Marine Corps Special Ops Will Add to Military Capability, Commander Says

Title: Marine Corps Special Ops Will Add to Military Capability, Commander Says

URL Source: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/539863/marine-corps-special-ops-will-add-military-capability-commander-says

Markdown Content:

===============

Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

* [REGISTER](http://www.dvidshub.net/member/registration)
* [LOGIN](http://www.dvidshub.net/login)

(e.g. [email protected])

– [x] Remember me

[Forgot Password?](http://www.dvidshub.net/forgotpassword)

[![Image 2:

* [Home](http://www.dvidshub.net/)
* [SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH](http://www.dvidshub.net/feature/SECDEFHegseth)
* [Combatant Commands](http://www.dvidshub.net/cocom)

* [Features](http://www.dvidshub.net/feature)

* [Content](http://www.dvidshub.net/search)
* [Images](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=image)
* [Video](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=video)
* [News](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=news)
* [Audio](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=audio)
* [Graphics](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=graphics)
* [Podcasts](http://www.dvidshub.net/podcast)
* [Publications](http://www.dvidshub.net/publication)
* [Webcasts](http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast)

* [Stories](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio)
* [Storytellers](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio)
* [Media Awards](http://www.dvidshub.net/awards/guidelines)

* [Hometown News](http://www.dvidshub.net/jointhometownnewsservice)
* [Releases](http://www.dvidshub.net/jointhometownnewsservice/map)
* [Hometown Heroes](http://www.dvidshub.net/map)
* [Holiday Greetings Map](http://www.dvidshub.net/holiday)

* [Units](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit)

* [Newswire](http://www.dvidshub.net/alerts)

* [Media Requests](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest)
* [Create Request](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest)
* [Media Press Kit](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest/presskit)

* ![Image 4:

Marine Corps Special Ops Will Add to Military Capability, Commander Says
========================================================================

![Image 5: facebook sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/facebook.svg)

![Image 6: twitter sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/twitter.svg)

![Image 7: linkedin sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/linkedin.svg)

![Image 8: pinterest sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/pinterest.svg)

![Image 9: sharethis sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/sharethis.svg)

### WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES

### 01.26.2006

### Story by [Sara Moore](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070478/sara-moore) and [Sara Moore](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070478/sara-moore)

### [Department of War](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC)[](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/unit/TPC "Search for Department of War media")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/rss/unit/66 "RSS feed for Department of War")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC "Unit with the Most Placements for Videos<br/> March 2017")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC "Unit with the Most Placements for Videos<br/> February 2017")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC "Unit with the Most Placements for Videos<br/> January 2017")[](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/TPC "Unit with the Most Placements for Videos<br/> December 2016")

[![Image 10](https://cdn.dvidshub.net/images/subscribe-button-icon.png)✔✗Subscribe](http://www.dvidshub.net/alerts/unit/66 "Subscribe to Department of War")

173

![Image 11: facebook sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/facebook.svg)

![Image 12: twitter sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/twitter.svg)

![Image 13: linkedin sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/linkedin.svg)

![Image 14: pinterest sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/pinterest.svg)

![Image 15: sharethis sharing button](https://platform-cdn.sharethis.com/img/sharethis.svg)

The Marine Corps Special Operations Command, the newest addition to the special operations community, will be a complementary force that will ease the strain on other services' elite units and will contribute to the nation's readiness in the global war on terror, the new unit's commander said here today.

"I firmly believe that this is the right thing to do for the country at this time," said Marine Brig. Gen. Dennis J. Hejlik, commander of Marine Corps Special Operations Command. "This irregular warfare is here to stay. If we don't start to go that way, where the force is more joint and more capable across the spectrum, that's not a good thing."

The Marine Corps Special Operations Command, or MARSOC, will formally stand up its headquarters Feb. 24 at Camp Lejeune, N.C. In addition to the headquarters, Camp Lejeune will be home to the Marine Special Operations Support Group, several foreign military training units, a Marine special operations battalion, and the Marine Special Operations School, Hejlik said. Another Marine special operations battalion will be stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., he said.

Over the next five years, MARSOC will grow to an end strength of 2,600 people, Hejlik said. This will include 24 foreign military training units that will deploy worldwide in support of U.S. Special Operations Command and the various combatant commanders, he said. MARSOC already has three FMTUs that will deploy in 2006 and 2007, he said.

The Marine special operations battalion will include four Marine special operations companies, each with 97 to 118 people, depending on mission requirements, Hejlik said. The core of these companies will be experienced force reconnaissance Marines taken from the mainstream Marine Corps, he said.

"There's a lot of capability there, because they're a little bit older; they're a little bit more mature," he said.

The Marine special operations companies will deploy with Marine expeditionary units, Hejlik said. Once deployed, the companies will under operational control of the special operations commander in theater, but be available to support the MEU if needed, he said.

"The intent is not just to rip the guts out of the MEU," he said. "We like to say that they're not separate, but separable."

The focus of MARSOC at the beginning will be the foreign military training units and their missions, Hejlik said. These units will complement the work being done by similar units in other special operations forces and will fill gaps that have arisen due to the recent high demand on special operations, he said. The Marine FMTUs will support all five geographic combatant commanders, with the first scheduled to carry out a mission for U.S. European Command, he said.

The first Marine special operations company will not be formed until May 2006 at Camp Lejeune, Hejlik said.

Marines will only spend three to five years in MARSOC and then will be rotated back into the regular Marine Corps, Hejlik said. This rotation will benefit the entire force, because young Marines will be trained to a higher standard in MARSOC and will bring those skills to other units, he said. It will also prevent Marines from becoming stagnant in one unit and give them opportunities for advancement and education, he said.

"If you take a quality Marine and you bring him up to a little higher standard using (special operations forces) standards, and you give him the right equipment, he is unbeatable," he said.

Story by Sgt. Sara Wood, USA, American Forces Press Service

NEWS INFO
———

Date Taken:01.26.2006
Date Posted:07.04.2025 05:42
Story ID:539863
Location:WASHINGTON, US

* * *

Web Views:8
Downloads:0

* * *

#### PUBLIC DOMAIN ![Image 16](http://www.dvidshub.net/images/public_domain_logo.png)

This work, Marine Corps Special Ops Will Add to Military Capability, Commander Says, by [Sara Moore](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070478/sara-moore) and [Sara Moore](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio/1070478/sara-moore), identified by [

MORE LIKE THIS
————–

[![Image 17: U.S. Special Operations Command hosts first ever International Commander's Forum to build generational relationships during Special Operations Forces Week 2025](https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2505/9029844/149x84_q95.jpg)](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/497641/us-special-operations-command-hosts-first-ever-international-commanders-forum-build-generational-relationships-during-special-operations-forces-week-2025 "U.S. Special Operations Command hosts first ever International Commander's Forum to build generational relationships during Special Operations Forces Week 2025")

[![Image 18: MARSOC conducts RAVEN Unit Readiness Exercise](https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2207/7316831/149x84_q95.jpg)](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/425000/marsoc-conducts-raven-unit-readiness-exercise "MARSOC conducts RAVEN Unit Readiness Exercise")

[![Image 19: Sniper Competition Test More Than Just Marksmanship](https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/1504/1902005/149x84_q95.jpg)](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/161524/sniper-competition-test-more-than-just-marksmanship "Sniper Competition Test More Than Just Marksmanship")

[![Image 20: 67th SOS Air Commandos team up with sister unit to conduct unique personnel recovery exercise](https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/1903/5150763/149x84_q95.jpg)](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/312928/67th-sos-air-commandos-team-up-with-sister-unit-conduct-unique-personnel-recovery-exercise "67th SOS Air Commandos team up with sister unit to conduct unique personnel recovery exercise")

CONTROLLED VOCABULARY KEYWORDS
——————————

_No keywords found._

Add Keyword

TAGS
—-

[American Forces Press Service](http://www.dvidshub.net/tags/news/american-forces-press-service)

[Defense.gov DefenseLink Archive](http://www.dvidshub.net/tags/news/defensegov-defenselink-archive)

OPTIONS
——-

* [Register/Login to Download](http://www.dvidshub.net/login)

####

* [404-282-1450](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/539863/marine-corps-special-ops-will-add-military-capability-commander-says#)

#### Web Support

* [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

#### Customer Service

* [1-888-743-4662](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/539863/marine-corps-special-ops-will-add-military-capability-commander-says#)
* [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

#### [Features](http://www.dvidshub.net/feature)

#### [Units](http://www.dvidshub.net/unit)

#### [Newswire](http://www.dvidshub.net/alerts)

#### [About

* [Contact Us](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/contactus)
* [Privacy & Security](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/privacy)
* [FAQs](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/faq)
* [Copyright Information](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright)
* [Accessibility Information](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/accessibility)
* [Customer Service](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/contactweb)

#### [Media Requests](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest)

* [Create Request](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest)
* [Media Press Kit](http://www.dvidshub.net/mediarequest/presskit)

#### [Hometown News](http://www.dvidshub.net/jointhometownnewsservice)

* [Releases](http://www.dvidshub.net/jointhometownnewsservice/map)
* [Hometown Heroes](http://www.dvidshub.net/map)
* [Holiday Greetings Map](http://www.dvidshub.net/holiday)

#### [Stories](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio)

* [Storytellers](http://www.dvidshub.net/portfolio)
* [Media Awards](http://www.dvidshub.net/awards/guidelines)

#### [Content](http://www.dvidshub.net/search)

* [Images](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=image)
* [Video](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=video)
* [News](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=news)
* [Audio](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=audio)
* [Graphics](http://www.dvidshub.net/search/2.0?type=graphics)
* [Podcasts](http://www.dvidshub.net/podcast)
* [Publications](http://www.dvidshub.net/publication)
* [Webcasts](http://www.dvidshub.net/webcast)

#### Links

* [Links Disclaimer](http://www.dvidshub.net/about/linksdisclaimer)
* [No FEAR Act](http://prhome.defense.gov/NoFear/)
* [Open Government](http://open.defense.gov/)
* [FOIA](http://open.defense.gov/Transparency/FOIA.aspx)
* [USA Gov](https://www.usa.gov/)
* [Inspector General](http://www.dodig.mil/)
* [Web Policy](http://dodcio.defense.gov/DoD-Web-Policy/)
* [EEO](http://www.dodig.mil/EEO/process.html)
* [Sexual Assault Prevention](http://www.sapr.mil/)
* [DVI Records Schedule](https://www.dimoc.mil/Portals/64/docs/DVI%20docs/DoD-VI-Records-Schedule.pdf?ver=2018-02-06-205026-927)
* [DVI Executive Summary](https://www.dimoc.mil/Portals/64/ExecSumm%20-%20VI%20Records%20Schedule%20-%20AUG%202019_1.pdf)
* [Section 3103](https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2009-title44/USCODE-2009-title44-chap31-sec3103)

[![Image 21: Podcasts Logo](http://www.dvidshub.net/images/podcasts_logo_white.png)](http://www.dvidshub.net/podcast)[![Image 22: Military 24/7 Logo](http://www.dvidshub.net/images/mil_247_logo_white.png)](http://www.dvidshub.net/app)[](http://www.dvidshub.net/news/539863/marine-corps-special-ops-will-add-military-capability-commander-says)[](http://www.facebook.com/

[![Image 23: US Deptartment of Defense Logo](http://www.dvidshub.net/images/wargov-logo-footer.png)](https://www.defense.gov/)

Version: 5a266dc3ff9fb60f2179f68892ebeb0d8fc270d8_2025-10-14T09:11:41

Marine Corps Special Ops Will Add to Military Capability, Commander Says

Adjacent Records