Terrance Ward was drafted into the Initiative training program because of his telepathic and shape-shifting abilities. At some point prior to his arrival at Camp Hammond he adopted the name Trauma. He arrived at Camp Hammond in Stamford, Connecticut in a bus full of other recruits (Armory, Bengal, Cloud 9, Hardball, Komodo, Rage, Slapstick, Thor Girl, and Ultra Girl) and they were immediately placed under the charge of the drill instructor Gauntlet. Trauma and all of the other new recruits received their own initiative uniforms and began training exercises. Trauma was placed on a squad with Armory, Cloud 9, Hardball, and Komodo. They were all taken to the combat simulator where their abilities would be gauged and categorized. When Trauma was asked to manifest his abilities and he informed them that he needed be near someone in order to use them the Initiative staff asked Armory to be close to Trauma so he could use his powers. Trauma then became a giant spider in response to Armory's greatest fear. This caused Armory to blast wildly at Trauma and everything else, inadvertently killing MVP who had just saved Cloud 9 from being blasted. Henry Peter Gyrich then informed all who were present that MVP did not die in Stamford and Armory was not responsible for it.
Later while participating in a speed and agility exercise with the rest of his squad, Trauma became overwhelmed by Cloud 9's thoughts about MVP's death and transformed into a zombified MVP. When Yellowjacket confronted Trauma about his actions, Trauma transformed into a battered Janet van Dyne causing Pym to back-off and seriously doubt his abilities and purpose. Justice then grabbed Trauma and had him taken into administrative custody while the majority of Initiative soldiers and recruits left to defend the President from a Hydra attack in Texas. Trauma was brought to Gyrich who explained Traumas importance to the program. Gyrich then introduced Trauma to the Beast who was acting as chaperon and bodyguard to a mysterious de-powered mutant.
