Elite Marine Unit to Help Fight Terrorism

[Rose Siding]

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld yesterday announced creation of a force of about 2,600 highly specialized Marines intended to address a shortage of elite troops available for counterterrorist operations and other missions requiring exceptional skills.

But in a marked departure for the fiercely self-reliant Corps, the new contingent will report not to the Marine leadership but to the multi-service command responsible for other Special Operations troops.

The move follows months of difficult negotiations between the Marines and Special Operations community. For years, the Marine Corps has resisted joining the Army, Navy and Air Force in ceding permanent control of a segment of its forces to Special Operations Command, known as Socom.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/01/AR2005110102069.html

[sofa king]

1. Wow! SOCOM finally bagged the secret Marines!

They're real quiet types. That's all I know about them.

Still, it would be nicer if we could double the Special Forces instead. Where have I heard that idea before?

[IndianaGreen]

5. SOCOM is riddled with scandal right now!

One commanding general was canned and others will follow because of contracts they signed with defense contractors in which the taxpayers were bilked.

[davepc]

9. Any links about this?

I want to learn more about it.

[TacticalPeek]

2. Those Marines and sailors work fine like they are.

If it ain't broke, keep your shitforbrains hands off it.

Fire Rumsfeld!

:grr:

[davepc]

3. The Marines just wanted a piece of the SOCOM budget pie

The Navy gets their slice, the Air Force gets their slice, and the Army gets their slice. Now the Marines have a reason to get a piece of the action.

[davepc]

4. dupe

dupe post

[Toots]

6. I thought they already had one called SEALS

Marines are part of the Navy and Seals are the elite force for that branch of the military. Pretty soon the word elite won't have much meaning.

[davepc]

8. Marines are not eligible to become SEALs, only Navy sailors are

Been that way since the very beginnings of the SEAL program in the 1960s. Or the 1940's if you go back to the Navy underwater demolitions teams from World War II and their immediate decedents in the 1950's.

[Romulus]

10. Force Recon not SEALS

Marine Force Recon units are the rough equivalent of the Navy SEALS.

Their job is to go ahead of the theatre-level Marine forces for deep reconnaisance missions. Any Marine can try out for Force Recon, though they don't have an infamous "Hell Week" like the SEALS. Every tryout is a "hell week" (LOL).

Force Recon and the SEALS go through much of the same training, such as:

- jump school/naval parachute qualification where they parachute over/into open water
- military scuba school
- eligible to attend Army Ranger school to learn advanced land warfare techniques
- other advanced training in amphibious warfare, hostage rescue, etc.

Hope this helps.

Romulus
USMC 1990-95

[leesa]

7. More grist for the mill.