United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC)

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

MARSOC consists of:

Marine Raider Regiment (MRR)

The Marine Raiders are MARSOC's combat units. Marine Raiders are trained in direct action, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense and unconventional warfare. MRB Marines that have passed throught grueling training pipeline are known as Critical Skills Operators (CSO). Officers are known as Special Operations Officers (SOO).

The Marine Raider Regiment is made up of:

  • 1 x Headquarters Company
  • 3 x Marine Raider Battalions (MRB)
    • 1st MRB
    • 2d MRB
    • 3d MRB

Each MRB contains 4 Marine Special Operations Companies (MSOCs). Each MSOC contains an HQ Element and 4 Marine Special Operations Teams (MSOTs). A 14-man MSOT consists of:

  • HQ Element
    Team Leader (Captain)
    Team Chief (Master Sergeant)
    Operations Sergeant (Gunnery Sergeant)
    Assistant Operations Sergeant (Staff Sergeant)
  • Tactical Element
    Element Leader (Staff Sergeant)
    Assistant Element Leader / Element Member
    Element Member (Sergeant)
    Element Member
    Navy Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman (SARC)
  • Tactical Element
    Element Leader (Staff Sergeant)
    Assistant Element Leader / Element Member
    Element Member (Sergeant)
    Element Member
    Navy Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman (SARC)

The 1st and 2nd MRBs were initially formed from the corresponding existing 1st and 2nd Force Reconnaissance companies of the Marine Corps. The 3rd MRB was eventually formed from the Marines Special Operations Advisor Group, a previous MARSOC unit, which specialized in foreign internal defence and unconventional warfare operations.

Marine Raider Support Group (MRSG)

MARSOC communications, intelligence, logistics and other support elements
more info: Marine Raider Support Group

Marine Special Operations School (MSOS)

Training and selection for MARSOC.

more info : Critical Skills Operator selection & training

MARSOC organization chart
MARSOC organizational chart

Marine Raiders

Note: The Marine Raider Regiment was previously known as the Marine Special Operations Regiment (MSOR). Marine Raider Battalions were known as Marine Special Operations Battalions (MSOBs). The MSOR and its subordinate units were renamed with the 'Marine Raider' moniker in August 2014, in recognition of the World War 2 unit. The Marine Special Operations Support Group (MSOG) and its subordinate units were also redesignated with the Marine Raider label.

Marine Raiders
Marine Raiders with Marine Special Operations Company Charlie, 1st Marine Raider Battalion.
Photo by Cpl. Steven Fox

MARSOC - Role

  • Direct Action (DA)
  • Special Reconnaissance (SR)
  • Foreign Internal Defense (FID)
  • Unconventional Warfare (UW)
  • Counterterrorism (CT)
  • Information Operations (IO)
  • Security Force Assistance (SFA)

MARSOC - Notable Operations

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


MARSOC ITC
Marines on the MARSOC the Individual Training Course (ITC) pictured on an an exercise.
U.S. DoD photo by Cpl Thomas Provost




MARSOC Resources

MARSOC Photos
msob rhib marsoc - m40a3 msob - photo marsoc - pistol MARSOC sniper
more MARSOC photos

« Marines Special Operations

MARSOC Insignia
MARSOC insignia
 
Featured MARSOC Photo
MSOB photo
Marine Special Operations Battalion (MSOB) operators pictured at a firing range.
(click for fullsize)
more MARSOC photos
 
Featured MARSOC Video
MARSOC video
MARSOC - Today Will Be Different
(click image to view video)
more USMC Special Ops video