So what you are thinking of are the previous spartan generations. The Spartan 1s (also known as the ORION project/program) are what the 4th Gens accomplished. 1st Gen was a bunch of people, Sgt. Johnson was one of them, who were made into superhuman. It did not work out. Here's a little known fact about the Spartan 1s. Their children, whoever of the program has children, were also known as Spartan 1.1s. They had to receive injections of chemicals to prevent defects during growth, due to their parent's augmentations. They grouped together to fight the Covenant, but disappeared shortly after they wanted to do so. It is presumed that they died during the Covies' attack on Earth. Spartan 2s, like the Chief and Blue Team, are comprised of men and women who were taken at the age of 6 to go through military training (and other) until they become teenagers. Catherine Halsey was the head of this program. Then they were put through medical surgeries and stuff to become augmented. Many died, many became malformed in some way, the rest survived as superhuman. They had some form of power armour around the time the Covies attacked. They then later got the armour we know them from around 2552. The 2nd gens were faster, stronger, and smarter than most, if not all, humans at the time. Their training, their augmentations, and their power armour were a hand in that. It was described that their reflexes are so fast (if that is the word for it) that at times, with adrenaline pumping through them, they basically can see in a world of slow motion while reacting faster than any human being. The Spartan 3s were comprised of War orphans, around 6 years old. They were taught by a former Spartan 2 (this was around 2530 0r 2540, I forget the exact date) and former Spartan 2 trainer (He trained the 2nd gens). Colonel James Ackerson started this program, in rivalry with Halsey. These Spartans were mass produced, in the hundreds, close to 500. They were cheaper solutions to the 2nd gens. Still kept a secret to the public. Their armour was cheaper. There were 3 or 4 companies made. All dead with the exception of about 4 or 5 3rd gens. 2 from the 2nd company, the rest from the latest one. This program was stopped when the planet they were training on was destroyed and attack by sentinels. This planet, Onyx, became the first discovered Forrunner shield world. The 3rd gens were nothing like the 2nd gens. In terms of strength and other stuff, they were below the 2nd gens, even below the 4th gens. But still effective. The Spartan fours are comprised of regular military men and women. The elites (not the alien, elite soldiers). Many ODSTs became the thing that they resented They found a way for older people to go through with the augmentations, as before with the 2nd and 3rd gens, people around puberty was the best way. The augmentations were basically guaranteed survival, unlike the previous Gens. And with these augmentations, they could survive wearing the armour. Still weaker than the 2nd gens. But still strong, fast, and smart. The good thing about the 4th gens is that they did not always have a military life. With the 2nd gens, they know nothing more than military life. Their only purpose is for war. While the 4th gens are more human. They think like humans, and not like a war computer.

In the Books, after [spoiler]Rookie is shot in the back of the head[/spoiler] , he goes to a bar and drinks over his [spoiler]friend's death[/spoiler] Jun from Noble Team approached him and asked him if he'd be willing to join the Spartan IV Program. Buck said no the first time. When he was reapproached, Jun asked again, Buck Declined, but Jun said they had more funding, so he could have his squad. He reluctantly agreed to join to honor [spoiler]Rookie's Memory.[/spoiler]

[quote]From the other halo games you were always told people had to be born into the spartan program and buck wasnt..... he was an odst before halo 5..... idk i always thought it was strange that he became a spartan, if you know something about it please tell me....thx :3[/quote] Did you stop playing after ODST? Or maybe you wasn't paying attention during Reach and Halo 4? Spartan 2's (Fred, Kelly, Linda, Sam etc). were augmented when they were very young but not exactly born into the program. (Except Chief) Spartan 3/4's and (Carter, Kat, Emile, Mark, Palmer, Thorne, Locke etc). We're not augmented like the ll's and adult soldiers could join the program.

Buck A buck A bpauck A spauck A spautk A spartk A sparta A spartan Like that. [spoiler]Only kidding. I'm a PlayStation player. [/spoiler]

After The Rookie's Death, Mickey's betrayal and joining the Insurrectionists, Dutch's retirement, and his somewhat distant relationship with Dare, he become rather unhappy leading a team. Thinking of himself as a failure. He joined the Spartan IV program at the insistence of Spartan III, Jun. And he requested to become a non-leading spartan. Thus, he was assigned to Osiris. This is the short story. But good enough.

The 4s are all handpicked military men, while 2s and 3s were kidnapped. Buck was selected by a former spartan 3, former Noble team member and only survivor, Jun, to join the program.

Spartan II's and III's are the ones essentially "born" into the spartan program. I's and IV's are volunteers/asked/recruited. Buck is a spartan IV

That's the Spartan IIs. Starting with the Spartan III program, Spartans were pulled from the ranks. Spartan IIIs were decidedly less powerful than IIs, their amor was less capable, and tended to be treated as disposable Spec Ops troops in the last part of the Covenant War. By the time of the Spartan IVs, the augmentation process had been refined to the point where children were no longer required. So (as you can see in the cutscenes) Spartan IVs are still massive compared to normal people. But they ***still*** aren't quite as powerful as Spartan IIs....which is why John-117 made pretty short work of Locke. But the IVs are a HELL of a lot more powerful than the IIIs...and you don't have to steal...and kill...people's kids to create them.

Watch the workout montage in Rocky 4. That's how

He sang Mai-Ya-Hi Mai-Ya-Hoo Mai-Ya-Ha Mai-Ya-Ha-Ha

"Truly if he was any better he would be a spartan"

Cause he was on firefly