Thanks for the pics of a FAST team.
Do you know, is this a relatively newly created force?
Established in 1987, FAST companies provide a limited-duration, expeditionary security force to protect vital naval and national assets. FAST maintains forward-deployed platoons at various naval commands around the globe, and possesses U.S.-based alert forces capable of rapidly responding to unforeseen contingencies worldwide. Each FAST company is equipped and trains with some of the most state-of-the-art weaponry and currently consists of around 500 Marines.
Nothing new. Several name changes, but it’s been around since the turn of the 20th century. Originally it was known that Marine Security Force. Highly trained, but since they operate under the normal command structure (spec ops are all under strategic command) they aren’t considered spec ops.