Aviation Support to U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command

<p>United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) was activated on 24 February 2006. Unlike most United States Marine Corps (USMC) warfighting commands MARSOC is not organized for combat as a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) and as such has no inherent aviation capabilities. This paper will describe the origins of Special Operations Command (SOCOM) the historical lack of a USMC contribution to SOCOM the creation of MARSOC as the first USMC unit in SOCOM and most importantly aviation support to MARSOC. The major question is how MARSOC will coordinate aviation support to meet training and operational requirements. Without direct ties to a Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) and without a co-located element of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) or a United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) aviation element the means for coordination of aviation support for MARSOC operations is not readily apparent. This paper will examine how MARSOC's aviation support requirements are being met how their operational support requirements might be met in the future and the impact on traditional USMC forces. Additionally several courses of action will be presented along with a recommendation for the way forward with respect to aviation support to MARSOC.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>