Special ops to ramp up training

**Team Sergeant** · 02-10-2008, 09:56

Special ops to ramp up training
By Rowan Scarborough
February 10, 2008
U.S. special operations, the top command in fighting the global war on terrorism, is reorganizing itself to show more of its softer side.

Realizing brute force must be tempered by outreach and diplomacy, Special Operations Command (SoCom) is shifting some personnel away from the battlefield and toward the training of foreign armies, who in theory would then be able to hold al Qaeda in check without U.S. military intervention.

SoCom's main mission of attacking terrorists abroad in hours, not days, and for killing or capturing the enemy remains. But it hopes small teams of trainers sent today to North Africa, the Middle East or the Pacific will mean the U.S. would not have to send thousands of troops later to fight terrorists.

"U.S. SoCom is expanding its capacity to perform FID across the components," said a SoCom statement in response to questions from The Washington Times. FID stands for the Foreign Internal Defense mission — a task performed by special operations for decades, but now getting new emphasis.

Until now, Army Special Forces, better known as Green Berets, did virtually all such missions. Now, the Marine Corps have gotten involved, as well as Navy SEALs.

"We have done some internal reorganization," said Maj. Cliff Gilmore, spokesman for Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC). "Certainly, the foreign international defense mission is a set of missions that is becoming more common, and there is a great demand for them."

Adm. Eric Olson, who became chief of U.S. Special Operations Command last year, signaled a change last summer when he told Congress, "We know that we cannot kill or talk our way to victory ... Our actions must demonstrate our values and be convincing locally, regionally and — ultimately — globally."

A few months later, Marine Maj. Gen. Dennis Hejlik, who heads the year-old MARSOC, convened an off-site conference with unit commanders. The result: Gen. Hejlik decided to reduce "direct action" personnel and shift them to the training mission.

continued:

http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs...809841255/1001

SF_BHT · 02-10-2008, 14:49

MARSOC is going to have to keep their Marines for Career tracking inside the Org if they wish to succeed. The revolving door going back and forth to the regular marine forces will cause them to never become functional as a FID force. I hope USSOCOM can fix this if they truly want them to succeed.

Tubbs · 02-13-2008, 01:06

Ok, in the event that my foot comes anywhere near my mouth I want to put my caveat at the begining of this post.
I am not, nor have I ever been a member of the special operations community. However, I am a United States Marine and I served in operations.
This is more of a question than a statement.

Doesn't it seem foolish that the Marine Corps is trying to move into the arena of FID? Shouldn't we be leaving this to the experts, I.E. US Army Special Forces?
The Marine Corps is designed to be an expiditionary force in readiness. We do have a valuable contribution to make to the special ops side of the War on Terror, but shouldn't we be playing to our strengths which would be the hunting down and elimating of terrorists. We arugably have more experience in this type of low intensiy warefare than the other branches of the military. I would like to reference FMFRP 12-15 "Small Wars Manual" to support this statement.
Wouldn't we do better to focus on DA and reconassaince? In fact, if we did this wouldn't it free Special Forces personal to conduct more FID missions?
Now, I'm a bit biased as I believe that my brother infantry Marines are the ultimate badasses, but that's because we come in and finish shit that other people start and can't finish. Nowhere in my short tenure in the Corps did FID come into that equation.
I'm not trying to talk smack, this shift is just confusing to me. In my copious research into the topic (at the behest of TR after I foolishly engaged him in an arguement as to the parameters of the SF mission vice that of USMC Force Recon) I have come to the conclusion that the only branch of the military with any serious level of FID expertise is SF.

Pete S · 02-13-2008, 01:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tubbs

I have come to the conclusion that the only branch of the military with any serious level of FID expertise is SF.

At this time, yes, I agree with your statement.
MarSoc is still new and they need time to learn.

**The Reaper** · 02-13-2008, 06:16

Too many missions=bad at all of them.

We use a selection process that eliminates the majority of all applicants, then lose more during the actual training.

The probationary period on a team is 3 years, by the reg. Even then, the team is being run by guys with ten or more years doing SF missions. We also have an apportioned or an assigned AOR to work in.

As long as the Marines persist in rotating people through MARSOC every few years, they will have problems with trained personnel and a complicated mission.

TR

Ret10Echo · 02-13-2008, 06:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete S

At this time, yes, I agree with your statement.
MarSoc is still new and they need time to learn.

But if MARSOC doesn't adjust their mindset, realizing the impact of a rotating force the "still new" will not change.

SF_BHT · 02-13-2008, 07:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ret10Echo

But if MARSOC doesn't adjust their mindset, realizing the impact of a rotating force the "still new" will not change.

MARSOC can try try try as much as they can but if MOTHER Corps does not change they are destined for failure in the FID environment. FID is the hardest task to do....