Rodriguez

I. BACKGROUND1

A. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

1. Rodriguez’s Military Service Rodriguez joined the United States Marine Corps in 1989 after graduating from high school. He deployed to the Persian Gulf and served as a demolition specialist in a five-man infantry fire team during the First Gulf War. Rodriguez and his team patrolled the border between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. A mortar attack killed three of his team members and severely injured the fourth. After the attack, Rodriguez had to collect his comrades’ body parts and put them into body bags. Rodriguez was immediately assigned to another fire team. He was involved in multiple fire fights and battles and witnessed soldier and civilian deaths. Rodriguez did not receive services during or after his return from the war to help with the emotional impact of his experiences. The Marine credo was “adapt and overcome.” Rodriguez was discharged from the Marines in 1993. 2. Employment with the Santa Cruz Police Department Rodriguez joined the Santa Cruz Police Department in 1995 and became a member of a county-wide narcotics enforcement team in 1998. As part of that team, he was involved in more than 50 house raids reminiscent of the…