Is the United States Marine Corps the Best Organization to be Tasked with Providing Security to U.S. Diplomatic Missions?

Abstract

Since 1948 Marines have been formally tasked with providing security to U.S. diplomatic missions. Are there better alternatives to the USMC? Marines provide embassy security in partnership with the Diplomatic Security Service; this partnership can be improved to the betterment of the program and the missions they protect. Since its inception in 1791, Department of State diplomats have been escorted and protected by U.S. Marines. What started as an ad-hoc partnership of necessity has evolved into a formal partnership between organizations. However, Marines are trained war fighters and are a stark contradiction to the diplomats who traditionally inhabit embassies. Approximately 30% of all MSGs are removed from the program either in training or at post. This is because the MSG Program sets conduct and academic standards that must be upheld, and do in-fact enforce discipline on their personnel. Embassy security is a partnership with the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). While awkward, this unique partnership works quite well in spite of general misunderstandings. Marines and RSOs have a different ethos and style in approaching embassy security. DSS has a minimal presence during the training of MSGs. This lack of presence can add to future misunderstandings at post and permits MSG trainers to approach embassy security from only a Marine perspective. This must change if the program is to continue to excel. The Marine Corps has agreed to staff an additional thirty-four posts. This will place a greater burden on sending MSGs to post in spite of the high standards demanded on them. MSG training is professional, it removes personnel determined not able to serve successfully, and prepares the remainder for the unique demands of embassy security duty.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 28, 2001
Accession Number
ADA401286

Entities

People

  • Jeffrey Thomas

Organizations

  • Marine Corps University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Attrition
  • Basic Training
  • Civilian Personnel
  • Department Of State
  • Enlisted Personnel
  • Government Employees
  • Governments
  • Marine Corps
  • Military Personnel
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Recreation
  • Security
  • Security Personnel
  • Students
  • Training
  • United States

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.