in first so everyone else could come home. During a high-stakes deployment in the mid-90s, Gelzer’s squad was caught in a sophisticated IED trap. The blast was catastrophic, claiming the lives of his entire squad. Gelzer was the sole survivor, pulled from the wreckage with a jagged piece of shrapnel having claimed his right eye.

The injury ended his military career, but the psychological toll was greater. Civilian life felt hollow, lacking the stakes and the brotherhood he required to function. When Chris Redfield—a fellow veteran who understood the weight of "the empty seat"—heard that the R.P.D. was forming an elite unit, he personally reached out to Gelzer. Gelzer joined S.T.A.R.S. not for the paycheck, but for the structure. He became the unit’s Heavy Weapons and Demolitions Specialist, often seen hauling the M134 Minigun or specialized breaching charges that made the standard R.P.D. equipment look like toys.

• The Big Brother Duo: Gelzer found a kindred spirit in Barry Burton. Both men were "gun nuts" who preferred high-caliber solutions to low-level problems. While Barry’s warmth as a father figure softened Gelzer’s edges, they were inseparable on the range, constantly tweaking their custom "Samurai Edge" sidearms.
• The Unlikely Bond: Gelzer’s closest friend outside of Alpha was * Dewey and Enrico**, Dewey was talkative, and prone to bad jokes; Gelzer was silent, one-eyed, and terrifying. Yet, Gelzer acted as Dewey’s silent protector, valuing the young man’s lightness in a world that felt increasingly dark.

By July 1996, the "Cannibal Murders" in the mountains were escalating. The city was on edge, and S.T.A.R.S. was being pushed to its limit.

| Date | Time | Event | | --- | --- | --- | | July 20 | 09:00 AM | Reports of a family mauled in the Arklay foothills. Gelzer identifies the "bite marks" as inconsistent with local predators. | | July 22 | 11:00 PM | Chief Irons orders Bravo Team to prepare for a scouting mission. Gelzer spends the night helping Dewey pack his comms gear. | | July 23 | 06:00 PM | The Final Conversation. Gelzer and Dewey stand outside the R.P.D. back entrance for a final smoke. |

The Raccoon City heat was thick, the kind of humidity that made tactical vests feel like lead. The sun was dipping behind the Arklay Mountains, casting long, jagged shadows across the R.P.D. parking lot. Gelzer stood leaning against the brick wall, the embers of his cigarette glowing in the twilight. His eyepatch was pulled tight, his one good eye fixed on the distant forest line. Beside him, Dewey who was fidgeting with his radio headset, checking the frequencies for the tenth time.