There is something a little disquieting about the posts here. The USMC did not ask for this mission and it is not their leadership which has created a pet project in FID. Word I have is that they were not asked by SOCOM, but directed to take on this project. SOCOM falls under title 22 and as such is limited by state department when it comes to the number of personnel in country. The USMC being title 10 is not subjected to the same regulation. They will receive no funding for this porject from SOCOM. Just as they received no funding for Det 1. Additionally they will not be allowed any manning increase for the bodies. The idea behind the shift is not to take away anyones niche, but rather to allow SOCOM personnel, who have many round holes, to continue in the filling of those holes which are of higher import and cannot be filled by anyone else. While I do know that the Corps is already accruing knowledge from lessons learned, I would find it very hard to believe that they would pull an Air Force stunt and ask for augmentation. The USMC will put their best foot forward on this and I am sure that they will be quite successful.
504, the
CAP were quite successful. Were around from 65-71.