Carl Jenkins began as a Federal Service Academy cadet alongside Johnny Rico and Carmen Ibanez. His early intellectual distinction led him away from combat roles. After graduation, Jenkins rose swiftly through Military Intelligence, cultivating formidable psychic abilities. He evolved into a powerful telepath capable of influencing thoughts and actions across vast distances, securing high-level authority over strategic operations.

Jenkins engineered a crisis on Mars through deliberate manipulation. He deployed a specialized unit under false pretenses, withheld vital intelligence, and exploited the Arachnid Bug threat. His core objective centered on field-testing "Project A.K.F."—an experimental psychic weapon designed for telepathic control over the Bugs—during the Chryse Province conflict. To validate the weapon for superiors, Jenkins sacrificed human forces, including former classmates. He employed his telepathy to distort perceptions, obstruct opposition, and directly sabotage Rico's command decisions during the campaign.

Personally overseeing the operation's climax on Mars, Jenkins confronted Rico after his deception unraveled. He mobilized psychic powers and loyal troops to eliminate Rico, activating Project A.K.F. to seize control of a Bug army. He aimed to deploy these controlled Bugs against Rico and allies to conceal his actions. Exposure of his manipulation and unethical experiments followed. Rico, with unexpected aid from Sky Marshal Amy Snapp, disrupted the psychic signal. Stripped of his Bug forces and facing imminent treason charges, Jenkins attempted escape. His fleeing shuttle was destroyed by orbital fire authorized upon confirmation of his treason.