Posted on 01/26/2006 5:21:43 PM PST by SandRat
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2006 – The Marine Corps Special Operations Command, the newest addition to the special operations community, will be a complementary force that will ease the strain on other services' elite units and will contribute to the nation's readiness in the global war on terror, the new unit's commander said here today. "I firmly believe that this is the right thing to do for the country at this time," said Marine Brig. Gen. Dennis J. Hejlik, commander of Marine Corps Special Operations Command. "This irregular warfare is here to stay. If we don't start to go that way, where the force is more joint and more capable across the spectrum, that's not a good thing."
The Marine Corps Special Operations Command, or MARSOC, will formally stand up its headquarters Feb. 24 at Camp Lejeune, N.C. In addition to the headquarters, Camp Lejeune will be home to the Marine Special Operations Support Group, several foreign military training units, a Marine special operations battalion, and the Marine Special Operations School, Hejlik said. Another Marine special operations battalion will be stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., he said.
Over the next five years, MARSOC will grow to an end strength of 2,600 people, Hejlik said. This will include 24 foreign military training units that will deploy worldwide in support of U.S. Special Operations Command and the various combatant commanders, he said. MARSOC already has three FMTUs that will deploy in 2006 and 2007, he said.
The Marine special operations battalion will include four Marine special operations companies, each with 97 to 118 people, depending on mission requirements, Hejlik said. The core of these companies will be experienced force reconnaissance Marines taken from the mainstream Marine Corps, he said.
"There's a lot of capability there, because they're a little bit older; they're a little bit more mature," he said.
The Marine special operations companies will deploy with Marine expeditionary units, Hejlik said. Once deployed, the companies will under operational control of the special operations commander in theater, but be available to support the MEU if needed, he said.
"The intent is not just to rip the guts out of the MEU," he said. "We like to say that they're not separate, but separable."
The focus of MARSOC at the beginning will be the foreign military training units and their missions, Hejlik said. These units will complement the work being done by similar units in other special operations forces and will fill gaps that have arisen due to the recent high demand on special operations, he said. The Marine FMTUs will support all five geographic combatant commanders, with the first scheduled to carry out a mission for U.S. European Command, he said.
The first Marine special operations company will not be formed until May 2006 at Camp Lejeune, Hejlik said.
Marines will only spend three to five years in MARSOC and then will be rotated back into the regular Marine Corps, Hejlik said. This rotation will benefit the entire force, because young Marines will be trained to a higher standard in MARSOC and will bring those skills to other units, he said. It will also prevent Marines from becoming stagnant in one unit and give them opportunities for advancement and education, he said.
"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.
That is fine during peace time but we are in a real shooting war now and all within our services are warrior brothers.
Is there going to be inside baseball being played over which units "get to play"....of course there will be (but only to a point).
My point being that I think MARSOC is a great idea and definitely needed within the GWOT - With that said, MARSOC will not be tasked with the Ops of SEALs and Delta - That is just a reality -
Just as the Rangers role has grown over the past 3 years....MARSOC will certainly find its own role to fit.
Again, I am not talking about "seeing action" or anything as juvenile as that. There is more then enough "war" to go around today. My only point was with regard to what role MARSOC will play most likely -
Granted MARSOC will definitely have more stand-alone capabilities then the Rangers currently do (on the whole) but not anymore so in terms of specific Ops.
Regards,
Good one! Ha.
The best ones are always the ones that would piss off both sides!
Haha...
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.
Exactly right -
Agree completely!
Just as with other SOF units (especially Rangers and STS), GWOT will shape the roles of MARSOC.
The 75th was reactivated in 1975. For many years, they really had no mission. That's changed!
When AF Special Tactics was created by John Carney in the 80's, no one really knew what to do with them. Ask USSOC now!
This should be interesting, especially with the NSW units operating as task forces now.
Be Proud of Him. We all want him to return home safe.
No, on the whole they won't be pulling down the same Ops as SEALs other then to relieve SEALs from tasks at this point they shouldn't be doing - MARSOC will also be tasked (with 100% certainly) the role of being a QRF for SOF DA Ops when operating together -
As for the GB comparison, again, no. MARSOC will not be running with 12-man ODA's like is the common role for many GB Teams - They will help train foreign ally fighters (so in this sense yes).
The Corps is already in the door and from what I understand, Army & Navy officers on SOCOM are not handling it well and vainly trying to figure out a way to keep the Corps from stealing the show.
Too bad, cuz its too late.
This sounds like some Corps men that need to keep it in their pants. "hold me back" types. Too old to either worry or discuss that.
As for SECDEF Rumsfeld, he has been POTUS/CIC GWB best asset since being in office and truly a leader in making our SOF community more effective and lethal. (and for the record he is a big fan of the SEALs because they have the shortest OODA loop going anywhere within the SOF community).
Haha...I think we agree on most save that the Corps will indeed be pulling down SF & SEAL ops [and not all SF ops call for twelve man teams...see Germany | September 12th 2001].
The Army & Navy brass might say otherwise, but that same SECDEF is the one kicking them in their behinds for trying already to pull Marine SOC assets to support their operations.
No my friend, it is now only a matter of time & opportunity....one being short and the other being way long.
A SEAL's OODA loop? Or bro do not get me started! I've seen boot Marines pulling firewatch with better reaction skills than the SEALS tasked with infiltrating their perimeter. Haha...I guess it depends on just how roided up he [or prolly soon to be "she"] is before their is any action to observe.
Like I said, we'll see. ~wink~
Another reason why they will be taking down their own targets independant of SF or SEAL participation or input.
My post was just a reality check, not a history lesson. If you cant handle reality, crawl back under your bed
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