Marine Corps May Esablish Special Ops Force

[thedrifter]

I Got this in this the other day, the edition of military.com news. I think they have it wrong that the Marine Corps hasn't had a spec ops unit. Did the bone heads forget about Carlsons Raiders and the ParaMarines?

Marine Corps May Establish Special Ops Force
USA TODAY
June 5, 2002


WASHINGTON -- The Marine Corps, which has resisted creating a permanent
unit of commandos throughout its 227-year history, has been spurred by
the war on terrorism to move in that direction.
The Marines will assign several dozen troops this fall to a Tampa
headquarters that oversees all U.S. commandos. That could prompt it to
establish a special operations force, Marine officials say.



The move highlights how the war on terrorism has elevated the
importance of commando units. Army Green Berets, Navy SEALs and Air Force rescue
teams have played key roles in the hunt for al-Qaeda terrorists in
Afghanistan.

The U.S. Special Operations Command will help integrate the Marines
with the 46,000 Army, Navy and Air Force commandos it now oversees.

Although no final decision has been made on creating a separate
commando unit, Marine Corps officials say the reassignments increase the odds
that it will happen.

David Segal, a military sociologist at the University of Maryland,
says, "Special operations forces are growing in importance. Afghanistan is
the wave of the future. It's clear that our special operations
capabilities have to grow.

"If you don't get into the game, the extra numbers of people will go to
the other services," he says.

The Marine Corps had a small number of "raider" commandos during World
War II, but it has opposed a permanent force because it believes every
Marine is an elite fighter. A Marine creed is "Every Marine a
rifleman."

Even so, the Marines have about 800 troops who are not considered
commandos but receive special training in reconnaissance techniques similar
to those used by Army Special Forces soldiers.

Lt. Col. Giles Kyser, a Marine officer familiar with the decision to
assign Marine forces to a Tampa headquarters, says the move will create a
delicate balancing act.

"We need to change our training and procedures," he says, "while at the
same time holding onto things that make us Marines."

Sempers,

Roger

[usmcsgt65]

WWII had both Carlson and Edison Raiders, and the Para Marines. All were disbanded during the war. In modern times, like now, we have dedicated sniper units, Force and Division Recon, and the Division anti-terrorist units. So if you are going on units like the SEALS, Green Beret, Delta Force, we do not today.
But at the high command level, an idea is bouncing around to make one battilion in each division a raider battilion. I believe I read this on the Leatherneck.com posting of current Marine Corps news about two months ago.

[usmcsgt65]

On my last post, I should have asked you, where do find those very good pictures that you post at the end?

[thedrifter]

I get most of the graphics off the net... I few of them I get from a few people I know who make them...If it is theirs I state who they are that some can visit their websites.....My real secret is it is my wife who gets my graphics.....

Sempers,

Roger

[usmcsgt65]

Thanks,