Summer - United States Special Operations Command

Anthony M. Griffay, MDCAPT, USNCommand SurgeonMarine Corps Special Operations Command(MARSOC) and MARSOC Medical continue to changeand evolve. Not only are we in the beginnings of a majorchange in medical personnel due to end of tour orders, butMARSOC has evolved from two operational battalionsand an Advisor Group into three battalions and a RegimentalHeadquarters. At the same time MARSOC is continuingto deploy teams down range and plan for anincreased presence and responsibility in higher levels ofintra-theater command and control.My filling the large shoes left by CAPT McCartneymarks the beginning of a 75% turn-over in the medicalleadership within MARSOC. As with all military units,turnover is inevitable, and to those moving on I would liketo express my sincere admiration and gratitude. This departinggroup of professionals helped build MARSOCMedical from nothing, into an organization capable of supportingteams around the world. Their experience anddedication will be truly missed. For the incoming personnel,this is an exciting time in MARSOC as it transitionsfrom growing and organizing to defining its future in theSpecial Operations community. From developing the culturally-specificmedical training needed for foreign internaldefense (FID), to supporting and training theaterSpecial Operations Surgical Teams required to support directaction operations, MARSOC Medical will evolve andgrow to meet any needs.MARSOC has recently reorganized our organizationalstructure into a Regimental Headquarters and threebattalions, adopting a more standard military formationand standardizing the capabilities of the deployable elements.Now all three battalions train to operate across thefull spectrum of special operations, emphasizing FID andspecial reconnaissance (SR) while retaining a robust directaction (DA) skill set. With this, the medical supportsection and the medical capabilities will need to grow andexpand. This will be our biggest challenge! To train andsupport MARSOC in the future we will need to work, coordinateand train with our fellow components both withinUnited States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)and throughout the “big” Navy. Like all of SOF, MAR-SOC is small and exists in a financial reality which willnever allow us to own all of the assets that we need. However,regardless of whether a medical element is SOFownedor SOF-capable, we must take an active role indefining, equipping, training, and preparing it to supportour SOF missions.This reorganization will not only allow MARSOCto provide better command and control over an increasingnumber of teams but also provide the higher level headquarterselements it needs. These elements will be the coreof Special Operations Task Forces (SOTFs) and CoalitionJoint Special Operations Task Forces (CJSOTFs) as MAR-SOC begins to plan for and increase its role at the SOFhigher headquarters within the Central Command Area ofOperations (AOR) and throughout the world.As I already mentioned, this is an exciting time tobe part of MARSOC and USSOCOM. I am looking forwardto my time here and hope to meet and work with asmany of you within the SOF community as possible.Please feel free to contact me at any time if there is somethingI may be able to assist with. COMM 910-451-3462DSN 751-3462 or anthony.griffay@usmc.milSIPR anthony.griffay@marsoc.socom.smil.mil.Component Surgeon 91