The Confusing Truth About Marine Special Operations.

[@bobfg3130]

Recon Marines go with the rest of the Marines, they are not with SOCOM. Basically they work with the rest of the Marines, not SOCOM. They also do reconnaissance. That's their point.
MarSOC Raiders were meant to join SOCOM.

[@ah64dbeast37]

Yeah exactly if they where part of marsoc they could be called up at any time but there job is for the marine Corp it's self not socom.
To me special operations capable just means there able to do the same basic missions a SOF units and are trained to the same degree but there specialty is recon like navy seals would be underwater demolition. You wouldn't send a recon marine to do that job thats the seals specialty. And I would say they recon marines are one of if not the best in recon. But are meant to directly support the marines. Different jobs basically but no less deadly then the next SOF unit.

[@Oregonbruhh]

Force recon and recon are two different groups. Know your facts before speaking on this.

[@FartInYourFace234]

You just said the same point across like three different sentences..

[@kie-skatemods4141]

They weren’t learnt to joined SOCOM. They’re were order to but he secretary of defense during that time.

[@bobfg3130]

@@ah64dbeast37
SOCOM, not JSOC. SOCOM is made out of Army SOC, Naval Special Warfare Command, Air Force SOC, MarSOC and JSOC.

[@brianstabile165]

Line of marines
Marine
Marine scout snipers
Marine force recon
Marine raiders
Vietnam marines

[@crunchking9931]

Don’t forget ww1 and ww2 marines

[@emmanuelawosusi2365]

​@@crunchking9931 Korean war marines

[@BRAVO0NETV]

It's really important to be able to trust your own people. It's everything and the only thing that bugs me. You gotta trust your Team.

[@kie-skatemods4141]

They actually pulled Reconnaissance Marines from Force Reconnaissance Companies and from Reconnaissance Battalions. From those units they wanted Marines with at least 2 combat deployment (I would know, I was in Recon during those times with 2 combat deployments). And the differences is between NARSOC and Force Recon simply is MARSOC gets their fundings from the Marine Corps and Socom. While force only gets their fundings from the Marine Corps. So they don’t get all the cool special pay.

[@user-ty5di3ku6o]

You mean cool special equipment.

[@kie-skatemods4141]

@@user-ty5di3ku6o not equipments, they’re more like grown MEN toys. Most of them are super cool high speed low drag toys

[@kie-skatemods4141]

@@user-ty5di3ku6o they got cool equipments too. Trust me

[@nickgerr1991]

I have a bro who was force recon and later marsoc during those times 🤙

[@kie-skatemods4141]

@@nickgerr1991 I was there during those times. What’s your bros last name. I might know him

[@GuadalupeDeLaSierra]

40% of seals are former Marines, 35% are with Delta, trust me these guys are fully capable

[@mikerodriguez3132]

Exactly

[@SSgtBlueUSMC0369]

Yep, and some left to go to SF also. I had three guys from my Plt alone leave and go to 5th group. Another one from the company went to 10th group. All solid dudes for sure.

[@JpRiascos]

Marines leave the Marine Corps to join the Army and Navy but sailors and soldiers never leave the Army or Navy to join the Marines. What that tell you?

[@davidweikle9921]

I remember when this happened. It was cool to meet these guys as they were sorting things out. They had some growing pains, but those guys were top tier.

[@freefallfn]

Even thought Force and Recon aren’t part of SOCOM, guys in both are Freefall and Scuba qualified. So they might be labeled as “Special Operations CAPABLE” but those qualifications are indefinitely special operator quality. Force and the Recon didn’t want to be apart of SOCOM, so they aren’t. Point being, don’t knock the Recon guys, they’ve earned it just anybody in the community.

[@m.a.d.i939]

To my fellow Jarhead Brothers OOHRAH. 1998-2006.
MARSOC was concepted and initialized in 2002 but formed officially in 2006 in Camp Lejeune.
Conflicts prior too and post 9/11 were calling for by Special Operations Command for the Marine Corps to include Force Recon into the JSOC umbrella.
They were desiring the unconventional operator skills that were a variant of the traditional methods taught by other special forces units. To speak blunt they wanted a more savage approach.
USMC said NO to including Force Recon. It was suggested "could you create a Operations unit" that could work as part of JSOC readiness. They said they would think about it and ultimately conceived MARSOC.
MARSOC are fully capable operators as well as all FORCE RECON. Traditional to our original Raiders.
MARSOC had been both independently operated by the USMC as well as jointly operated with JSOC.
Any tier operators will tell you the capabilities of MARSOC operators. We do have Espirit de Corps for sure but we hold any tier brother to our standard as we know they have embraced the suck as a lifestyle. Work hard play hard mentality.
MARSOC is as it states. MARINE CORPS SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND which works with JSOC. MARSOC brings a different level of savagery and innovation to tactics.
The UA-camr needs to know more about what he's talking about. Very little data with some errors but on the right path.
Do better

[@cmad2268]

I think the confusion is that most don't know the history. After the bombings in Germany other areas of Europe in the early 1980's the Corps saw a need for special operations battalions. At the beginning this qual was a "Med Cruise" requirement for MAU/MEU. Being part of the first SOC (1985) it was fun though it came at a cost. As example, Oct 1985 just prior to deployment we lost a 46. It took a nose dive taking off the Guadalcanal off Onslow Beach, 2 Marines survived, rest perished. Was a sad morning.

[@davidav8orpflanz561]

(Uncle Same's Misguided Children): improvise, adapt, hold a gun!

[@RealGodfromheaven]

MARINE: My A** Rides In Navy Equipment

[@williamgalvan4934]

The USMC revamped the MARSOC units in ‘06, after being disbanded post-WW2, then melded back into the FMF

[@mr.sandman7deuce]

Shh, other units gets mad that the Marine Raiders are the first US Special forces.

[@williamgalvan4934]

@@mr.sandman7deuce Facts

[@serene_actual]

​@@mr.sandman7deuce Real.

[@charlesentrekin140]

Personally I think the very first American Special Operation was when lieutenant O'Banion and his handful of Marines along with some Turkish Mercenaries ended the reign of terror of the Barbary Pirates. That was about two hundred years ago.

[@williamgalvan4934]

@@charlesentrekin140 Mameluke Sword enters the chat with celebratory intent

[@victorjaverirpsgt123]

It sucked when we moved over.. the equipment improved over time.. but it was like being a quadruple volunteer and required a ton of redundant training.

[@scottw5315]

Our MEU's were designated special operations capable back in the 80s. We practiced hostage rescue, non combatant evac ops, amphibious raids etc... We would deploy with a SEAL platoon and a Recon platoon. I don't recall if it was both or either/or. I worked with both and found the Recon Marines better in my opinion. I won't go into details just one man's opinion. USMC resisted joining 'Socom as we were already special operations capable.

[@captainsensiblejr.]

As someone who is not American, I really appreciate you explaining American military culture from the viewpoint of the soldiers rather than politicians.

[@alexanderlopez7659]

Sounds like a headache not needed. Different paths to the same dam spot teamworks makes the dreamworks.

[@jeffreybrown5756]

Gives the marines there own tactical group ?? Marines work alone and as a self contained group ! While part of the military under the navy they have there own doctrine for battle meaning they don't count on the army or airforce for shit !

[@anthonycooper275]

Well, Force reconnaissance have always conducted special operations, outside of SOCOM, ie; rescues, raids and, some of those tasks weren’t always carried out by Force reconnaissance( MEF/MAU, BLT.)

[@jacobjohnson653]

Man I eat this shi up, keep up the good shi

[@juanguerrero9128]

Old 0311 here. I have to agree with this video.

[@zacharyzimmerman5721]

The Raiders are like Green Berets with a bigger water element.

[@robertwilson8184]

MarDet 1 was the “trial” for the Raider Regiment, back in 2006. They took the most well trained Marines in order to fulfill this trial, while adding additional capabilities (namely FID). Thus, Reconnaissance Marines conduct some (but not all) of the same tasks as Raiders.

[@nathanmacdonald6696]

Navy seals have done a really good job of Advertising. Thats why they are so popular and everyone thinks they are the best. Navy seals do the most water Operations out of all the special Operations Forces, but all the special operations units in all the military branches have combat divers , Army rangers , army Special Forces, force recon, marine Raiders, Airforce PJ’s , combat controllers , so on. From my understanding Navy seals never saw a lot of combat until 9/11, so they are fairly new to major combat roles compared to other branches of the military. Army Rangers see more Combat than any branch of the military.

[@03Grunt-arrino]

Should be clear: neither are Rangers. They are equivalent to a Marine Infantry Battalion on a MEU. “SOC Qual’d”… They can both be used by SOCOM when necessary.

[@Aurelisk]

Army Rangers aren't even in the same league as Marine Recon. Marines didn't need SOCOM, SOCOM needed the Marines. Marines had Force Recon to go deep into enemy lines and kill/capture/destroy whatever they needed already. From what I hear, the SEALS were experimenting with teams made up of different types of personalities and that got them into some trouble. So another reason I could see the reason for MARSOC was for SOCOM to adopt the mentality, discipline, and loyalty of the Marines. Again, SOCOM needed the Marines more than the Marines needed SOCOM.

[@davidduvall4846]

I was a grunt and we where on ship we had force recon and Seals I consider both special forces I was in boat company and we did a lot to!

[@rammar2023]

They’re just Marines who eat “special K” crayons 😂

[@m1germsy784]

Marines eat crayons raiders eat markers

[@tjfranco6471]

because force recons mission is completely different than normal special ops mission. They don't hostage rescues and thing. they operate behind enemy lines undetected and gather intel.

[@marcostisanifrancadanese3076]

The reason Force Recon isn’t considered SOF is much simpler than it sounds: the Marine Corps doesn’t want them to. If they were considered SOF, they would be operationally subordinate to USSOCOM, not the Corps, instead, not being SOF, they answer to MAGTF.

[@emmanuelawosusi2365]

Yes

[@cmad2268]

The “Force” in Recon means simply one thing - Fleet Marine Force. Force Recon is strictly under the Corps control whereas “Recon” Marines aren’t.

[@emmanuelawosusi2365]

@@cmad2268 force recon does deeper reconnaissance

[@mav40420]

Marine Raiders since WW2 they were the original Navy Seals.

[@JesusGarcia-cs9wl]

Nope!
Navy frogmen from ww2 were the first SEALS.
Marines and SEALS don't even have the same mission.

[@devildogforever100]

I served 95-99 as a raider with 3/1 India co.... we did all this as a regular company .. we were so good they decided down the road to make it a special group and disbanded us.....

[@TacticoolVIKINGBeard]

I feel that FR marines are like the USMCs ace up the sleeve. FR dudes are incredibly fit, incredibly professional and will do anything required of them. I feel thats what sets them higher on the bar than they get credit for. These are all dudes like Travis Haley from Haley Strategic. Top notch warriors.

[@wadewilson8011]

What matters is MARSOC are still Tier 2 Operatives.

[@ineedapharmists]

So are rangers. Still not SF

[@lostheceo]

@@ineedapharmists so are Navy Seals

[@itsAmeOFP]

@@ineedapharmists SF is tier 2

[@Valkyrie0933]

From what I understand, Special Operation Capable is not the same thing as Special Operations (obviously). FORECON is "capable" of doing Raider stuff, due to similar skillsets, but do not do all of the same things that Raiders do to fall under the SOCOM umbrella. I could be thinking about it wrong tho

[@dustinhaynes2617]

I confuse special operations units and other units within the military (especially the Marines), but I have major respect for them all(regardles of branch).

[@StrikeRaptor1000]

Before I got out 2 years ago, my 1stSgt who I worked directly for, always gave the opinion that MarSOC would be done away with since it really doesn't give anything for the Corps bit take away very capable Marines.

[@thomaswood1158]

He’s not wrong. Honestly MARSOC was really just about the Corps having the own Special Forces…during the GWOT they never really enhanced capability or mission success rate. It always felt more of just a money grab and a “Oo look what we have, we’re SOCOM too”.
Semper

[@itsAmeOFP]

@@thomaswood1158 it was forced on the corps by Donald Rumsfeld

[@thomaswood1158]

@@itsAmeOFP thank you for the insight. I never knew who forced the hand, only that MARSOC was a huge deal when I was in.

[@itsAmeOFP]

@@thomaswood1158 yea same, I was a pog from 07-2012, went through A&S in 2010 but wasn’t selected. Back then they didn’t even have an MOS, it was a special duty assignment and all CSOs (they weren’t officially called Raiders yet) would cycle back to their units after 5 years. That didn’t work out, and after losing a bunch of the plankholders to Army SF the Corps finally gave them an MOS and a career path. SF

[@alienoftheapocalypse2183]

Marsoc was setup in usasoc by green beret Gen muholland who was the previously a part of the 5th SFG(a). Part of the reason was because of oda 574 getting hit by friendly fire in the first half of the oef. When they were hit the near by marine qrf was told to stand down by none other than "mad dog" mattis. Muholland was not happy about this. He also realized that the marine corp needed to be a part of special operations because of their spec ops capabilities.

[@ralphalvarez5465]

Why did Mattis order the Marine QRF to stand down? Did he give a reason?

[@philswift1252]

​@@ralphalvarez5465 he wasn't aware it was a friendly fire incident and wanted to keep his own troops out of danger.

[@derekwillbanks5645]

Your gonna start fight with that first sentence....lol

[@nathanmacdonald6696]

Recon / Force recon marines are special operations capable. The Marines don’t want anyone controlling Marines except Marines. That’s why they never had any Special Operations Forces until 2006. Just because they aren’t in Socom doesn’t mean they are bad ass.

[@this_mfr]

The reason recon isn't considered Socom is purely because of budget and where they get their missions from. Recon gets it's budget from within the Corps and receives missions only from Headquarters Marine Corps. Special Ops divisons get their budgets from SOCOM and get their orders from SOCOM. It isn't that they are trained differently, they just fall under different mission and budgetary divisions.

[@taoliu3949]

The SOC designation for MEUs came about after FORECON detachments went through SOC training during the workup. FORECON units were stood down after they were gutted for MARSOC in 2006. The intent was to deploy a MARSOC detachment with every MEU, but that didn't work out so they brought Force Recon back.

[@efficientfuture1336]

My dad was with Force Recon

[@Ducaso]

What a Marine thing to do.

[@DroppingBombs4ever]

Sounds like " I grant you the title of Jedi but not of Master" type status 😅

[@Jarred8281]

MARSOC is part of SOCOM. Force Recon is special operations, but are completely under USMC control

[@DT-lr2bi]

We Marines Think We are All Special.

[@DT-lr2bi]

@@relectric69 Good One.

[@CharliMorganMusic]

🖍️ 😋

[@christiantroy3034]

What do you mean think?, we beat all the rest at every all you can eat crayon event.

[@rockyrocamontes8972]

Fuckin' a skippy!

[@hudsondonnell444]

We certainly are scum!

[@joesgotya9930]

It’s a matter of funding, assets, resources and capabilities when being apart of the SOCOM conglomerate. Force Recon creates an amazing capable soldier from a physical and mental standpoint, but what about the evolving technologies, intelligence infrastructure and assets that enhance the modern warfighter? Who’s getting the all the latest and greatest toys and support mechanisms to fight and adapt to an evolving enemy? - SOCOM.

[@ejp75]

I was an Army O-4 MAJ started in 1st Bn 75th Infantry Ranger, then recruited into SF. Graduated from SFOQC & SERE. Assigned as CPT to 10th SFGA Bad Tolz Germany, back to Bragg tour at SWCS. Then to 1st Special Opns Cmd (A) then selected to start JSOC & ISA. -Marines were never a part of Special Operations 1) they had no needed skills 2) they had a high wash out rate at Basic Airborne school. They created this MARSOC to stop their brass from crying over not being asked to play with us. Marines don’t possess any utility to fit into Spec Ops. They’re basically water borne infantry. SEALS serve other purposes in the Navy. Army Special Forces have Combat Divers of a higher combat focus than SEALS. The Navy just advertises everything their SEALS do. We in Special Forces remain tight lipped. We don’t advertise our capabilities, strategies to the public. We Are The Quiet Professionals.
~De Oppresso Liber.

[@SSgtBlueUSMC0369]

And this is why is love the GB’s. Semper Fi

[@thunderdome8936]

I'm a marsoc socom delta special ranger with the tower of power. I wield a ray gun and my transportation is Pegasus the horse. And I radio directly to odin when i need support. What about you brah.

[@CharliMorganMusic]

This how we do. If we need something, we just make for ourselves. We wanted air and we got air. We wanted our own SOCOM and we got our own. It's not that S-Tier SF like Delta or DevGru, but they're still pretty good.

[@mr.pmr.p978]

Socom gate keepers knew Marines will soon takeover Socom. Its just the nature of Marines....

[@wkndwarrior3441]

Force Recon became part of MARSOC, and are now known as Marine Raiders

[@Packetrackit]

No ❤

[@itsAmeOFP]

1st/2nd MSOB pulled Marines from 1st/2nd Force Recon, but they were always separate units. Almost everyone in force eventually found their way over to MSOB, but force company was never disbanded, just gutted and restocked with division recon guys.

[@nativeguy007-xt2mg]

My classmate in lab was MARSOC and he joined it when it was first formed. His name is Jose, I don’t know his last name but it blew my mind that he was just a normal guy sitting next to me and then finding out what he used to do. Cool guy btw and he helps me with getting ready to join the USMC. My goal is to finish my Associates in applied science in nursing then finish my bachelors while I’m in and become an officer. Basically I want to be the first officer in my family and to do it for my people (I’m Navajo)

[@youredumb]

If you plan on making it a career go enlisted for a contract first so you can really see the enlisted side of the world and understand it before you sit in an office all day. Officers are important and great but - for the most part -, there was such a night and day difference between the ones that were prior enlisted (also called mustangs) and the ones who weren’t.

[@angusdubois4736]

Go navy nurse corps then, you can still go with marine units. I’m a Navy Corpsman with a marine unit right now.

[@Anandroid]

Battalion/Division and Force conduct their mission to support the MAGTF. That’s their purpose and they are an organic special operations capability to the Marine Corps.
-Prior 02 Marine

[@Grunt16Hard]

Force Recon would be more equivalent to the 75th Ranger Regiment without being a part of the United States Army Special Operations Command. They are mission specific to support US Marine MEU's only while the 75th RR can be used to support the SOCOM missions on a larger scale all over the world.

[@SoloRenegade]

you know who else isn't in SOCOM? the SAS.
but the SAS is still Special Forces.

[@psycho-nutkase9233]

Ah SOCOM the hardest PS2 Title to read as dyslexic child 😂.

[@hur1kane]

MARSOC are Marine Raiders, tier 1, force recon are tier 2 capable, Rangers are special operations capable, but they remain tier 3, tier 2 capable as they're deployable by Dept of the Army, Special Forces, Navy Seals ,and Marine Raiders are only deployable under congressional orders.

[@JesusGarcia-cs9wl]

No, no and no

[@hur1kane]

@Jesus Garcia Mr.Garcia, I was a member of 20th SF group, responsible of induction assessments of Marsoc program when Marine Corps Raiders we're, for lack of better terms "Re-commisioned" after which of course it was decided (being they're dept of the navy) new recruits would cycle through Seal school, and back to us for HALO, only units utilizing HALO are Seal, SF and Delta , and Raiders as they're tier 1 elements, Im guessing if you were prior Recon, or Force Recon your process was a little different, kind of grandfathered in, Like LRRP or Pathfinders into Rangers back in the day .

[@ohhshiii4518]

SOCOM was a GREAT game. Y'all remember it on PS2?

[@combatbattalion6]

Good thing you said no disrespect to force recon because people might of thought you meant disrespect 😂😂😆😆

[@elioj2029]

MSOC guys are hard working badass

[@charlesentrekin140]

Ryan what's your problem with this, it is 100% perfect Marine Corps logic.

[@mwara2444]

SoCom is the Navy, Air force, and army

[@FirstLast-ox1iy]

2006 was an interesting time for Army and Marines

[@w4shep]

So the brass does some stupid things?
Who would've guessed?
A: everyone

[@Lailas776]

Informative.

[@davesmith9411]

Remember recon was around before SOCOM Rumsfeld’s ass convinced the military to throw every special operations under one command essentially.

[@PotatoeJoe69]

It's because SOCOM is a centralized command for specific Special Operations forces from all the different branches. The Marines, for a long time, refused to send Marines into SOCOM, because Marines want to be commanding Marines; not subject to someone else.
Force Recon (FORECON) guys have the same capabilities as MARSOC and SEALs - in fact, when the Navy transitioned UDT into the Navy SEALs, they pulled a lot of their talent and structure from the USMC's FORECON.
The main difference is that MARSOC is commanded by the generals in SOCOM. Think of SOCOM as it's own branch, in a way. FORECON Marines are commanded only by the Marine Corps.

[@ralphalvarez5465]

Okay, so you are saying that US Navy SEALs did not come from the UDT frogmen of WWII but from the Marine Corps? Hmmm

[@PotatoeJoe69]

@@ralphalvarez5465 I specifically mentioned UDT. It's a well known part of the SEALs history that when UDT became SEALs, they pulled a lot of Recon Marines over and learned from them. It's not a secret. UDT did a very specific mission set which involved beach reconnaissance, destroying obstacles in the water and on the beach, and anything pertaining to those two. FORECON did the amphibious insertions to penetrate deep behind enemy lines and fuck shit up.
When UDT became SEALs, they drew from FORECON, because they were beginning to do what FORECON had been doing.

[@InformalGreeting]

Force has always been an odd situation. They always should have been a part of special operations command. But the Marine Corps didn’t want to give up control. They exist to perform a mission within the MAGTF. If force fell under SOCOM the mission for the Corps would become secondary to the mission of SOCOM. The only reason that changed was the need for more special operations troops made it too hard for the Marines to say no to the funding. Det 1 hurt the Force community, but of course it recovered and now it’s really the best of both worlds. But some senior leaders in the Marines still get salty about Raiders not belonging exclusively to the Corps.

[@roninjanjira9687]

I'm a former Recon Marine. Didn't know how much I was getting the shit end of the stick by not being in SOCOM until Operation Anaconda.

[@mr.commonense8177]

Raider Battalion.

[@bruceadams4808]

Before you go pointing fingers at the Marines you need to understand how the funding in the Marine Corps works. Marine Corps Force Recon are some of the most formidable, well trained and highly motivated individuals on the face of planet Earth. They do have special operations capabilities however,,,, if the CORPS wanted some of that old GWOT money, standing up that new command was the smartest way to do it.

[@spookledrealhard7154]

Marsoc been around since ww2 in Japan

[@vladimergustav5708]

Det 1 as well.

[@jayr.9266]

LeJune in da house!!!

[@Clancy192]

The Marines were finally forced to come up with real trigger pulling operator types. For years they played the "all Marines are special" crap but leg infantry wasn't cutting it.

[@johnhoon7069]

unofficial Marine corps motto we the unwilling led by the unqualified have been doing so much with so little we now achieve the impossible with nothing

[@bordone]

I was active 2006 when they stood up Marsoc. They were wrestling around with the name back then. Some wanted to call them Raiders, as a throw back to Marine Corps history. When we all found out Marsoc would be created using E7's and above from force recon everybody's through their hands and air like what was the point of that?!

[@Anonymous_joe445]

I know right I’m still like if your gonna only gonna take force recon guys and they can only join just make Force recon as a whole so-com like I seen both train the training is almost a mirror image of the two pipelines I was like this is the same skill set but you know all the cool missions got pushed to marsoc and recon were very underused in the gwot yeah they got deployments to the Middle East but marsoc was getting all the cool missions

[@ezra8435]

It never made sense to me. The Marines that wish to be in Special Forces should have joined in the Army and got real Special Forces training and better missions. Because the Raiders are being trained by the Army Special Forces guys anyway. They are still "holding their hands".
As for when the mission calls for SEALs, then SEALs are used. When the mission calls for SF, they are used. When the mission called for the Rangers, they were in the fight for over 7,000 days, they were used. The MARSOC operators appear to only get the lower tier missions.
The Air Force stepped up to do the Special Recon mission. That is what the Marines should have and could have done, but they waited till.... the Air Force stepped up.
Now they come in as group with no special "bread and butter". Either be a Marine, which they are not sure what they are themselves, or be in a real special operations group.

[@RemoWilliams-jg4yb]

people commenting on the Marines that were never around Marines. Force Recon and Recon was doing amazing things in Vietnam. It was going fine until the big SOCOM push in the 80's. Both sides did not want Recon in SOCOM, and the youtube commando's don't understand WHY Recon was not allowed. The MEU, MEB, MEF concept gives you a special operations capability in a package. Remove Recon from that or farm them out to SOCOM and you lose that element.

[@DoorKicker]

The thing is, you are cool when nobody needs to tell you that you are cool.
(Edit:punctuation)

[@williamsmith8790]

Not just Force. Det 1 was pulled from Force Recon, Recon, ANGLICO, Radio Recon, and the Marine Intel community that had worked Recon and SOF assignments. It was an All Star team of Marine special operations (capable, so don’t get your panties in a wad) personnel. After they were FOC and up and running, able to recruit and train their own personnel from the operating forces, the Marine Corps reconstituted Force to give the MEF back its deep reconnaissance capabilities. And give the MEU back it’s Maritime Special Purpose Force.

[@markblocker4565]

United States Marines are unique and proud of it for good reason. Nothing against the other services but long live the Corps.

[@redtap5426]

Civilian here, Question do the marines wear the old 1980s BDUs?

[@blksubiesti]

They were always spec ops guys the difference was big brass and the MC does not like letting our people operate not under their command. But I was in during this whole thing and before and force recon whole not technically SOF were always viewed as SOF just unofficially

[@mjjm1959]

Hahahahaha, tell that to 2nd. Topographic Plt./Company. In 1983, We served on 15--- man MARINE Surveyor/Cartographer/Intell. C.S.T. team( Coastal Survey Team.) We served 80% Overseas, by ourselves in CIVIES DIVISION/ Hiking Boots( both bought by the Commandant and D.I.A.) and We served in 15-man teams, including Doc. Civies, beards, longer unsat. non-regulation haircuts. No Dogtags, NO Military Passports, NO Military I.D.'s, sanitized clothing, NO M-16A1's, NO 1911A1's, NO live ammo. We used Land Rovers, Nissan Microbus van, MARINE DODGE Powerwagon Pick--up 4 X 4's(2) ( painted white over camo.), Boston Whaler boat/ trailer.

[@JeepUSMC]

They are sf technically but they are more of a humanitarian asset than anything. Still some badasses as I was stationed with them at Pendleton in 41 area las Flores. 🤙

[@stephenmcelroyii7317]

We do more with a lot less. I am Semper Fi until the day I die.

[@krunkmastere34]

Omg you got my v gushing.. you wanna vap

[@Vasher-The-Destroyer]

Marines are just cool

[@area11lureworxs32]

Because the Corps believes u can't have an elite unit in a already elite unit.and plus once u hit jsoc or socom u pretty much in a different branch

[@rhodeeznutz]

That's guy in the middle of the first picture has an HHV helmet. That is all.

[@scottfoster2639]

All Special Operations Command are Special Operations; Special Operations aren't all in Special Operations Command.

[@P-C-Principle]

Dat went right over my civil smooth brain

[@dylan9610]

The way it was explained to me is that if you wanted something to show up to the socom/international military community for combined arms you’d use MAROC if you wanted something to stay close to home you’d use recon. Im the furthest thing from knowledgeable on this topic just sharing some board range talk.

[@user-zb1kr6cp7j]

They were in ww2 then get disbanded then they were put into combat in 06

[@Mattyiice22]

far left first picture was Aaron judge as a marine

[@Ohnoitsthatguy-620]

I've watched a few videos and done a little bit of research on MARSOC and no one has elucidated precisely what role they fill that was not already being taken care of by the Seals/DEVGRU or SF/Delta. I'm sure I'll get some heat for this but the further down that rabbit hole I go the more it feels like they only exist due to branch jealousy and oneupsmanship.

[@davidlanger3295]

MARSOC merely exists because the USMC wanted some of those dollars that the DoD was spending on Special Operations Forces

[@MobiusCoin]

The decision to stand up MARSOC seems to have mostly been a political one.

[@abp1400]

@@MobiusCoin yup, SOCOM was the epicenter of everything during GWOT and they told Marines, "You wanna do spec ops you need a Marine special ops command and you have to work for us." Marines carved "Det One" out of mostly Force Recon and Recon as a pilot program in 2003, and after it was seen as capable and viable, in 2006, Marine Corps stood up MARSOC and made MSOR, later renamed Raider Regiment

[@Sphere723]

And you sir would be correct. It's a law of nature that if you give someone a chunk of the DoD budget, they will eventually create their own special forces unit. Same thing with uniforms. Everybody needs their own uniform.

[@austinniblock4952]

You’re right on the mark that there wasn’t necessarily a need to be filled but you’re off with the branch jealousy. Marine leadership fought a SOCOM unit but Sec Def forced their hand. Additionally, the $ for SOCOM during the GWOT proved too compelling but it was primarily a pentagon initiative. The Marines were not trying to compete with the other branches. They entered SOCOM with their leadership dragging its feet.

[@camoron123456]

Recon is utilized for such different measures compared to Marsoc.

[@NIGHTSTALKER0069]

They still just as capable. They just don’t go out writing books and going on talk shows telling everyone what they do.
Force recon is the Marines SO they work for Marines.

[@ericdangler8176]

In the late 90s, the Marines even had some grunt units get certified as special operations capable.
3/5 is one example.

[@cmad2268]

1985- 3/4 first ever SOC battalion.

[@aah4587]

At what point would ppl say we don’t need the marines anymore .. the boots send to the army and the wings to the navy

[@JesusGarcia-cs9wl]

You got my vote

[@michaelbritt2754]

​​@@JesusGarcia-cs9wl? okay Garcia
You Army guys always constantly patting your joke a**es on the back. Yeah you know what, I would like to see it to, and see how far the Army will last in a war without the Marines being involved. Army countless times calling in Marines for help in countless battles and wars throughout history. Marine Corps never lost a battle, the Army... Well I don't have enough fingers and toes. The Marine Corps only needs the Army to supply and support us with Armor(especially now) nothing more. Marines are different from the standard Soldier. I know it's hard to accept but it is what it is. Equipment doesn't make a warrior the mentality, fighting spirit, and training does. The Marine Corps is superior in all those departments. Trust me, go be a Marine and find out. I have an idea how about we gid rid of the Army and keep the Marine Corps as the main ground force? Therefore, keeping the same standards held by Marines would probably make a stronger "Army" right Emma, with two moms😉

[@gussampson5029]

I think they're called Marine Raiders now.

[@kevinfreeman3098]

same as recon in the Army