Camp Lejeune, N.C. -- In February 2006, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command was born as the Corps’ contribution to U.S. special operations. Marines thrive in irregular warfare, and as such, the Corps has provided SOCOM with critical thinkers who can operate in ambiguous and often austere environments. But like the operations in which they are currently engaged, MARSOC’s warriors live in a world of constant evolution – on the battlefield, and at home.
As the new commanding officer of the 3d Marine Special Operations Battalion, Lt. Col. Darren Duke is already adapting to the unique task of leading a command that still faces much growth.
“3d MSOB is the youngest of the three battalions,” said Duke, who took command Nov. 17. “That means there’s still a lot of work to do.”
MARSOC is tasked by SOCOM to provide units specially trained in the following special operations capabilities: counterinsurgency, foreign internal defense, counterterrorism, information operations, security force assistance, special reconnaissance and direct action missions.
Since 3d MSOB’s activation in May 2009, it has dealt largely with foreign internal defense missions - mostly in Africa and the Western Pacific - that assist other governments in protecting their countries from insurgency and terrorism. Although it has deployed Marine Special Operations Teams (MSOTs) to Afghanistan, 3d MSOB itself has not yet been the base battalion of a Special Operations Task Force (SOTF) deployment to the country.
But now 3d MSOB is gearing for war, said Duke.
“We’re developing our capabilities into full spectrum special operations capabilities, and are preparing to provide our forces to other SOCOM commands for Operation Enduring Freedom.”
That doesn’t come easily in a command that is constantly evolving, he said.
“It’s like painting an airplane while you’re flying it,” said Duke, a Camden, Ark., native and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. “We’re trying to deploy a force as we’re trying to build it. It’s difficult, but Marines always accomplish the mission.”
Duke plans to accomplish his mission with the three pillars of his command philosophy – discipline, agility and service. “As Marines, we possess all of those traits,” Duke said. “We set aside our own goals in the desire to see someone or something else move forward – that’s what discipline and service are all about. And agility means we can do it all.”
In the two months since he’s taken command, Duke has already begun his renovations. “We’ve scoped the command to find our current level of capabilities. What we’re doing now is laying the foundation – finding the challenges and overcoming them. I have a great team of Marines and Sailors who are getting the job done.”
One of Duke’s most important goals is standardizing training for his MSOTs. “We have to recognize that each of these teams has its own unique requirements. One team has to speak Spanish, one team has to speak Arabic; one team is going to the desert, another to the jungle. But we still need to find efficiencies in training,” he said.
One such efficiency is the possible standardization of the Raven exercises – a series of pre-deployment training events that reinforce an MSOT with the specific skills needed to accomplish its upcoming mission. “We are considering giving all teams an opportunity to prepare for and participate in this process,” said Duke. “MARSOC is a unique Marine institution, always growing,” he said. “3d MSOB is the youngest of the battalions, but my Marines are making a strategic impact around the world. We take a lot of pride in that,” he said.