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The Renegades, commanded by Sgt. Slaughter, was a motley four-man operation consisting of Sgt. Slaughter, Mercer, Red Dog, and Taurus. The Renegades answered only to themselves and never officially existed on any government ledger and aren't carried on the rosters of any existing military unit. There is no computer access to their dossiers and they are paid through a special fund earmarked for "Pentagon Pest Control." Therefore, The Renegades functioned with little restraint and the U.S. military could deny culpability should The Renegades be compromised.
Red Dog could have had a pro football career as a barefoot placekicker if a defensive lineman hadn't ground his cleats into the big Samoan's obtruding toe. The lineman ended up with a broken helmet and a concussion. Red Dog was suspended for excessive roughness. He later worked briefly as a stuntman in "B" movies until he was recruited by G.I. Joe Command. What was little known about Red Dog is that he was once worked for the Samoa Police Force before starting his career in pro football. Red Dog would normally be an extremely bizarre choice for an expendable black ops team except that he had a military background, had a penchant for not following the rules, and could disappear without anyone asking tough questions. The other Renegades thought Red Dog was a handy gun to have along on missions. When they encountered an obstacle of any kind: barricade, tank-trap, or phalanx of armed guards, they simply pointed him in the appropriate direction, let him go, and waited for the dust to settle.
The Renegades joined Sgt. Slaughter in Europe in 1989. Sgt. Slaughter was soon reassigned to the Slaughter's Marauders and no longer led the Renegades. Shortly thereafter, Mercer officially listed in the United States military with a new identity and officially joined G.I. Joe. By then, the Renegades truly no longer existed.
Red Dog has apparently maintained a position with G.I. Joe as he was deployed to India along with the paramilitary operative Super Cop in 2001. His black ops status has led him into missions against Crimson Guard Immortals and the Dreadnoks Ripper, Zarana, and Zartan.
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