Reorganization of the Marine Security Program
Abstract
Terrorists execute a well-planned operation against an American Embassy: a car bomb detonates near one of the entrances to the embassy compound while a squad of terrorists rushes through the gap created by the bomb. The Marine Security Guard detachment reacts properly to the situation and secures the embassy, However, their operational commander fires upon the Marines. The Marines are faced with two threats, a squad of terrorists and their own operational commander. Because the operational commander is not a Marine, but a civilian who works for the Department of State, the Marine Corps cannot take disciplinary action. This is only one example of the numerous issues concerning the Marine Security Guard Program. The Marine Corps has surrendered operational control of its Marines. The current Marine Security Guard Battalion arrangement is outdated and the United States Department of State (DOS) possesses excessive operational control over United States Marines. To return operational control to the Marines, the level of control exercised by the Department of State must be reduced and the responsibility of leading the Marines on Marine Security Guard duty should be returned to the Marine Corps. As such, the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that sets the guideline for the current operational and administrative relationship between DOS and the Marine Corps must be amended to better allow Marines to take control of threats they face as Marine Security Guards. This can be accomplished by removing operational control of the MSG detachment from the Regional Security Officer and establishing a senior First Lieutenant or Captain as the link between the Marines and the Ambassador.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 07, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA510400
Entities
People
- S. M. Speer
Organizations
- Marine Corps University