2517

2517 was a very important year for the United Nations Space Command, as this marked the initiation of the candidate procurement and training of the SPARTAN-II program, which would eventually give birth to some of humanity's greatest heroes.

June

 * June: Jacob Keyes graduates UNSC OCS as Lieutenant, JG.

July

 * July 21: Dr. Catherine Halsey initiates the screening process for SPARTAN-II candidates. Vice Admiral Michael Stanforth provides her with the diplomatic shuttle Han and Lieutenant, JG Jacob Keyes as a requisite pilot and attaché. Halsey goes on to survey candidates in Sector 4 while her team does the same elsewhere in the colonies.

August

 * August 17: Dr. Halsey and Lieutenant Keyes meet 6-year-old John, candidate #117, on Eridanus II. John passes a test conducted by Halsey and is unknowingly accepted into the SPARTAN-II program. Over the course of the next month, the 75 SPARTAN-II candidates across the colonies are assessed by either Dr. Halsey or her team. Some time after the screening, the children are kidnapped and replaced with flash clone duplicates.

September

 * September 10: On Sansar, Naomi Sentzke is conscripted for the SPARTAN-II program and replaced with a flash clone.
 * September 15: On Imber, Kelly Shaddock eludes Retrieval team Gamma for six hours but eventually comes forward, thinking abduction is a game for her birthday. Her near-escape results in the implementation of new retrieval protocols to avoid further mistakes.
 * September 17: Dr. Halsey and Jacob Keyes part ways after screening candidates for the SPARTAN-II program. Afterwards, Dr. Halsey has Jacob Keyes promoted to full Lieutenant and reassigned to the.
 * September 21: Jacob Keyes and Dr. Halsey part ways again after finishing the collection of information on all the candidates for the SPARTAN-II program.
 * September 23: The 75 children kidnapped for the SPARTAN-II project are brought on Reach and conscripted into the SPARTAN-II program per Naval Code 45812.
 * September 24:
 * The 6-year-old SPARTAN-II trainees awaken for their first day of training. They are led by Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez and are introduced to the AI Déjà.
 * The cargo vessel is boarded and seized by the Eridanus rebels.
 * September 25: John, Kelly, and Sam become friends during their second "Ring the Bell" training exercise.
 * September 28: The SPARTAN-II candidates receive haircuts. Kelly-087 disarms the master sergeant barber of his clippers; three attendants are required to pin her down and shave her head.

December

 * December 7: John-117's flash clone dies.
 * December 24: Dr. Halsey receives a report on the unexpected longevity of the SPARTAN-II flash clone replacements and assigns Codename: JACKBOOT to track their further progress.