Al Jenkins Character Analysis in Starship Troopers

Al Jenkins is a recruit at Camp Currie with Johnnie; on the first day, he sneezes during morning exercises and Sergeant Zim sends him to run around a distant building to “warm up.” Although he’s frustrated by this experience, basic training helps him develop the necessary discipline to make a good soldier. After basic, he’s assigned to Willie’s Wildcats with Johnnie and Kitten Smith. He survives “Operation Bughouse” and is reassigned with Johnnie to Rasczak’s Roughnecks, where he dies covering a pickup shortly before Johnnie goes to Officer Candidate School.

Al Jenkins Character Timeline in Starship Troopers

The timeline below shows where the character Al Jenkins appears in Starship Troopers. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Communism vs. Moral Individualism Theme Icon

...soldier and by the acting platoon sergeant), and he also checks on the men. When Jenkins’s suit reads out that he has a fever, Jelly pulls him from the lineup. Johnnie—recently... (full context)

...While he speaks, someone sneezes, but no one will admit to being the man. Finally, Jenkins speaks up, saying he sneezed because he was cold. Zim warms him up by assigning... (full context)

Breakfast tastes good to Johnnie; during basic, mealtimes are the only break from instructors’ commands. Jenkins returns partway through breakfast, out of breath and angry that Zim denied him a chance... (full context)

When Johnnie, Kitten Smith, and Al Jenkins report to their unit, however, all of Willie’s Wildcats turn out to be battle-tested, with... (full context)

Six weeks later, Johnnie and Al Jenkins report to Sergeant Jelal on the Roger Young. Both wear gold skull earrings with one... (full context)

Jelal and Lieutenant Rasczak greet Johnnie and Jenkins warmly. They soon abandon their earrings because in Rasczak’s Roughnecks, being a member of the... (full context)

...the M.I. because they are his family. So, going career makes sense. But Officer? Al Jenkins used to say it wasn’t worth being an officer—commissioned or otherwise—because the private has the... (full context)

Sometime later, the Roger Young returns to base for more capsules and replacements. Al Jenkins and Migliaccio have died, and Johnnie is going to OCS. While he’s at the quarantine... (full context)