U.S. Navy SEALs have their iconic Trident insignia. Now, Marine Corps special operators have their own.
The “Raiders” of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command will have their special skill set — and the history of the command — honored with the new insignia. The gold badge includes an eagle on a stiletto dagger, the Southern Cross constellation, and MARSOC’s motto: “Spiritus Invictus,” which means unconquerable spirit.
“The individual MARSOC operator must be trained and educated to think critically and function in an increasingly complex operating environment — to understand and interact in dynamic, dangerous and politically-sensitive battlefields,” MARSOC Commander Maj. Gen. Carl E. Mundy III said in a statement, Military Times reported Tuesday. “Our rigorous training pipeline ensures that a newly minted critical skills operator has developed the skills required for full spectrum special operations.”
An unidentified MARSOC operator told the newspaper that the badge — the first Marine Corps-only uniform device to be authorized — represents “the pride and legacy that dates back to the Marine Raiders of World War II. This badge will distinguish a [special operations forces-qualified Marine], just as the combat crew wings distinguish an aviation crew chief or the jump wings and dive bubble distinguish a Recon Marine.”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.