Should the USMC expand its role in special operations?

[2RHPZ]

SHOULD THE MARINE CORPS EXPAND ITS ROLE IN SPECIAL OPERATIONS?

by Ltcol Mark A. Clark USMC

DATE: 07 April 2003
PAGES--67
CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified


The on going war on terrorism (WOT) has called for the increased reliance on special
operations to cover the wide array of asymmetrical threats encountered. With special
operations commitments increasing, the assets required to conduct these missions are rapidly
diminishing. The National Security Strategy and Quadrennial Defense Review Report have
both called for innovative and flexible approaches to encountering the capability based
threats, and have indicated the need for reliance on special operations to carry out this fight.
This, most likely, will not be accompanied with additional force structure or money. One
possible solution to fill the shortage in special operations forces would be the inclusion of the
Marine Corps in special operations. Then Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Jones
and Commanding General of USSOCOM, General Holland, recently signed a Memorandum of
Agreement in an attempt to strengthen the relationship between the Marine Corps and special
operations. The challenge will be to determine what unique capability the Corps can provide
special operations without adding redundancy and without degrading the Marine Corps' primary
expeditionary role.

Download (http://www.fas.org/man/eprint/usmcsof.pdf) in .pdf format

[100_Percent_HOOAH]

I thought the USMC has a brand new SOF in the works right now? Detachment 1 I believe.

[Brozozo]

Personally I think the US has a sufficiently diverse and developed SOF community and the USMC doesn't necessarily have to contribute any more units of it own. The money could be better spent introducing new weapons to the fleet, training purposes and the general upkeep of the Corps.

[Tane Angle]

Thanks, CAG 147, good article. This is in regards to what I've read so far: I think the USMC already has expanded its role to include special operations. Or rather, it always has had such a role. Actions against the Barbary Pirates were closer to a SEAL team Direct Action than to a traditional amphibious invasion. The Marines since their start have lserved in a VBSS role, which is often thought of as a "SEAL job" today. If I am not mistaken, it was the US Marines, not the Army, who stormed the arsenal at Harpers Ferry, led by an Army colonel by the name of Robert E. Lee. That was more like a barricaded suspects incident than anything else, and today might be responded to by the FBI HRT. The Marines also have a history of providing training for other forces, much like today's SF.

There is a reason that Marine Expeditionary Units are designated "Special Operations Capable. From MEU's DAPs (Force Recon) abilities as an in extremis hostage rescue force to the GOPLAT/VBSS (oil rigs/ships) capabilities, to NEO (civilian evacs) operations, they're doing a job that is traditionally thought of as being performed by SEALs, SF, and other units. I don't think I have a problem with that, as there they act as they help cover the ground that our SEAL numbers don't necessarily allow for. What's more, they're there, in theatre, ready and waiting, unlike the more "traditionally-assigned" units.

I think the MEUs performed very well when allowed to and their work filling in holes in the SOF line are much appreciated, at least by me and those I work with.

Have a good one, and just some thoughts...