Check this out...

The Marine Corps is considering creating its very own dedicated Commando unit!  Like Force Recon isn't good enough???

Semper Fi Jarheads

I read the story on military.com, but couldn't get the link to work here...i think you might have to be a member or something like that...

This is odd since IIRC, the Corps originally opted out of having any of their people classified as Special Forces. They gave the legitimate reason that all Marines are special and they didn't see the need to have "elite" units. I only hope that this change isn't in response to having something because it's popular. The Corps is the best in the world at what is does and I'm not quite sure what advantage any "Commando" unit would bring.

I had an uncle (passed a few years ago) who was a Marine Raider.  I always considered that a "special forces" kind of job.  He landed by submarine on at least one Japanese-held island in the Pacific to do recon in advance of the landing.  He wouldn't talk much about what he did during the war.  

There are certain jobs where "a big can of whoopass" is not what you want.  You want to ghost in, silently, and do your job and leave.  That takes the best of the best.  

Special forces have their place.

The problem I have is when the upper management misuses them [i]because[/i] they're the best of the best.

Last year, I did alot of research on Force Recon units and by the end of the day, I (bear with me, please) felt sorry for the Marines.

They have "Force Recon" which we all know is their version of SF, etc. These guys are airborne, scuba, etc.

Then there are battalion recon Marines, also better trained, but not at the Force level.

Well, in the early 80's, when SOCOM was being formulated, the Marines wanted no part of it.

Now, with SOCOM's huge budget and unlimited training abilities, they are the premier forces to be used when the shit hits the fan.

So, I read alot about Force Recon leaders whining that they continuously get passed up on missions because the National Command Authority always asks for SEALs, etc. It's popular to be a part of SOCOM, since those forces all train together with the air assets (160th SOAR, etc).

I even read of a senior Marine officer deferring a mission to a SEAL team, totally destroying the morale of the Force Recon unit involved. Don't remember the sources, but one Marine Captain said he was quitting over all of this.