Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC), also known as the Marine Raiders, was officially formed on February 24, 2006. This was the culmination of years of effort to establish a dedicated special operations unit within the Marine Corps. Advertisement

From Force Recon to MARSOC

When Special Operations Command (SOCOM) was created in 1986, the Marines had Force Recon as their elite unit. At that time, Marine leadership resisted joining SOCOM, fearing it would undermine Force Recon’s capabilities and independence. However, after the 9/11 attacks , attitudes shifted.

The need for a dedicated special operations unit became clear. In response, the Marines established MCSOCOM Detachment 1 (Det 1) in 2003. This unit, composed mainly of Marines from the 1st and 2nd Force Recon Companies,

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