MARSOC a better way?

[Richard]

Originally Posted by SF_BHT

I think we have beaten the horse ref USMC Assets as SOCOM SOF assets in any shape or form.

I'm not too sure about that one...especially as the budget shifts and if USSOCOM remains fiscally in better shape than many other MACOMs. And never forget how the ego of one person looking for ( *?* ) can gain support and drive an organization's growth in ways never intended or foreseen. The SO and Intelligence communities have both experienced this, as well as the bureaucracies overseeing them, and now there are those within and without who are openly noodling the idea of a resurgent OSS. And who knows where all this will lead.

JMHO - Never say never...and I don't think this seahorse is quite dead yet.

Richard's $.02

[SF_BHT]

Originally Posted by Richard

I'm not too sure about that one...especially as the budget shifts and if USSOCOM remains fiscally in better shape than many other MACOMs. And never forget how the ego of one person looking for ( *?* ) can gain support and drive an organization's growth in ways never intended or foreseen. The SO and Intelligence communities have both experienced this, as well as the bureaucracies overseeing them, and now there are those within and without who are openly noodling the idea of a resurgent OSS. And who knows where all this will lead.

JMHO - Never say never...and I don't think this seahorse is quite dead yet.

Richard's $.02

You have a good point ref money but the Corps are slow to make change.....so the money may be safe.......

[Backwoods]

Originally Posted by Richard

Personally, and although it is certainly posted in the wrong place as it is germane to existing forums and on-going discussion, I found this paper to be a pretty good synopsis of the discussion...and this paragraph is--IMO--the 'nucleus' of the discussion.

This extended discussion of definitions was important because much of the debate that surrounds the current and future special operations capability within the Marine Corps is really about terms. One view is that the Marine Corps cannot conduct special operations, because it has no special operations forces. Others claim that MEU (SOC) and Force Reconnaissance are the Marine Corps’ version of Special Forces. As the joint doctrinal definitions show, none of these claims are accurate. SOF, SO, and SF are distinctly different. They are precise terms and organizational leaders should use them precisely. They are inter-related, but one is not a requirement for the other. For the issue of force contribution, the key fact is that based on the definitions above, the Marine Corps does not need to create any new units in order to conduct special operations and thus contribute to USSOCOM.

I've just added this document to my research files.

Richard's $.02

Richard,

I haven't had the chance to read the paper posted, but did your quote come from that paper??

EDIT: Never mind. I found it in the paper.