1st Marine Special Operations Battalion

The 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion (MSOB) is a special operations unit of the United States Marine Corps and a subordinate combat component of the Marine Corps Special Operations Command. The Battalions's organization was finalized in 2006 and is one of three battalions of the Marine Special Operations Regiment.

Organizational
In October 2006 Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) was created at Camp Lejeune North Carolina. The 1st and 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalions were created along with the Marine Special Operations Advisor Group (MSOAG, the predecessor of the MSOR). The majority of the combat personnel assigned to the battalion was drawn from the Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance community and the MSOAG personnel from the conventional infantry units. The battalion consists of four companies, each company consisting of 4 fifteen-man Marine Special Operations Teams.

Operational
The Marine's pilot program consisted of Det One deploying to Iraq with Navy SEALs from Naval Special Warfare Group 1 in 2004. Det One formed into the Marine Special Operations Battalions and deployed to Afghanistan in 2007. This deployment was marked with controversy when elements from 2nd Battalion was ambushed. The Marines were relieved from their operational charter in the country by an Army General from USSOCOM after claims were made that the Marines reacted inappropriately and caused excessive civilian casualties. In September 2009 the 1st MSOB returned to Afghanistan in command of a joint special operations task force in the northwest of the country.