An Aviator will be next CG MARSOC

tigerstr

tigerstr

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According to MC Times latest issue Maj. Gen. Mark Clark is expected to be the new Commanding General of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, as part of a reshuffling of general officers in the Marine Corps. (not putting a link cause for now its in the subscription-only digital version).

General Clark ( full bio here ) is a Naval Aviator (Helicopter and Tilt Rotor Squadrons) with tours at ANGLICO and (multiple) Special Operations. Last positions, Director of Operations USSOCOM and Chief of Staff USSOCOM.

I am familiar with the "every Marine a rifleman" concept/theory and also with the fact that MEUs and other formations ( like the USMC itself right now) can be commanded by Aviation Officers, but to me it seems peculiar assigning an Aviator to a formation that has no aviation component whatsoever, (at least for now), and is still in its formative stage.

Your thoughts/comments?
 
He seems to have enough experience in senior SOF staff positions for the job. If you look at his predecessors he looks much more qualified (with one exception). LtGen Hejlik (according to his bio) had like one tour at SOCOM before taking up MARSOC. I saw no SOF experience for MajGen Robeson (I don't know if his time with CJTF HOA counts or not). MajGen Lefevre had 3 years at JSOC, and seems to have had the most experience of all these commanders. So in comparison to tge previous commanders, he seems to have the chops for it.
 
SOWT said:
He is also in a position to bring MC Aviation Assets into the fold, folks at AFSOC probably getting nervous :hmm:
Click to expand...

Thats the first thing I thought while reading about it. The essence of the MAGTF concept calls for an aviation element. There has been some debate in the Corps ,with some arguments against it, based on the costs involved. I think if USSOCOM would be willing to pay the extra bills, it could be done. And it would make a MEU(SOC) much more capable with SOF assets on board.

Guess we have to wait and see how it plays out.
 
I'll hold back and see what develops news wise with this position, but I can't help thinking back to the history of operation annaconda where the overall commander of SOF forces was a aviator who the guys there (at least according to Pete Blabber) didn't think was the right person for a job like that and resulted in some ugly personality/operational clashes. First the commandant and now CG for marsoc coming from aviation? We need more hard fighting boots on the ground types like General Mattis in key positions!
 
JohnnyBoyUSMC said:
I'll hold back and see what develops news wise with this position, but I can't help thinking back to the history of operation annaconda where the overall commander of SOF forces was a aviator who the guys there (at least according to Pete Blabber) didn't think was the right person for a job like that and resulted in some ugly personality/operational clashes. First the commandant and now CG for marsoc coming from aviation? We need more hard fighting boots on the ground types like General Mattis in key positions!
Click to expand...
Aviators have successfully commanded Joint Sof Task Force's. I think he was the problem, and would have been a problem regardless of background.
 
Also keep in mind that he is not just a Naval Aviator but that he came from ANGLICO. Along w/Recon, ANGLICO & 3 other MOS communities were recognized by the JSOU as qualified to rate their own Special Operations Designator.

*Johnny Micheal Spann, the 1st CIA Operative killed in the GWOT, was a Marine Arty Officer recruited into the CIA SAD's Special Operations Group directly from ANGLICO.

ANGLICO's Marines have earned a seat at MARSOC's table along with Recon.
 
SCCO_Marine said:
*Johnny Micheal Spann, the 1st CIA Operative killed in the GWOT, was a Marine Arty Officer recruited into the CIA SAD's Special Operations Group directly from ANGLICO.

ANGLICO's Marines have earned a seat at MARSOC's table along with Recon.
Click to expand...

I know an ANGLICO guy that has gone on to do some interesting work for DOS in the recent past as well.
 
Quite interesting.
The Regiments current CO has a Chem. Warfare background. He never commanded a combat unit in theatere as far as I know (please correct me if I'm wrong).
But, he seems to be the right guy in the right position. The Regiment is growing in it's capabilities. New training, new contacts, new experiances.
And he's not afraid to take the heap when the shit hits the fan.
If MARSOCs new commander green-lights new inictiatives that will insure the growth in the Commands capabilities, it should not be a problem that he's a fly boy.
 
Guys on the ground will continue to make things happen regardless of who's running the show. It may be painful or not as efficient, but they will make things happen, that's the nature of their personalities. The real question is funding and that's when shiat gets real. In other words, how much money will go to aviation related ventures vice the ground component? We'll find out.
 
Gonna be interesting to see where that potential money might come from, especially given that the pentagon recently announced a drawback in orders/use of certain types of UAV's. I forget where it was I read the article, might have been cnn.
 
JohnnyBoyUSMC said:
Gonna be interesting to see where that potential money might come from, especially given that the pentagon recently announced a drawback in orders/use of certain types of UAV's. I forget where it was I read the article, might have been cnn.
Click to expand...
One Global Hawk Varient was cut, but the U-2 will "soldier on" and provide the coverage.

What other UAV's have been cut?
 
SOWT said:
One Global Hawk Varient was cut, but the U-2 will "soldier on" and provide the coverage.

What other UAV's have been cut?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that's the one that I read, I honestly wish I could remember where I read that article. I'm still to this day at a loss as to why the U2 is still in operation but the SR-71 war retired.....Aurora anyone? Gotta love a conspiracy theory :P
 
JohnnyBoyUSMC said:
I'm pretty sure that's the one that I read, I honestly wish I could remember where I read that article. I'm still to this day at a loss as to why the U2 is still in operation but the SR-71 war retired.....Aurora anyone? Gotta love a conspiracy theory :p
Click to expand...
The SR-71 was stupidly costly to maintain and fuel, and having a Mach-3 jet that can fly at stupidly high altitudes is not really necessary these days. Now, as to the reason why the U-2 is still flying.....I dunno. Probably less costly to maintain than the Blackbird and you can still put different sensor packages on it. And it doesn't need to have ridiculous speed to avoid Soviet missiles and interceptors these days.
 
Deathy McDeath said:
The SR-71 was stupidly costly to maintain and fuel, and having a Mach-3 jet that can fly at stupidly high altitudes is not really necessary these days. Now, as to the reason why the U-2 is still flying.....I dunno. Probably less costly to maintain than the Blackbird and you can still put different sensor packages on it. And it doesn't need to have ridiculous speed to avoid Soviet missiles and interceptors these days.
Click to expand...
Sensor suite being developed by the Global Hawk wasn't working out so it was dropped.

SR-71- Sometimes fast is good, but RUMINT says the SR was retired because the CSAF (McPeek) was rejected by the unit.
I suspect they had something else in the works, and that is why it went away.
 
SOWT said:
Sensor suite being developed by the Global Hawk wasn't working out so it was dropped.

SR-71- Sometimes fast is good, but RUMINT says the SR was retired because the CSAF (McPeek) was rejected by the unit.
I suspect they had something else in the works, and that is why it went away.
Click to expand...

Perhaps thats the case. But as cool as the Blackbird was, pretty much every function it had can be filled by satellites and UAVs these days. Not sure if that was the case in '93 though.
 
SCCO_Marine said:
Also keep in mind that he is not just a Naval Aviator but that he came from ANGLICO. Along w/Recon, ANGLICO & 3 other MOS communities were recognized by the JSOU as qualified to rate their own Special Operations Designator.

*Johnny Micheal Spann, the 1st CIA Operative killed in the GWOT, was a Marine Arty Officer recruited into the CIA SAD's Special Operations Group directly from ANGLICO.

ANGLICO's Marines have earned a seat at MARSOC's table along with Recon.
Click to expand...


I know this is a very old post, but could you direct me to a copy of the report from JSOU you are referencing? I'd like to see it as a reference for something I'm working on.

Thanks,
 

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