Marine Special Operations Team (MSOT) - Afghanistan

Members of a Marine Special Operations Team (MSOT) pictured with a ATV/Quad-bike while on patrol with Afghan commandos in Farah province, Afghanistan, Feb 2012.

The MSOT was deployed as part of the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion (MSOB), one of 3 MSOBs that make up the Marine Special Operations Regiment (MSOR), a component of MARSOC.

MSOTs are the fighting element of MARSOC and are capable of a wide range of missions, including direct action raids, special reconnaissance and counter terrorism.

Their role in Afghanistan has mostly been in the area of unconventional warfare (UW).

As with U.S. Army Special Forces, MSOTs have been training, mentoring and operating alongside Afghan special operations forces as part of an on counter-insurgency (COIN) program.