The Marine Corps will set up a specialized unit dedicated to training
foreign troops. The unit—scheduled to begin operations on
October 1—will be staffed by up to 400 Marines. It will supplement
the training program that had been solely the responsibility of
the U.S. Special Operations Command.
By creating this unit, the Marine Corps assumes a permanent role
in the training of foreign troops. Previously, Marines had done
this on an ad hoc basis. They helped train, for example, military
forces in Georgia, Chad and Niger, noted Gen. Michael W. Hagee,
commandant of the Marine Corps.
SOCOM sought help from the Marine Corps in this area, Hagee told
reporters. The decision to invest in a permanent training unit further
recognizes that U.S. forces ultimately benefit from working more
closely with foreign troops, Hagee said.
“We believe that this is one of the most important things
to do,” he said. “People usually think of special operations
forces as the ‘high-end’ operations.” But improving
the training of friendly foreign troops eventually could pay off
by preventing U.S. military involvement, Hagee suggested. “If
we can do much better in ‘phase zero,’ better prepare
foreign militaries to handle their own situations, maybe we won’t
have to do phases one, two and three.”
The Marines in the training unit will serve in rotations, with
the expectation that they will spread their knowledge throughout
the Corps when they return to the operational force, Hagee said.
“We never had a unit stood up and devoted to this,”
he said. “We think it will help throughout the Marine Corps.
Individuals will rotate in and out, and will increase intelligence
and knowledge of foreign cultures throughout the Marine Corps.”
The training unit will be based on the East Coast, although the
specific location has not yet been determined.