News

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.- (From left to right) Hospitalman 1st Class Patrick B. Quill, SSgt. Frankie J. Shinost, Maj. James T. Rose and Sgt. William B. Soutra of 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, stand at attention after being awarded the nation's second and third highest awards for combat valor by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus at 1st MSOB headquarters aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif. Dec. 3. Soutra was awarded the Navy Cross, and Rose, Shinost and Quill were each awarded the Silver Star for extraordinary heroism exhibited during a combat mission in Helmand Province, Afghanistan nearly two years ago (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle McNally/Released). - MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.- (From left to right) Hospitalman 1st Class Patrick B. Quill, SSgt. Frankie J. Shinost, Maj. James T. Rose and Sgt. William B. Soutra of 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, stand at attention after being awarded the nation's second and third highest awards for combat valor by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus at 1st MSOB headquarters aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif. Dec. 3. Soutra was awarded the Navy Cross, and Rose, Shinost and Quill were each awarded the Silver Star for extraordinary heroism exhibited during a combat mission in Helmand Province, Afghanistan nearly two years ago (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle McNally/Released).

Captain Derek Ray, a logistics officer with the new Marine Special Operations Logistics Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, unfurls MSOLB's guidon during its activation ceremony aboard MARSOC headquarters, Camp Lejeune, NC, Nov. 15. Approximately 800 new Marines will arrive at MARSOC's new support components by 2016. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle McNally/Released) - Captain Derek Ray, a logistics officer with the new Marine Special Operations Logistics Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, unfurls MSOLB's guidon during its activation ceremony aboard MARSOC headquarters, Camp Lejeune, NC, Nov. 15. Approximately 800 new Marines will arrive at MARSOC's new support components by 2016. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle McNally/Released)

A Marine with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command provides security at a landing zone in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand Province March 28. Marines with MARSOC's 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion recently returned from a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan, where they commanded the Special Operations Task Force - West and oversaw one of Afghanistan's bloodiest regions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle McNally/Released) - A Marine with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command provides security at a landing zone in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand Province March 28. Marines with MARSOC's 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion recently returned from a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan, where they commanded the Special Operations Task Force - West and oversaw one of Afghanistan's bloodiest regions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle McNally/Released)

Marines attending the Individual Trainging Course conduct patrols during the course's culminating exercise, Raider Spirit. - Marines attending the Individual Trainging Course conduct patrols during the course's culminating exercise, Raider Spirit.

Lt. Col. J. Darren Duke, commander of 3d Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, addresses the Marines and Sailors of 3d MSOB at a 9/11 memorial ceremony aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C. Sept.7. September was a month of rememberance and reflection, marked by several ceremonies taking place throughout MARSOC to honor its fallen warriors and the victims of 9/11. - Lt. Col. J. Darren Duke, commander of 3d Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, addresses the Marines and Sailors of 3d MSOB at a 9/11 memorial ceremony aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C. Sept.7. September was a month of rememberance and reflection, marked by several ceremonies taking place throughout MARSOC to honor its fallen warriors and the victims of 9/11.

Sgt. Maj. Richard W. Ashton (left), former sergeant major of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, stands beside oncoming Sgt. Maj. Thomas F. Hall during a post and relief ceremony aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C. Sept. 30. As Hall prepares to take the reins as MARSOC's top senior-enlisted, Ashton is retiring after 32 years of service. - Sgt. Maj. Richard W. Ashton (left), former sergeant major of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, stands beside oncoming Sgt. Maj. Thomas F. Hall during a post and relief ceremony aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C. Sept. 30. As Hall prepares to take the reins as MARSOC's top senior-enlisted, Ashton is retiring after 32 years of service.

Navy Petty Officer First Class Amilcar Rodriguez, a corpsman previously assigned to 2d Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, shakes hands with MARSOC commander Maj. Gen. Paul E. Lefebvre during an awards ceremony at MARSOC Headquarters June 24, 2011, in which he was awarded the Silver Star for his extraordinary heroism while conducting combat operations in Bala Morghab, Afghanistan Nov. 6, 2009. The Silver Star is the nation's third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. - Navy Petty Officer First Class Amilcar Rodriguez, a corpsman previously assigned to 2d Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, shakes hands with MARSOC commander Maj. Gen. Paul E. Lefebvre during an awards ceremony at MARSOC Headquarters June 24, 2011, in which he was awarded the Silver Star for his extraordinary heroism while conducting combat operations in Bala Morghab, Afghanistan Nov. 6, 2009. The Silver Star is the nation's third-highest military decoration for valor in combat.

Participants of Marine Corps Community Service's "World Famous Mud Run," sponsored by U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, take off from the starting line June 4, 2011. The 10k race is part of MCCS's Hard Corps Race Series. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo courtesy of Monroe photography/Released) - Participants of Marine Corps Community Service's "World Famous Mud Run," sponsored by U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, take off from the starting line June 4, 2011. The 10k race is part of MCCS's Hard Corps Race Series. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo courtesy of Monroe photography/Released)

Marines with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, walk through a village with Afghan role players during a pre-deployment exercise at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. May 15, 2011. The three-week exercise is designed to prepare MARSOC Marines for deployment to combat operations in Afghanistan by immersing them in an environment as realistic and comprehensive as possible. - Marines with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, walk through a village with Afghan role players during a pre-deployment exercise at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. May 15, 2011. The three-week exercise is designed to prepare MARSOC Marines for deployment to combat operations in Afghanistan by immersing them in an environment as realistic and comprehensive as possible.

A jumpmaster with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, dives out of a plane during a Double-Bag Static-Line parachute course in Wendover, Utah, April 9 - 21. The course was taught by personnel from the 2nd MSOB paraloft and the Airborne Mobile Training Team, and is designed to give Marines a basic understanding of HAHO operations. - A jumpmaster with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, dives out of a plane during a Double-Bag Static-Line parachute course in Wendover, Utah, April 9 - 21. The course was taught by personnel from the 2nd MSOB paraloft and the Airborne Mobile Training Team, and is designed to give Marines a basic understanding of HAHO operations.