Marine Security Forces

[pcstonawanda]

This question is for anyone who is currently or has ever been attached to Marine Security Forces as Infantry, and has or expects to return to an operational Infantry unit.

I'm a Recruiter in WNY, and I have a couple of Poolees who are dead set on Infantry, but we're running out of available shipping slots. The Security Forces contracts we have are 0300, and specifically state that you will be assigned to Security Forces duties, then return to an operational infantry unit after serving that period on SF.

I'm looking for any information I can find for these young men on what the SF duty is actually like in reality. What a typical day is. What the training leading up to it entails. Would you say that SF duty is beneficial or detrimental to you as an Infantryman later? Things like that. Any and all information and opinions would be helpful.

Thanks, and Semper Fi.

-SSgt Derringer

:usmc:

[Sgt Leprechaun]

SSgt...I'm going to move this one to 'Ask a Marine'.

FWIW, I understand it's not a bad gig at all and you still get to go play grunt at the end of it.

But my tour was long, long ago.

[thewookie]

Would you say that SF duty is beneficial or detrimental to you as an Infantryman later?


I'll give you some info, some of it may have changed, but the basics remain the same. As far as what they will be doing -- It all depends on where they are going. And to be honest I'm not even sure (without looking) what MCSF companies are still open. But they have two options, basically. Three if you factor in FAST Company. They are either qualified to go on the PRP program, or they are not. If they go PRP they will be working on the guard platoon. Could be three on, three off, then three training/response team -- that is how it was for us in Greece. Basic guard duty, standard SOP -- guarding special weapons and or equipment. Could be a week in the wire, a week outside the wire, then a week of training/response team. Very boring duty, especially for young PFC's and LCpl's. The good news is if they are locked on they will have a shot at many schools via Navy quotas.

Most infantry Marines will tell you MCSF will hurt you/is detrimental once you finally get to the fleet, and they are probably right. The key thing for any Marine leaving MCSF (especially boots that have never been) is to learn your job as much as you can on paper, then when you get to your unit in the fleet -- be humble and understand that you will be looked down upon, especially at first -- but if they listen to the junior Marines and want to succeed,, they will be OK.

Hope that helps, you can PM me with specific questions. I taught at the basic MCSF school, and then at CQB school there at the Training Company in Chesapeake.

Semper Fi

[GreenRam]

Staff Sergeant, I've got friends all over the Security Forces spectrum in the PRP (Kings Bay, GA/Bangor, WA), F.A.S.T. and Presidential security Duty. All of Security Froce personnel are obviously trained at SOI as grunts just like everyone else (usually 0311) and go on to train at BSG in Chesapeake, VA where they are then split off to their MCSF companies throughout the country. While at their MCSF companies/batallions, they are going to be doing a lot of guard duty and post standing and may not always have a lot of time to particularly work on their infantry tactics. Depends on the command but there are some opportunties to go to Machine Gun and other ranges to keep up on weapons knowledge and everything.

I will say that the Security Forces option does allow opportunities to go to advanced schools such as CQB and designated marksman. I've seen newly promoted Corporals here get sent to Infantry Squad Leaders Courses to be better prepared for the fleet. Security Forces contract does offer a DI/MSG type bonus of 100 points towards composite score which often allows many Lance's to pick up Corporal in their 2 years in Security Forces if they are successful in the program. Obviously with that said, a lot of these newly promoted Corporals dont have any real fleet time and when they leave their respective MCSF command and go to the fleet they are often behind on their 03 knowledge. It's not a bad gig, I just recommend that anyone doing this option to take advantage of it because it will offer some great civilian positions for Federal Agencies, DOD and S.W.A.T. teams.

Best advice I can give is to ensure that anyone who leaves MCSF command that they go to the fleet with an open mind like a sponge to absorb knowledge from Marines who have gone on deployments and know what to expect. A lot of guys go to the fleet and will fall under the command of a Lance Corporal because they know their stuff and until they get up on their knowledge they often will be behind on things.

[thewookie]

All good info from GreenRam.

I'll add this for the record. Security Forces isn't necessarily the best starting ground for an 03. Young Marines that go there will be behind the power curve; more-so if they come from a guard situation like a PRP command than FAST. But, either way they will have to work hard once they get to the fleet to get back-in-step with their peers.

What security forces is a good starting point for (or a midway point for NCO's coming over) is for acquiring skills through schools and training, and connections - that will definitely help for a LEO or PSD career down the road.

Thanks to this site and other military websites, along with Facebook -- I am able to stay in contact with many of the Marines that I worked with in my five years in Security Force Battalion. From my time in Greece, to Dam Neck and DM school, and especially over at BSG and CQB section at the Training Company. And my long winded point is,, all those security forces Marines that I know are ALL doing very well in their careers.

From my last job with security forces, CQB Section, made up of about ten - fifteen Sergeants, a Gunny, and a Captain -- we have one Secret Service agent, one DEA Agent, a US Marshal, a guy in the "pipeline" for the FBI, another guy who got out of the Corps and is in Army SF, two senior Marines that are now teaching for MARSOC, a few other Marines that stayed in (a 1st Sgt. and a Sgt. Major) two guys working for Xe, and a SWAT cop in Lubbock Texas... and me. :scared:

These guys are all doing well, and the schools and the connections they made along the way in security forces DEFINATELY helped.

[pcstonawanda]

Thank you for your responses gentlemen.

It seems like it's incredibly beneficial for those Marines who would be interested in a civilian or government law enforcement agency immediately following, and a slight speed bump for those looking for actual infantry duty, meaning fighting/action.

Have any of you gone from MCSF to an operational unit, and then also deployed? And can you be more specific about how a former MCSF Marine would be looked down upon by the junior Marines in the unit they end up in?

SF

-SSgt Derringer.

[CokeNasty]

Ssgt, i'll clarify as to why they will be looked down opon. In SF either Fast or PRP you learn great stuff and get to attend tons of school like Designated Marksmen, NBC School, FIT Courses, tons of training for CLS, Humvee course, Ammo driver course, etc. the schools are endless. In SF you learn so much 8152 knowledge, and none of that helps you when you get to the fleet, and you do minimal training on 03 stuff while in SF. And because of the fact that most marines are coming out Cpl's and even Sgt's in 2 years they get to the fleet and you have a PFC with one combat tour and he says hey cpl/sgt do you know how to do a proper buddy rush and you say no ( which you should know because you learn it in SOI) but you forget all that knowledge because the last 2 years you didn't need it. Now your a Cpl/ Sgt with a PFC/ Lcpl as your team leader because you don't know your basic infantry skills. So long story short, all SF marines must relieze they might be an 8152 for 2 years, but their primary MOS is still an 03 and he will be expected to know that knowledge such as rates of fire for all weapon system and basic fire and manuever tactics etc..

[Sgt Leprechaun]

I need to see more of a profile on you Coke before I'll allow your post. It's GOOD but lets flesh that out. Once done I'll bring it back.

[pcstonawanda]

Next question...I have another young Poolee who wants to be Recon. (This is what he wanted from the very beginning, he was willing to go Infantry and then work on applying for Recon afterward.) He may find himself in the same position where there are no other 0300 contracts available in his ship slot to give him a normal Infantry contract.

Will going SF first hurt his chances at being accepted for Recon, or would he be just as likely either way? He's an EXTREMELY fit young man, and very intelligent. I don't foresee him having any trouble making it through the Recon school. Just curius if he'd have an issue being accepted if he was coming out of SF.

Thanks again for all the help!

Semper Fidelis,

SSgt D.

[thewookie]

Will going SF first hurt his chances at being accepted for Recon, or would he be just as likely either way?

I think it could either way, but much of it depends on the person. I may be a little confident, but IMO if you want something bad enough all you have to do is sacrifice, along with some hard work and a little luck, and you can make it happen. If he can't get into the grunts/recon going straight 03 -- then he's gotta find another way if he wants it bad enough.

If he ends up at SF duty, he's got a few years to work on his physical conditioning and mental toughness until he can get to the fleet and try out for recon. I wasn't in recon, but based on my experience in whatever high speed units I was in -- I think it's safe to say that when his time comes recon will be looking at what they have in front of them, not so much where he has been/come from. What I mean by that is -- as a young Marine - what can he do now, when they are breaking his balls. Cause they can break straight grunts, or security forces -- but if you have the heart, skills, and professionalism that they are looking for then it doesn't matter.

Those are just my thoughts from afar, somebody closer to the situation might feel differently. :usmc:

[pcstonawanda]

In the continuing saga of me learning about this specialized field...my next question.

Can a Junior Marine bring a dependent on this duty?

Thanks again!

-SSgt D.

[thewookie]

In the continuing saga of me learning about this specialized field...my next question.

Can a Junior Marine bring a dependent on this duty?

Thanks again!

-SSgt D.

I would think each command has thier own regs for that, it's probably unit specific. I know when I was in Greece non-rates couldnt get them sponsored; some brought them over, but it was entirely on their dime.

I think at some duty stations they probably can, like if they are going to Kings Bay for three years, or another spot where they are going to be there for a few years.

[uysagfi]

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[Ice Man]

To answer a one of your questions, SF Marines are looked down on because they come into the Company from PRP, ahving never deployed, or maybe a couple of worthless deployments to Bahrain, with no real experience to speak of, and take a team leader slot from a LCpl who doesn't get the 100 extra points on his cutting score but has two combat deployments and more salt than he knows what to do with. Makes sense really, since most (not ALL) of them, especially the PRP (FAST are usually better off) don't know a damn thing and can't even lead themselves never mind a team. I think this is all moot now, though, as last I heard they were making SF a four year gig and were no longer sending them to the infantry.

[NicholsonCS]

Well I'm going to ITB, with a 6 year active 03XX contract, I was wondering if I could get into Security Forces in anyway out of ITB