Special Force
How does USMC Force Recon differ from Navy SEALs and Army Special Forces?
Is Force Recon like a more direct action Navy SEAL? What do their missions differ from Army SF?
Quote on Counter Terrorism:
"Examples include: The British Special Air Service, United States Marine Corps Anti-Terrorism Battalion and Force Recon, etc. However, it is rare that military units such as the Israeli Sayeret Matkal, German KSK,(JaKdo) Austrian Jagdkommando, the U.S. Navy's DEVGRU or the U.S. Army's Delta Force, actually engage in counter-terrorism operations, as they are largely prevented by either jurisdiction or laws like the Posse Comitatus Act from operating in their own country."
Anyone elaborate?
Marine Force Recon is a tier below the SEALs and Army SF. They are a landing recon force whose primary mission is to scout out unknown territory in small groups and identify possible threats. They are highly trained and capable units who excel in evasion, survival and small force conflict. They are not a direct assault or attack force.
MFR is not yet part of SOCOM. In 2010 to DOD is supposed to determine the necessity of MFR and decide if they will fall into SOCOM with the Army SF, Navy SEALs and Delta Force.
What this means is that MFR, although highly qualified, is not under the direct control of the DoD (like SOCOM units) or Pentagon and rather falls under the USMC and Navy command. Their missions are not of special importance to the US, but more specific to the needs of the Navy and USMC.
MFR would be analogous to Army Rangers except more focused in the infiltration business instead of the direct conflict missions.
Training wise, MFR members have Marine Basic, Infantry school, SERE, Army Airborne, and possibly Army Ranger school. Nearly the same repitoire as an Army Ranger except they have Army Basic.
Army SF for example, have Army Basic, AIT, Airborne, Air Assault, Pathfinder, SERE, SFAS, thier SF Specialy school (25-64 weeks) and a year of language school. So in all, they have about 1.5 years more training and a MFR member.
Here is a simply breakdown of the roles of the US Military's special and elite units (also in order of prestige/selectiveness). This serves to list the PRIMARY role of each force, although each does many different types of missoins.
Delta Force: Counter-terrorism and hostage rescue
Navy SEALs: Infiltration, Espianoge and recon
Army SF: Imbed with foreign Armies, train and fight with them
AF PJs: Rescue of downed pilots
Army Rangers: Airborne operations, first unit in, direct force on force combat, tip of the spear
MFR: shore recon, first unit in, small unit conflict, tip of the spear
 |
 Flash Patch US 5th Special Forces 1st LT Lieutenant Vietnam War MACV SOG $7.47 Time Remaining: 39m |
 L34 ZIPPO LIGHTER Vietnam War DAK LAK US Special Forces 1969 70 $99.00 Time Remaining: 51m |
 LAOS COMBAT MAP US Special Forces 6243 ii S Vietnam War February 1969 $21.77 Time Remaining: 59m |
 Map 6539 iii S Laos DAK PEK US Special Forces base Vietnam War May 66 $17.88 Time Remaining: 1h 15m |
 ASMIC Special Forces Ranger DUI Vietnam Iraq Patches $8.00 Time Remaining: 1h 21m Buy It Now for only: $8.00 |
 Vietnam era DELTA NAVY SEAL Special Forces Fighting knife $600.00 Time Remaining: 1h 54m Buy It Now for only: $600.00 |
 N10 5 x VC NOTES US Special Forces Captured Vietnam War CAMBODIA 1970 $17.44 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2h 3m |
 Cxi Vietnam War SPECIAL FORCES SPECIAL OPS BLACK OPS CHALLENGE COIN $44.44 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2h 33m |
 Jungl Jacket Special Forces MACV $48.00 Time Remaining: 3h 5m |
 S32 COMPASS US Special Forces SEPTEMBER 1966 Vietnam War PLAINFIELD $44.44 Time Remaining: 3h 22m |
 Patch Elite US Special Forces TEAM WASP Vietnam War Command North Khe Sanh $6.77 Time Remaining: 3h 36m |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG 5TH SPECIAL FORCES RECON B 51 GREEN BERET PATCH $39.99 Time Remaining: 4h 4m Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES RECON KENTUCKY GREEN BERET PATCH $39.99 Time Remaining: 4h 6m Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 Patch MACV SOG AIRBORNE SPECIAL FORCES Vietnam War US MILITARY ASSISTANCE $6.67 Time Remaining: 4h 11m |
 VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES USSF ARROW HEAD RECON GREEN BERET PATCH CIA $99.99 Time Remaining: 4h 13m Buy It Now for only: $129.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES DELTA RECON GREEN BERET PATCH CIA $79.99 Time Remaining: 4h 14m Buy It Now for only: $99.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES RECON ANACONDA GREEN BERET PATCH $79.99 Time Remaining: 4h 14m Buy It Now for only: $99.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES RECON WASP GREEN BERET PATCH CIA $79.99 Time Remaining: 4h 15m Buy It Now for only: $99.99 |
 Patch MACV SOG COLONEL Beret Flash Vietnam War SUBDUED Special Forces $7.08 Time Remaining: 4h 15m |
 VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG AATTV PERSEVERE SPECIAL FORCES RECON GREEN BERET PATCH CIA $24.99 Time Remaining: 4h 18m Buy It Now for only: $39.99 |
 Patch MACV SOG Green Berets Vietnam War SHELL BURST US Special Forces $9.04 Time Remaining: 4h 19m |
 Vietnam War 5th Special Forces Group Patch MACV SOG RT TARANTULA CCN $10.99 Time Remaining: 4h 23m Buy It Now for only: $10.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG 1st COMPANY CCS SPECIAL FORCES RECON PATCH $59.99 Time Remaining: 4h 23m Buy It Now for only: $79.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR SPECIAL FORCES GREEN BERET MACV SOG MAAG THEATER PATCH $24.99 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 4h 25m |
 VIETNAM ERA US ARMY SPECIAL FORCES GREEN WIND BREAKER $15.50 (4 Bids) Time Remaining: 4h 25m |
 VIETNAM WAR MARINE CORPS SPECIAL FORCES RECON PARATROOPER JUMP WINGS NAVY SEAL $19.99 Time Remaining: 4h 26m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG BIET KICH SIGMA SPECIAL FORCES RECON GREEN BERET PATCH CIA $79.99 Time Remaining: 4h 27m Buy It Now for only: $99.99 |
 Patch MACV SOG Green Berets Vietnam War SHELL BURST US Special Forces $7.27 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 4h 28m |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR POW SPECIAL FORCES MACV SOG GREEN BERET FLASH CUT EDGE $39.99 Time Remaining: 4h 30m Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG JPRC SPECIAL FORCES RECON GREEN BERET PATCH CIA $79.99 Time Remaining: 4h 30m Buy It Now for only: $99.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG B 51 HAND SEWN SPECIAL FORCES THEATER PATCH $19.99 Time Remaining: 4h 32m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR HAND SEWN THEATER SPECIAL FORCES MACV SOG CIA PATCH $19.99 Time Remaining: 4h 34m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR THEATER SPECIAL FORCES GREEN BERET MACV SOG CIA PATCH $24.99 Time Remaining: 4h 35m Buy It Now for only: $39.99 |
 VIETNAM WAR SPECIAL FORCES C 5 BLACK OPS MIKE FORCE MACV SOG PATCH $59.99 Time Remaining: 4h 37m Buy It Now for only: $79.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR SPECIAL FORCES MACV SOG NAVY SEAL CIA GREEN BERET PATCH $39.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 4h 41m |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES AIRBORNE RECON GREEN BERET PATCH $99.99 Time Remaining: 4h 44m Buy It Now for only: $149.99 |
 VIETNAM WAR ARMY SPECIAL FORCES AIRBORNE RECON PARATROOPER JUMP WINGS $19.99 Time Remaining: 4h 45m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR 75th ARMY RANGER HAND SEWN SPECIAL FORCES THEATER PATCH $24.99 Time Remaining: 4h 47m Buy It Now for only: $39.99 |
 VINTAGE ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR HAND SEWN THEATER SPECIAL FORCES MACV SOG PATCH $24.99 Time Remaining: 4h 49m Buy It Now for only: $39.99 |
 ORIGINAL VINTAGE VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES 101 ARMY AIRBORNE SNIPER $79.99 Time Remaining: 4h 50m Buy It Now for only: $99.99 |
 VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES RECON AIRBORNE MIKE FORCE GREEN BERET PATCH $39.99 Time Remaining: 4h 51m Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES RECON GREEN BERET PATCH CIA $39.99 Time Remaining: 4h 52m Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG RECON MAINE SPECIAL FORCES THEATER PATCH $39.99 Time Remaining: 4h 54m Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 Patch NAVY SEAL MACV SOG GREEN BERET Vietnam War Elite Special Forces $9.27 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 4h 55m |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR THEATER SPECIAL FORCES MACV SOG CIA PATCH $39.99 Time Remaining: 4h 56m Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES GREEN BERET PATCH $39.99 Time Remaining: 4h 57m Buy It Now for only: $59.99 |
 ORIGINAL EMBOSSED VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES RECON GREEN BERET PATCH $299.99 Time Remaining: 5h Buy It Now for only: $399.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MARINES CHOSEN FEW HAND SEWN SPECIAL FORCES THEATER PATCH $24.99 Time Remaining: 5h 2m Buy It Now for only: $39.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG RECON TEAM VIPER SPECIAL FORCES THEATER PATCH $99.99 Time Remaining: 5h 3m Buy It Now for only: $149.99 |
 VIETNAM WAR MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES LLDB A 406 TIGER FORCE PATCH CIA $24.99 Time Remaining: 5h 4m Buy It Now for only: $39.99 |
 ORIGINAL VIETNAM WAR THEATER MACV SOG SPECIAL FORCES RECON GREEN BERET PATCH $99.99 Time Remaining: 5h 12m Buy It Now for only: $149.99 |
 SPECIAL FORCES COMMAND CONTROL CENTRAL HATPIN $5.50 Time Remaining: 5h 29m Buy It Now for only: $5.50 |
 SPECIAL FORCES MLT 1 CMND CNTROL NORTH HATPIN $6.25 Time Remaining: 5h 29m Buy It Now for only: $6.25 |
 Patch RT MAMBA USA Special Forces VIETNAM WAR Elite Airborne Recon Team $9.48 Time Remaining: 5h 35m |
 Patch RT MISSOURI USSF Recon Team CCN Vietnam War Laos Special Forces $7.19 Time Remaining: 5h 39m |
 PATCH RVN NAVY SEALS SPECIAL TASK FORCE Vietnam War Hatchet Team $6.27 Time Remaining: 5h 52m |
 RARE US Special Forces SOG Recon Team Kansas CCN profile pocket patch $500.00 Time Remaining: 6h 4m |
 Patch Special Forces Project GAMMA Vietnam War US 1st Special Force Intell $7.17 Time Remaining: 6h 8m |
 Patch US 5th Special Forces CC Element Vietnam War AIRBORNE AVIATION MACV $6.74 Time Remaining: 6h 19m |
 Patch US Special Forces RT WASHINGTON Vietnam War Elite Recon Team $6.37 Time Remaining: 6h 28m |
 Patch US SPECIAL FORCES FLASH 2nd LT Vietnam War MACV SOG AIRBORNE $7.09 Time Remaining: 6h 31m |
 ISSUE SPECIAL FORCES STOVE WITH TABS $25.00 Time Remaining: 7h 18m |
 Special Forces Service Plague Pleiku Hospital $125.00 Time Remaining: 15h 2m Buy It Now for only: $165.00 |
 US Special Forces 5th grp Insignia $35.00 Time Remaining: 15h 56m Buy It Now for only: $50.00 |
 SPECIAL FORCES VIETNAM VETERAN FLB1456 $4.79 Time Remaining: 16h 32m Buy It Now for only: $4.79 |
 5th Special Forces Group MACV SOG CCN FOB 4 Recon Team Vietnam War Patch $11.99 Time Remaining: 17h 40m Buy It Now for only: $11.99 |
 MOTOR POOL US 46th Special Forces Company In THAILAND Patch $12.99 Time Remaining: 17h 43m Buy It Now for only: $12.99 |
 1st 1st SPECIAL FORCES parachutist airborne unit patch $25.00 Time Remaining: 18h 3m Buy It Now for only: $25.00 |
 VIETNAM US ARMY 5TH SF SPECIAL FORCES GROUP NAM FLASH $7.99 Time Remaining: 19h 35m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 Rare US Special Forces camouflage cowboyhat in rare pattern w 5th group flash $107.50 (3 Bids) Time Remaining: 19h 37m Buy It Now for only: $250.00 |
 Rare US Special Forces cowboyhat in w 5th group jump oval $49.99 Time Remaining: 20h 33m |
 Rare US Special Forces 1st model model CIDG rucksack CISO SOG $199.99 Time Remaining: 20h 43m Buy It Now for only: $400.00 |
 VIETNAM WAR METAL BADGE US SPECIAL FORCES WINGED SKULL $15.98 Time Remaining: 21h 50m Buy It Now for only: $15.98 |
 Vietnam War US Army Special Forces CCC Recon Team Hulk Color Patch $9.99 Time Remaining: 22h 39m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 Vietnam War US Army Special Forces CCN Recon Viper Kill For Peace Color Patch $9.99 Time Remaining: 22h 47m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 Vietnam War US Army Special Forces CCC Recon Vermont Patch $9.99 Time Remaining: 23h 4m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 Map 6639 i US Special Forces QUANG TIN TAM KY TIEN PHUOC Vietnam War $12.17 Time Remaining: 23h 46m |
 Battle Map 6539 iv N LAOS JUNGLE OPS Vietnam War 7th Special Forces 1966 $22.44 Time Remaining: 23h 57m |
 Nam War Beret Patch US Special Forces Training CAMBODIA $11.95 Time Remaining: 1d 5m Buy It Now for only: $11.95 |
 Patch Special Forces RECON VERMONT Vietnam War CCC USSF Command Central $8.38 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 31m |
 Patch KHE SANH RECON RT RATTLER Vietnam War US Special Forces DA NANG $9.97 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 36m |
 Patch US NAVY 7th FLEET Task Force 77 Vietnam War US Special Forces $9.97 Time Remaining: 1d 1h |
 5 DONG NLF WOMEN IN COMBAT NOTES Vietnam War US Special Forces Captured $13.49 (4 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 1h 32m |
 PIN LOT VETERANS HAT VEST PINS CAVALRY SPECIAL FORCES US MARINE CORPS RECON $2.25 (3 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 2h 14m |
 Patch CCN Special Forces SHELL BURST Vietnam War DA NANG Command North $6.88 Time Remaining: 1d 2h 45m |
 Patch US Special Force DET B 51 Vietnam War DOCTOR GREEN BERET MACV SOG $6.34 Time Remaining: 1d 2h 46m |
 Patch Recon Team HUNTER KILLER USSF Vietnam War US Special Forces Team $6.07 Time Remaining: 1d 2h 47m |
 PATCH USA Special Forces MACV ELITE Vietnam War Special Operations $6.74 Time Remaining: 1d 2h 49m |
 Patch DEAD MANS HAND RT NEW MEXICO SOG Vietnam War US Special Forces DMZ $7.44 Time Remaining: 1d 2h 52m |
 Patch MACV US SPECIAL FORCES Command Vietnam War 5th Strike Force $7.67 Time Remaining: 1d 2h 53m |
 Patch MEDTC CIA Special Forces Advisors Vietnam War KHMER REPUBLIC $6.78 Time Remaining: 1d 2h 54m |
 Patch RECON TEAM ILLINOIS KHE SANH CCN Vietnam War US SPECIAL FORCES $6.84 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 2h 56m |