Arcade was an only child, the son of an Enclave officer, born at a military base in Navarro. His father passed away when he was young, but the circumstances and leading to his death were never shared with him. When the New California Republic sacked Navarro, he and his mother fled with troopers from his father's old unit. The group moved south, attempting to integrate, but were still sought by the NCR and Brotherhood of Steel, requiring repetitive relocation to the fringes.

Gannon credits the Followers of the Apocalypse for his knowledge base, including having received his medical training from the group while he lived within the NCR. His drive to help people and enjoyment of learning led him to move to the New Vegas area, where communities were especially in need of assistance. From his tent in Freeside's Old Mormon Fort, Arcade is currently researching alternative treatments for common illnesses and injuries, utilizing local flora such as barrel cacti.

Dick Richardson's political career began sometime prior to 2215. In August 2215, he rose to power as a congressman within the Enclave, aided by political pressure from his father, President Richardson. Five years later, on March 5, 2220, Dick was elected president, once again aided by his father. He began serving the first out of his five terms.

As president, Dick Richardson continued the Enclave's plans for achieving dominance within the wasteland, including the development of the advanced power armor, a project initiated by his father. Completed in October 2220, Dick immediately classified the research data and undesirable prototype results (including related accidents, explosions and deaths) to preserve Enclave morale.