Marine Corps to Join U.S. Special Operations Command
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2005 – The Marine Corps will soon officially join the special operations community with a new Marine Special Operations Command to become a component of U.S. Special Operations Command, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld announced here today.
Rumsfeld announced his approval of the plan, part of a sweeping range of transformations under way to strengthen the U.S. military and its special operations forces, during a Pentagon news briefing.

The new command "will increase the number of special operations forces available for missions worldwide while expanding their capabilities in some key areas," Rumsfeld told reporters.

The new command will formalize a longstanding relationship between the Marine Corps and Special Operations Command, Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Douglas Powell told the American Forces Press Service.

It will increase Special Operations Command's ability to field highly skilled special operators in the numbers required to support of the war on terror and other missions, he said.

The command's members will train foreign military units and carry out other Marine Corps missions traditionally associated with special operations work: intelligence, logistics, fire-support coordination, direct action and special reconnaissance, among them, Powell said.

The 2,600-member command will have three subordinate elements: a special operations regiment, foreign military training unit and special operations support group.

A portion of the command will train and deploy with Marine expeditionary units, enhancing those units' special operations capability, officials said.

The command headquarters and nearly all its elements will be based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. One element of the Marine Special Operations Regiment will be stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The activation date for the new command has not been set, and its elements are expected to phase in their operations. Some elements, including the Foreign Military Training Unit, are expected to assume missions almost immediately, officials said.

Marine Brig. Gen. Dennis J. Hejlik will be the MARSOC's first commander, officials said. Hejlik previously served as deputy commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

http://www.dod.gov/news/Nov2005/20051101_3208.html

I think this is a good decision. Now Marines have a chance to show that they are more than just special operations capable. Thats all I reall have to say I Guess

Sounds more like another politically charged Pentagon turf war.

i thought they tried this a while back but then dopped it?

No they didn't try it before AFAIK, the Marines have fought this concept from day one. They have this "no Marine is more elite than the others, one Corps" culture that they would have rather retain.
The Army Special Forces and Navy SEALS have been doing it for years now so I suspect the Marines will make the adjustment too and it'll be fine.

Originally Posted by DTop

No they didn't try it before AFAIK, the Marines have fought this concept from day one. They have this "no Marine is more elite than the others, one Corps" culture that they would have rather retain.
The Army Special Forces and Navy SEALS have been doing it for years now so I suspect the Marines will make the adjustment too and it'll be fine.

Is it really a question of being 'elite'? Special Forces are a select group to be sure, but I always thought of OPFOR as just doing a different job (granted much more risky job) compared to their infantry and marine brethern.

[quote="mmarsh"]

Originally Posted by DTop

No they didn't try it before AFAIK, the Marines have fought this concept from day one. They have this "no Marine is more elite than the others, one Corps" culture that they would have rather retain.
The Army Special Forces and Navy SEALS have been doing it for years now so I suspect the Marines will make the adjustment too and it'll be fine.

Is it really a question of being 'elite'? Special Forces are a select group to be sure, but I always thought of OPFOR as just doing a different job (granted much more risky job) compared to their infantry and marine brethern.

I am assuming that you were never in the military, right? Special Forces and SEALS are generally considered to be an eilite component of their respective branches. Not everyone in the Army or Navy can pass the training or posess the physical traits required for these functions. That alone makes them elite. They are small units with a large impact. They have functions and skills that no other units can perform. Yes, I'd say the term elite is quite appropriate.
OPFOR is a term that means "OPposing FORce". During training some soldiers(usually very experienced) are designated as OPFOR for the purpose of providing some opposition for the unit undergoing the training (I have done this many times)providing them with a more realistic scenario.
On second thought, I have seen the term (OPFOR)used in documents to describe the enemy forces. But in general conversation the enemy is more likely to be called the bad guys (among other things) than OPFOR. At least that's my opinion.

Originally Posted by FutureDevilDog

I think this is a good decision. Now Marines have a chance to show that they are more than just special operations capable. Thats all I reall have to say I Guess

Marines have shown that for years, the Recon community has long earned and proven its worth in the SOF world.

The regular infantry that will conduct the FID mission will only be an available asset to SOCOM, and will not be comprised of SOF Marines.

The Marine Corps is losing its best operators for this unit, they will no longer be a Marine only asset. This has caused quite a few feathers to be ruffled from my bosses (fellas that wear a lot of shiney stars) and down.

There are many in the Corps that are not happy with this, whether or not we will remain in SOCOM has yet to be seen.

As with everything, is has its positives and negatives.

RndrSafe.

So the FMTU concept is a go now? As far as FID are they going to be used like the 75th is tasked?

Originally Posted by 03USMC

RndrSafe.

So the FMTU concept is a go now? As far as FID are they going to be used like the 75th is tasked?

FMTU is a go. They officially stood up this month, in fact.

There is a loose similarity in organisation to SF, they are running 11 to 12 man teams with end goal of having 24 teams. All of the support for the moment is coming out of 4thMEB.

They won't have as specific AOs as SF groups do...right now the big focus is the Middle East and Latin America.

Obviously, they will not be as area oriented, culturally prepared or language qualified to the same degree as SF units are for their target countries, but they will provide good augmentation for already bogged down SF units who are being tasked with more DA than FID missions.

While I am not sure this is the best mission for the Corps to be committed to, everyone involved is eager and despite the hurtles there will be, ready to get the job done.

There's more on the FMTU concept here, from a report in early October:

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn20...6?OpenDocument

or

http://tinyurl.com/9o7jm

Personally, I am surprised the USMC went with the whole SOCOM deal. I thought it was a guiding doctrine that their critical assets remain under USMC command.

Changing times.