Was Bucky Barnes an actual military recruit?

[Dcnewb]

I know the movies say that he was. But in the comic canon is Bucky Barnes a.k.a. the winter soldier an actual military recruit or Was he just a kid who’s family were stationed at base and was trained by Captain America?

[Digifiend]

He was too young, only being born in 1925 (three years after Steve, incidentally). In 1935, his father was killed in an accident while in basic training at Camp Lehigh. His mother was already dead, so he became a ward of the state, remaining at Lehigh as the camp mascot. In 1940, he went to England and was assigned to work with Steve, and accidentally walked in on him half dressed as Captain America, leading to him becoming his sidekick. He'd already received training from other military personnel, William Essart Fairbairn and Colonel Rex Applegate of the British Commandos, and then got more training from Steve once he found out he was Captain America.

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/James...es_(Earth-616)

Most of that is actually a 2000s retcon, not something that was explained at all in the golden age.

[Dcnewb]

He was too young, only being born in 1925 (three years after Steve, incidentally). In 1935, his father was killed in an accident while in basic training at Camp Lehigh. His mother was already dead, so he became a ward of the state, remaining at Lehigh as the camp mascot. In 1940, he went to England and was assigned to work with Steve, and accidentally walked in on him half dressed as Captain America, leading to him becoming his sidekick. He'd already received training from other military personnel, William Essart Fairbairn and Colonel Rex Applegate of the British Commandos, and then got more training from Steve once he found out he was Captain America.

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/James...es_(Earth-616)

Most of that is actually a 2000s retcon, not something that was explained at all in the golden age.

So he was never an official recruit ie recieved any fancy Military titles?

[DrNewGod]

So he was never an official recruit ie recieved any fancy Military titles?

That depends on the version. Up until the seminal Winter Soldier arc, his affiliation with the US Army was as vague as it was implausible. The army did not let non-enlisted "mascots" run around in uniform (and absolutely not in combat) anywhere except in Marvel comics.

WS, however, strongly implied that Barnes was an enlisted soldier, and that his superiors were turning a blind eye to him being under-aged. While not exactly common, and officially banned, under-aged soldiers were not exactly rare prior to the end of the Vietnam War (the records got a bit tougher to falsify).

So, up until WS, you could say that Barnes was a not officially a soldier. After that, although it was never specified (to my knowledge), he probably held the rank of private.

[Dcnewb]

WS, however, strongly implied that Barnes was an enlisted soldier, and that his superiors were turning a blind eye to him being under-aged. While not exactly common, and officially banned, under-aged soldiers were not exactly rare prior to the end of the Vietnam War (the records got a bit tougher to falsify).

I have that arc, where do they imply that he was enlisted?

[charliehustle415]

Didn't Brubaker retcon this and say he was a young would-be spy and they purposely made him seem younger for misdirection?

[Frontier]

Didn't Brubaker retcon this and say he was a young would-be spy and they purposely made him seem younger for misdirection?

I think he was still pretty young, it's just the retcon was that he was also doing more covert, wetwork, stuff that Cap would probably never do or couldn't be seen doing.

[charliehustle415]

I think he was still pretty young, it's just the retcon was that he was also doing more covert, wetwork, stuff that Cap would probably never do or couldn't be seen doing.

So doesn't this mean he was recruited in the military or some other kind of covert bureau?

[Frontier]

So doesn't this mean he was recruited in the military or some other kind of covert bureau?

I think he joined the normal army. The Bucky identity was just portrayed as being more covert than it was presented as being to the public.

[Dcnewb]

I think he joined the normal army. The Bucky identity was just portrayed as being more covert than it was presented as being to the public.

It never explicitly says though. He could’ve been a government agent or something. B

[DrNewGod]

I have that arc, where do they imply that he was enlisted?

I don't have a screen capture, but the panels where the general is showing Bucky to Rogers for the first time and makes a comment along the lines of ...and if he's a bit under-aged, lots of soldiers are these days... (note: this is a paraphrase, not a precise quote).

[DrNewGod]

It never explicitly says though. He could’ve been a government agent or something. B

This is true. However, most operatives of the Office of Strategic Services (the CIA's WWII predecessor), and G2 (former War Department's intel bureau; and the outfit that Cap generally reported to) came to their ranks through the armed services. There were exceptions, most of whom were either foreign nationals, or particular subject-experts/analysts. The rough-stuff guys were usually soldiers or marines.

That said, your point is valid. There are indications, but nothing iron-clad that I've seen either way from the WS revision on.

[Dcnewb]

This is true. However, most operatives of the Office of Strategic Services (the CIA's WWII predecessor), and G2 (former War Department's intel bureau; and the outfit that Cap generally reported to) came to their ranks through the armed services. There were exceptions, most of whom were either foreign nationals, or particular subject-experts/analysts. The rough-stuff guys were usually soldiers or marines.

That said, your point is valid. There are indications, but nothing iron-clad that I've seen either way from the WS revision on.

Well he would’ve been possible to an exception since he was underaged, but grew up on base and basically learned the ins and outs of the military and also showed superhuman abilities (hence why the Soviet Union kept him)

[DrNewGod]

Well he would’ve been possible to an exception since he was underaged, but grew up on base and basically learned the ins and outs of the military and also showed superhuman abilities (hence why the Soviet Union kept him)

Those weren't the guys that got exceptions. And he didn't show superhuman abilities until Soviets stuck a cyborg arm on...[deleted. It was jerkish of me].

[Dcnewb]

’Oh. Right. Troll.

Uh... excuse me?