MSOC Marines

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MSOC Marines

A MSOC Marine patrols a village in Afghanistan.

MSOC (Marine Special Operations Company)
MSOB (Marine Special Operations Battalion)
MARSOC (Marine Special Operations Command)

MSOB is organized, trained and equipped to deploy for worldwide missions as directed by MARSOC. A MSOB consists four or five Marine Special Operations Companies* (MSOCs) and is task-organized with personnel uniquely skilled in special equipment support, intelligence and fire-support.

Each MSOC is commanded by a Marine Major and capable of deploying task-organized expeditionary Special Operations Forces for conduct of special reconnaissance and direct action missions in support of the geographic combatant commanders.

* 1st MSOB, headquartered at Camp Pendleton, California, has four companies and 2nd MSOB, headquartered at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, has five companies.

LATEST NEWS

Special Ops Marines Deliver in Southern Afghanistan
3/14/2008
By Marine Staff Sgt. Luis P. Valdespino Jr.
Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan Public Affairs

Editor's note: Staff Sgt. Valdespino is a Marine combat correspondent assigned to Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan. He recently spent 16 days embedded with a Marine Special Operations Company in Helmand province, Afghanistan, to watch and learn about their role in Operation Enduring Freedom. Because the military personnel mentioned in this story are special operations personnel, their names and the specific locations cannot be published.

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - For most Marines, "special forces" traditionally means Force Reconnaissance units.

Having served in the Corps for almost 20 years, I have heard stories about Force "Recon," but until recently I was not familiar with the role of a Marine special operations company. A couple weeks with a Marine special operations company deployed from the 1st Special Operations Battalion in Camp Pendleton was an eye-opening and humbling experience.

Marine Special Operations, as an organization, has only existed for about two years. The MSOC Marines come from former Force Recon and other infantry units, said a former Force Recon Marine. Their experiences vary, but most have had years of combat experience.

The MSOC Marines, based out of a forward operating base in central Helmand province, operated at a much faster pace than I had previously seen.

Accompanied by a small group of Afghan national army soldiers, the Marines were constantly on the go: visiting villages, distributing humanitarian aid and always searching for insurgents. Their breaks between operations varied from 12 hours to three days.

The MSOC Marines thrive on missions that have them patrolling for enemy forces, an MSOC Marine said. "We don't like being on the FOB."

Shortly after my arrival on their FOB, the unit departed on a mission in northern Helmand province.

An MSOC leatherneck said his Marines were attacked four times throughout the four-day mission. He described how they overcame enemy machine gun positions, mortar attacks and rocket-propelled-grenades.

"Needless to say, we silenced their weapons," said another MSOC Marine.

I joined the MSOC Marines on their next mission, a three-day assignment in north central Helmand province, visiting villages throughout the districts. At night the Marines slept on the desert ground - in sleeping bags, but not on cots.

While on foot patrol through the first village on day one, I learned that these Marines were not on a time schedule, and they took no shortcuts. In full combat gear they searched all compounds, streets and paths in the village. When it was secure, they set up distribution sites for the humanitarian aid they brought with them.

On the second day the unit came under attack within five minutes of arriving at a small village. Immediately the MSOC Marines positioned themselves throughout the village and began engaging the enemy insurgents.

Halfway into what turned out to be a nearly four-hour battle, a Marine who seemed to never rest, looked at me and said with a grin, "We're not done yet."

He seemed unfazed that earlier a rocket-propelled grenade missed him by less than two feet.

Despite several other close calls, the Marines relentlessly pursued the insurgents until they secured the village, and the Taliban fighters were either killed or fled. Before they were done, the MSOC hospital corpsmen cared for and treated villagers injured by insurgents.

Afterward Marine leaders met with village elders and committed to return with much needed aid and support, as long as the Marines had the villagers' support.

As my time with the unit ended, the MSOC Marines prepared to depart on another mission. After all, they weren't done yet.

1st MSOB

2nd MSOB

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