United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command

MARSOC insignia

MARSOC is an umbrella organization that covers all United States Marine Corps special operations elements (except those remaining Force Recon elements dedicated to USMC ops). MARSOC itself is under the umbrella of SOCOM (Special Operations Command).

MARSOC consists of:

• Marine Special Operations Battalions (MSOBs)
  • 1st MSOB
  • 2nd MSOB
  the 1st and 2nd MSOBs specialize in DASR
  (direct action and special reconnaissance)
  • 3rd MSOB
  • 4th MSOB
  formerly designated as the Marine Special Operations Advisor Group (MSOAG), until May 2009 when they were redesignated as the 3rd and 4th MSOB, these units specialize in training foreign military forces
• Marine Special Operations Support Group (MSOSG)
  MARSOC admin, intelligence, logistics and other support elements
• Marine Special Operations School (MSOS)
  Training and selection for MARSOC

MARSOC - Role

• direct action
• special reconnaissance
• foreign internal defense
• unconventional warfare

Marine Special Operations Battalions (MSOB) - Organization

MSOBs (1st and 2nd) consists of :

• 4 Marine Special Operations Companies (MSOCs)
  each MSOC comprises :
  • 3 Marine Special Operations Teams (MSOTs)
    (14 operators in each MSOT)

The 1st and 2nd MSOBs were formed from the corresponding existing 1st and 2nd Force Reconnaissance companies of the Marine Corps.

MARSOC - Notable Operations

• 2007 - present - Operation Enduring Freedom
• 2007 - present - Iraq - Operation Iraqi Freedom

MARSOC Links & Resources

• photos : MARSOC
  
  (click thumbnail for fullsize image)
  photo gallery : MARSOC
• official MARSOC web site

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