Marine Security Guard

Marine Corps Embassy Security Group
unit logo
Founded	1948
Country	United States
Allegiance	Department of State
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Security guard
Role	embassy security
Size	approx. 1,000 at 125 locations[1]
Headquarters	Marine Corps Base Quantico
Nickname	Marine Security Guards, Marine Embassy Guards
Motto	In Every Clime and Place
Commanders
Current commander	Col Douglas H. Fairfield[2]

The Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, formerly Marine Security Guard Battalion, and also known as Marine Security Guards or Marine Embassy Guards, are members of the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, a battalion-sized organization of U.S. Marines that have detachments posted at American Embassies, American Consulates and other official United States Government offices such as the U.S. Interests Section, located in Havana, Cuba, or the United States Mission to NATO located in Brussels, Belgium.

History

Marine Corps has a long history of cooperation with the Department of State, going back to the early days of the nation. From the raising of the United States flag at Derna, Tripoli and the secret mission of Archibald H. Gillespie in California, to the Boxer Rebellion at Peking, Marines have served many times on special missions as couriers, guards for embassies and legations, and to protect American citizens in unsettled areas.

The formal and permanent use of Marines as security guards began with the Foreign Service Act of 1946, which authorized the Secretary of Navy to, upon the request of the Secretary of State, assign Marines to serve as custodians under the supervision of the senior diplomatic officer at a diplomatic post. The first joint Memorandum of Agreement was signed on 15 December 1948 regarding the provisions of assigning Marines overseas. Trained at the Foreign Service Institute, the first Marines arrived at Tangier and Bangkok in early 1949. The Marine Corps assumed the primary training responsibility in November 1954. The authority granted in the Foreign Service Act of 1946 has since been replaced by 10 U.S.C. § 5983 and the most recent Memorandum of Agreement was signed in August 2008.

Responsibilities

Marine Security Guard students perform rapid-fire exercises on the State Department pistol qualification course as part of their MSG graduation requirement with M9 Pistols

The primary mission of the MSG is to provide security, particularly the protection of classified information and equipment vital to the national security of the United States at American diplomatic posts under the guide of the civilian Regional Security Officer (RSO) in charge of security at the diplomatic post.^[3] In addition, MSGs provide security for visiting American dignitaries and frequently assist the RSO in supervising host country and/or locally employed security forces which provide additional security for the exterior of embassies. The MSGs fall under operational control of the RSO and are administratively controlled by the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group. The secondary mission of Marine Security Guards is to provide protection for U.S. citizens and U.S. Government property located within designated U.S. Diplomatic and Consular premises during exigent circumstances, which require immediate aid or action.

MSGs focus on the interior security of a diplomatic post's building(s). In only the most extreme emergency situations are they authorized duties exterior to the building(s) or to provide special protection to the senior diplomatic officer off of the diplomatic compound. MSGs carry a certain level of diplomatic immunity in the performance of their official duties.^[4]

Organization

The Marine Security Guards number approximately 1000 Marines at 148 posts (also known as "detachments"), organized into seven regional MSG commands and located in over 133 countries in 18 time zones, as well as its headquarters at Marine Corps Base Quantico.^[2] Headquarters Company, along with MSG School, is composed of approximately 100 Marines providing administrative, logistical, legal, training and education support.

The remaining seven companies are commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and typically entail a number of detachments in several countries. The companies are as follows:

Each Detachment is commanded by a Staff Non-Commissioned Officer, being one of the few instances where an enlisted Marine may hold the title of "commander". Generally between the ranks of Staff Sergeant and Master Gunnery Sergeant, Marine Detachment Commanders serve two tours which generally last 18 months each. A Marine Security Guard usually serves three 12-month tours of duty. Marine Security Guard "watch standers" are enlisted Marines from the rank of Private First Class to Staff Sergeant.

Duty

Marines of any Military Occupational Specialty may volunteer for a three-year tour of duty;^[5] however, non-Staff NCOs with dependants are not eligible, as well as Marines with potentially offensive tattoos, legal or security restrictions, non-United States citizenship, dual citizenship, significant financial indiscretions, and any other restriction that would prevent a top secret clearance.^[6]

Before being assigned to a Foreign Service post, a Marine accepted into the MSG program must successfully complete a training program located at the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group (MCESG) which is located at Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA. Marine Security Guard duty is one of a few special duty assignments available to qualified Marines. Marine Security Guard duty can be dangerous; there have been instances where Marines have been killed during this duty (most recently, Cpl Steve Crowley in 1979 and Sgt Jesse Aliganga in 1998).

Marine Corps Security Guard Ribbon

After every 24 months as a Marine Security Guard or Regional officer with the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, a Marine is entitled to the Marine Corps Security Guard Ribbon or a subsequent service star.

See also

United States Marine Corps portal

• Marine Corps Security Guard Ribbon
• Marine Corps Security Force Regiment

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

Notes

External links

• Official website
• Marine Security Guard Battalion on GlobalSecurity.org
• Powers, Rod. "Marine Corps Security Guard Duty". About.com. http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/marineassign/a/marinesecurity.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-17. 
• Marine Security Guard Battalion on specialoperations.com
• Marine Embassy Guard Association
• Brent, P.T. (October, 2008). "The Kingdom of Denmark: Marines Jump at Chance to Serve In the Shadow of Vikings". Leatherneck Magazine. Marine Corps Association. pp. pgs 34-36. http://www.leatherneckmagazine-digital.com/leatherneckmagazine-share/200810/?pg=36&pm=2&u1=friend. Retrieved 2009-03-17. 
• State Department Marines

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