Johnny MacTavish, also known as Soap, was a sergeant in the marines f before joining Task Force 141. His speciality was making and defusing bombs. While Soap was a jokester, he was damn good at his job and he knew it.

However, after his encounter with Marakov, he was injured so badly he nearly died. Thankfully, he survived but he could no longer fight as the feeling in his shoulder and arm were gone. This sent him into a spiraling depression as he was honorably discharged.