Marine Corps Special Ops Will Add to Military Capability, Commander Says

American Forces Press Service ^ | Jan 26, 2006 | Sgt. Sara Wood, USA

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Recon Dad]

Things are going to get real interesting over the next year as they get this up and going. From what I get out of my son, which is very little, the thinking is they will get a lot of work over the next few years.
He's very excited about what is coming. He almost jumped to the SEALS when his enlistment came up something he didn't want to do, but the mood among Force is really good.

[Recon Dad]

I doubt the berets will ever get much traction in Force. I think the biggest fear is not with the Marines, but at SOCOM that when the Marines show up they tend to take over due to all they bring to the table.
My son doesn't talk much but what I get is the Force guys are very excited to get a piece of the pie ($$$).
We have a friend who's son is a SEAL so we get to make a bit of a comparison and the big thing I hear is the SEALS do more shooting in a month than Force does in a year. Just bigger budgets.

[oh8eleven]

"If you take a quality Marine and you bring him up to a little higher standard using (special operations forces) standards, and you give him the right equipment, he is unbeatable," he said.
BS BS BS - Marines are already unbeatable. Always have been, always will be. Semper Fi ...

[Recon Dad]

I have a feeling they will run perimeter security for a lot of SEAL Ops.

Force Recon are the shooters right now, doing all the door kicking. I can't see the Ranger comparison just based on what will make up MARSOC. They don't need a new title just more money.

[colonialhk]

Limited colors left as well. Good thing

[usmcobra]

Yellow blue and pink

[SevenMinusOne]

Force Recon are the shooters right now, doing all the door kicking. I can't see the Ranger comparison just based on what will make up MARSOC. They don't need a new title just more money.

You were missing my point - The fact is right now about everyone in theater (especially in Iraq) are all "door kickers" (be it Marines, 101st, 82nd, 10th Mtn, etc, etc).

But those are true "shooters" in the since of the word to what I am referring (along the lines of what SEALs and Delta are tasked with within the SOF community).

MARSOC which will be an asset of SOCOM will fall into a lead role outside of that of which the other "conventional" forces are currently doing (and that of their non-SOF titled Marine brothers).

Do Rangers conduct and run their own Ops designed and tasked solely to them within the SOF - Of course they do. As will MARSOC if called upon.

But Rangers also have the large task of providing the QRF for most SOF operations along with perimeter security. This is what MARSOC will be tasked with as well (and often taking this role for the SEALs).

Regards,

[Lurker]

Hey I was in the Corps before they hung the "SOC" moniker on MEUs.

We were the elite, and by God we knew it. Now where these guys get off calling Force Recon Marines 'mature' I'll never know.

L

[Squantos]

All bout the allmighty dollar my friend......don't take it personal !......:o)

[SevenMinusOne]

But those are true "shooters" in the since of the word to what I am referring

Correction - Those "aren't" -

[VaBthang4]

"From what I'm hearing MARSOC are going to take on a role equal to say that of Rangers."

LOL

You'd be wrong on many different levels.

No, there is zero comparison between the Rangers and Marine Corps SpecOps.

I do not feel to waste time going over it all but you should research your stuff before you post a brainfart like that.

[VaBthang4]

"But those are true "shooters" in the since of the word to what I am referring (along the lines of what SEALs and Delta are tasked with within the SOF community)."

Oh please. No disrespect intended but being able to squeeze a trigger does not qualify you as a "shooter". I'm not bucking on Recon but if there is one place where the Corps deposits its "shooters" then it is here...

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usmc/mcsfbn.htm

The 2,200 Marines and Sailors of this Norfolk-based battalion now serve 72 U.S. Navy bases around the globe. Additionally, within the battalion's structure is a training establishment that produces the most deadly multi-weapon, small arms marksmen in the Marine Corps, as well as the nation's only dedicated military anti-terrorism forces, the First and Second Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST) companies.

I'd know...

I was one of them.

[SOLTC]

MARSOC is going to be to the Naval Special Warfare Community
(SEALs and SBSs) what the Rangers are to the ARSOF community. When USSOC has a mission that is too large for a SEAL platoon, they'll use a MARSOC element.

Additionally, Marines bring Marine/Naval-peculiar abilities which USSOC can use more of.

Marines have been assigned to SOF commands forever. This is an opportunity to further the USMC contributions to SOF and put the operators and staff on more than an ad hoc basis.

Besides, I've heard for years how FR is a Marine step child. USSOC offers direct access to a myriad of training and equipment FR will love.

I understand that operators are also being taken from FAST and MSPF.

[VaBthang4]

Ugh...grin... When the Rangers bring their own air, sea, mech, artillery, intel etc, etc. then they could begin to be compared to MARSOC. Everyone knows that Rangers are glorified Security guards for Delta and when not holding Delta's bags they are siezing airports or out on LRP.

Really no comparison to MARSOC or its capabilities.

Now the Army types over @ SpecOps command or some scared to death SEALS may be floating that gibberish out there but neither Rumsfeld nor the Marine Corps Commandant will go along with that....and at the end of the day....neither would the Marines themselves.

[SevenMinusOne]

No disrespect intended

No disrespect taken. But I know very well what I am talking about - I'll leave it there -

As I said in the term of "shooter" as I was referring those within MARSOC are not going to be the "shooters" or trigger-pullers in the mold of SEALs and Delta. They will not be tasked with the same roles and responsibilities.

MARSOC will certainly be tasked with its own Ops (just as Rangers are at times) but MARSOC will also have a responsibility within SOCOM to provide QRF's as well as perimeter security in SOF DA Ops -

[SevenMinusOne]

Rangers are glorified Security guards for Delta and when not holding Delta's bags they are siezing airports or out on LRP.

You obviously aren't aware of what Rangers have been up to in the Mountains of Stan -

[VaBthang4]

~Grin~

Like I said...some Seal or Army types might be trying to mold MARSOC into a security element reenforced but I guarantee you that neither Rumsfled nor the Corps is floating down that river.

Sure...the Army & Navy brass within SOC will desperately try [as desperately as they were in trying to keep the Corps officers off of SOC] to keep the Corps unit in check, pull from its other capabilities etc, etc but that'll be a losing battle.

Just too many fights to be had where "shooters" are required.

The SEALS & Green Berets'll ramp up their schools and drop their standards but they will not be able to produce enough green shooters to overshadow a far superior capability sitting right in front of the SecDef [especially when he is already aware of it].

We'll see.

[Centurion2000]

should be an interesting evolution.

[VaBthang4]

"You obviously aren't aware of what Rangers have been up to in the Mountains of Stan"

Haha...what? Desperately trying to take over the 10th Mountain's job?

Rangers are what they are; A sizable gene pool for Delta and Army Special Forces to pull from. Not bad, they do a good job [at some things] but not all that either.