MARSOC Critical Skills Operators Worthy of Their WWII Lineage

The Marine Corps hadn’t had a Special Operations unit since World War II, but all of that changed in 2003 when on June of that year, the Marine Corps and USSOCOM formed Marine Corps Special Operations Command Detachment One (MCSOCOM Det 1) to explore unit level Marine Corps participation in USSOCOM. Prior to this, Marine […]

MARSOC Critical Skills Operators Worthy of Their WWII Lineage

The Marine Corps hadn’t had a Special Operations unit since World War II, but all of that changed in 2003 when on June of that year, the Marine Corp and USSOCOM formed Marine Corps Special Operations Command Detachment One (MCSOCOM Det 1) to explore unit level Marine Corps participation in USSOCOM. Prior to this, Marine […]

Marine Raiders and Gear of WWII

The only things those people have that you don’t is guts. Do you wanna live forever? — Col Merritt A. “Red Mike” Edson The Marine Raiders were established to operate behind enemy lines during World War II. They specialized in amphibious warfare in the cover of darkness. The Raider concept was born in the early days of […]

Hand-to-hand combat in SOF (Pt. 3): World War 2 and the ’50s

Note: This is part of a series. You can read part one and part two here. World War II saw the advent of modern special operations, and thus the need for special hand-to-hand fighting skills for special operators. The foremost of these units were the British Commandos, the OSS, the First Special Service Force (1SSF), Army Rangers, Marine […]

Remembering the Marine Raiders of WWII

During the early years of World War II, the United States Marine Corps Raider battalions became the first American elite units committed to battle the Axis. Though originally conceived as a counterpart to the British commandos, the Raiders proved to be much more, and like their English brethren, laid the groundwork for the future while […]

MARSOC working dogs: Can your pup do this?

Military working dogs have shown amazing abilities in the Global War on Terror over the past 16 years. Check out the video below to see what Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC) is doing with theirs. Featured image courtesy of Marines.mil

Watch: Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) – ITC Phase One

Amphibious training provides Marine Raiders with specialized skills needed to operate in diverse environments. During Phase 1 of the Individual Training Course, students learn to operate, navigate, and build the small watercraft known as the zodiac. They are continously evaluated, mentally and physically tested, and must perform a 2k fin in the open ocean prior […]

The gear of Marine Raiders from WWII

Article courtesy of Scott Witner (loadoutroom.com) The only things those people have that you don’t is guts. Do you wanna live forever? — Col Merritt A. “Red Mike” Edson The Marine Raiders were established to operate behind enemy lines during World War II. They specialized in amphibious warfare in the cover of darkness. The Raider concept was […]