Army needs a crisis response team

[Teufel]

So it's basically the same thing, they just dropped the (SOC)?

Well there was a year or two where there were no Force Recon Marines on the boat so they lost their SOC qual. MARSOC was supposed to fill the gap but that didn't happen (the TSOC just pulled them to answer other TSOC requirements; they didn't see any point to a bunch of SOF guys sitting on a boat twiddling their thumbs and jacking steel). When they brought back the Force Recon platoons on the MEU they never put the (SOC) back on. Aside from that not much has changed.

A little trivia: the MEU who responded to the capture of the Maerks Alabama didn't have a Force Recon platoon so as everyone remembers the SEALs came in and rescued Captain Phillips. This made the Marine Corps realize that getting rid of Force Recon was a bad idea and triggered their return to the MEUs.

 

[TLDR20]

Well there was a year or two where there were no Force Recon Marines on the boat so they lost their SOC qual. MARSOC was supposed to fill the gap but that didn't happen (the TSOC just pulled them to answer other TSOC requirements; they didn't see any point to a bunch of SOF guys sitting on a boat twiddling their thumbs and jacking steel). When they brought back the Force Recon platoons on the MEU they never put the (SOC) back on. Aside from that not much has changed.

A little trivia: the MEU who responded to the capture of the Maerks Alabama didn't have a Force Recon platoon so as everyone remembers the SEALs came in and rescued Captain Phillips. This made the Marine Corps realize that getting rid of Force Recon was a bad idea and triggered their return to the MEUs.

A couple of my buddies just did a float last year with 2nd Force. Said it was the worst time of their lives.

 

[goon175]

Well there was a year or two where there were no Force Recon Marines on the boat so they lost their SOC qual. MARSOC was supposed to fill the gap but that didn't happen (the TSOC just pulled them to answer other TSOC requirements; they didn't see any point to a bunch of SOF guys sitting on a boat twiddling their thumbs and jacking steel). When they brought back the Force Recon platoons on the MEU they never put the (SOC) back on. Aside from that not much has changed.

A little trivia: the MEU who responded to the capture of the Maerks Alabama didn't have a Force Recon platoon so as everyone remembers the SEALs came in and rescued Captain Phillips. This made the Marine Corps realize that getting rid of Force Recon was a bad idea and triggered their return to the MEUs.

That is really interesting. Although, because it was a hostage situation, I think the SEAL SMU would have still been called in, even if their was a Force platoon available.

 

[Lycurgus]

SEALs do not do ARG/MEUs anymore, and there is no plan for us to resume them. I can't get into the details on here but there are crisis response teams with members from all braches of the military (particulary SOF) forward deployed. The package this team can bring is significant and the response time is GREATLY reduced since they are already in the region.

 

[Teufel]

That is really interesting. Although, because it was a hostage situation, I think the SEAL SMU would have still been called in, even if their was a Force platoon available.

I agree but it highlighted the deficiency. Also some high ranking Marines feel otherwise. They were butt hurt.

 

[Teufel]

SEALs do not do ARG/MEUs anymore, and there is no plan for us to resume them. I can't get into the details on here but there are crisis response teams with members from all braches of the military (particulary SOF) forward deployed. The package this team can bring is significant and the response time is GREATLY reduced since they are already in the region.

This is what we are competing with. I may have mentioned at a meeting that if anything goes down in the world that the guys Lycurgus mentioned will go deal with it unless it a MEU sized problem like a natural disaster or something. You should have seen the look I received from some very senior officers. They gave me the coloring book they issue at The Basic School and some crayons and told to get to coloring.

 

[Brill]

...they just dropped the (SOC)?

And grabbed their Glock! (Couldn't let that one go.)

 

[Lycurgus]

This is what we are competing with. I may have mentioned at a meeting that if anything goes down in the world that the guys Lycurgus mentioned will go deal with it unless it a MEU sized problem like a natural disaster or something. You should have seen the look I received from some very senior officers. They gave me the coloring book they issue at The Basic School and some crayons and told to get to coloring.

Yeap, you are exactly right. It might be a hard pill to swallow, but that's exactly the way it's gonna work out. The USMC missed the bus on this one!

 

[goon175]

So, to the original link I posted, as we have all highlighted.... The good Admiral was absolutely ridiculous in his statements.

 

[Teufel]

Yeap, you are exactly right. It might be a hard pill to swallow, but that's exactly the way it's gonna work out. The USMC missed the bus on this one!

Well there are some initiatives we are putting out to make the MEUs more relevant. There could be a "crisis" that occurs that doesn't meet the threshold for SOCOM to act on. I'm ok with small potatoes. Or maybe just mil to mil engagement that is being gapped for lack of forces. Some recon and MARSOC officers are trying to find ways to keep the MEUs (and the Marine Corps) relevant by finding work that needs to be done, even if it isn't sexy, and not competing for an already saturated field. But hey what do I know, I haven't been to the war college.

 

[Rabid Badger]

So, to the original link I posted, as we have all highlighted.... The good Admiral was absolutely ridiculous in his statements.

in a word, yes. I had a great CIF response that went blabbity blah blah but deleted it. The leg-wetting was a great analogy.

The Admiral is fighting for dwindling dollars and is looking for a check writer at Congress level to agree with him.

 

[Teufel]

Don't forget that the combination of certain unclass terms or acronyms makes the conversation classified- specifically when a unit is one of the acronyms. It's particularly touchy concerning units with out of the ordinary mission sets.

I'm not trying to be The OPSEC Nazi, just sayin'...

Obviously referring to USMC. I will report myself to the G2 immediately!!

 

[x SF med]

Don't forget that the combination of certain unclass terms or acronyms makes the conversation classified- specifically when a unit is one of the acronyms. It's particularly touchy concerning units with out of the ordinary mission sets.

I'm not trying to be The OPSEC Nazi, just sayin'...

What OPSEC? and where are the Naht-zees... We have the Jewish Bear to take care of the Naht-zees. Or, was that the Hebrew Hammer... whatever, we'll still kill Naht-zees.

 

[Salt USMC]

Don't anger the purple dragon!

 

[SkrewzLoose]

What OPSEC? and where are the Naht-zees... We have the Jewish Bear to take care of the Naht-zees. Or, was that the Hebrew Hammer... whatever, we'll still kill Naht-zees.

The Bear Jew?
Great movie...