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m WP:CHECKWIKI error fix for #61. Punctuation goes before References. Do general fixes if a problem exists. - using AWB (10901)
Juan Valdez; a 2015 Aftenposten article listed a photo of his first, in a list of 13 iconic Vietnam War photos
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*''Goodnight Saigon'' by [[Charles W. Henderson]]. (In the book he thanks "the eight Marines who were among the eleven Marine security guards left [[Fall of Saigon|stranded on the roof of the United States Embassy in Saigon on April 30, 1975]]. They accompanied me back to vietnam and told me their stories in the city where it all happened".<ref name=Goodnightvii>{{cite book|last1=Henderson|first1=Dan|title=Goodnight Saigon|page=viii}}</ref>)
*''Goodnight Saigon'' by [[Charles W. Henderson]]. (In the book he thanks "the eight Marines who were among the eleven Marine security guards left [[Fall of Saigon|stranded on the roof of the United States Embassy in Saigon on April 30, 1975]]. They accompanied me back to vietnam and told me their stories in the city where it all happened".<ref name=Goodnightvii>{{cite book|last1=Henderson|first1=Dan|title=Goodnight Saigon|page=viii}}</ref>)


==Notable Marines==
⚫
==Leaders of the battalion==
*Juan Valdez; a 2015 [[Aftenposten]] article listed a photo of his first, in a list of 13 [[iconic]]<ref>[http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/uriks/13-ikoniske-bilder-fra-Vietnam-krigen-8003329.html 13 ikoniske bilder fra Vietnam-krigen]</ref> Vietnam War photos.

⚫
===Leaders of the battalion===
*Colonel Frank R. Koethe (1975;<ref>[http://fallofsaigon.org/orig/final.htm AFTER ACTION REPORT~ 17 April ~ 7 May 1975]</ref> the battalion was still named Marine Security Guard Battalion)
*Colonel Frank R. Koethe (1975;<ref>[http://fallofsaigon.org/orig/final.htm AFTER ACTION REPORT~ 17 April ~ 7 May 1975]</ref> the battalion was still named Marine Security Guard Battalion)


Revision as of 11:31, 2 May 2015

Marine Corps Embassy Security Group
MCESG Logo
Founded1948
Country United States of America
Branch United States Marine Corps
TypeSecurity guard
RoleEmbassy security
Sizeapprox. 1,000 at 125 locations[1]
Garrison/HQMCB Quantico, Virginia, U.S.
Nickname(s)"Marine Security Guards", "Marine Embassy Guards"
Motto(s)In Every Clime and Place
Commanders
Current
commander		Col Frank E. Wendling[2]

A Marine Security Guard (MSG), also known as a Marine Embassy Guard is a member of the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group,[3] (formerly Marine Security Guard Battalion), a battalion-sized organization of U.S. Marines whose detachments provide security at American embassies, American consulates and other official United States Government offices such as the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, Cuba, or the United States Mission to NATO in Brussels, Belgium.

History

The U.S. Marine Corps' history of cooperation with the U.S. State Department, goes back to the early days of the country. From the raising of the American 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.

In response to the 2012 Benghazi attack, Congress ordered a near doubling of Marine Security Guards in the midst of a post-war reduction in overall USMC numbers.[4] The USMC has responded by redeploying one company from 1st Battalion 1st Marines while additional guards are trained.[5]

Notable events involving MSGs on duty

In 1975 around 7000 Vietnamese (mostly civilians) and 1000 from the United States were evacuated from the US embassy in Saigon, during Operation Frequent Wind (which was finalized by the last (11) US soldiers—all MSGs—departing the Vietnam War—from the helipad above the roof of the embassy—after a mob had tried for hours to pass beyond the door to the roof).[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

In 1978 the US embassy in Teheran and its staff were captured by armed intruders.

Former regional headquarters

Regional headquarters were formerly at locations including Hong Kong ("Company C, Marine Security Guard Battalion, Hong Kong" area of responsibility "included the Marine Security Guard from the Indian subcontinent all the way to Peking, Tokyo and down to Wellington. There were 23 embassies and various consulates" [in 1975].[8])

Responsibilities

A Marine Security Guard reviewing a security system in December 2004.
Marine Security Guards raising the American flag at a new U.S. embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan in 2006.

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. This is accomplished under the guidance and operational control of a civilian federal agent of the Diplomatic Security Service, known as the Regional Security Officer (RSO) who is the senior U.S. law enforcement representative and security attaché at U.S. diplomatic posts around the world.[14] In addition, MSGs provide security for visiting American dignitaries and frequently assist the RSO in supervising host country or locally employed security forces that 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 buildings. In only the most extreme emergency situations are they authorized duties exterior to the buildings 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.[15]

Organization

The Marine Security Guards number approximately 1000 Marines at 174 posts (also known as "detachments"), organized into nine regional MSG commands and located in over 135 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 nine companies are commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and typically entail a number of detachments in several countries. The companies are as follows:

Region Headquarters Area of responsibility Detachments
1 Frankfurt, Germany Eastern Europe and Eurasia 20
2 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates South Asia and the Middle East 20
3 Bangkok, Thailand East Asia and Pacific 23
4 Fort Lauderdale, Florida South America 13
5 Frankfurt, Germany Western Europe and Scandinavia 20
6 Pretoria, South Africa East Africa and South Africa 24
7 Frankfurt, Germany North Africa and West Africa 20
8 Frankfurt, Germany Central Europe 19
9 Fort Lauderdale, Florida North America and the Caribbean 15

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. Unlike their subordinates, however, Detachment Commanders may be married. The minimum detachment size is five MSGs (Marine Security Guards) and a single detachment commander. This allows for posts to be manned at all times while allowing each of the Marines to conduct other routine training, internal management of the detachment and have some time off. 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

Marine Corps Security Guard Ribbon

Marines of any Military Occupational Specialty may volunteer for a three-year tour of duty;[16] 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.[17]

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. There have been instances where Marines have been killed during this duty: most recently, James Marshall in Saigon in 1968,Cpl Steve Crowley in 1979, Cpl Robert V. McMaugh in 1983 and Sgt Jesse Aliganga in 1998.

Military awards

After every 36 months as a Marine Security Guard (with the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group), each is entitled to the Marine Corps Security Guard Ribbon or a subsequent service star.

MSGs have been portrayed in books and films, including

Notable Marines

  • Juan Valdez; a 2015 Aftenposten article listed a photo of his first, in a list of 13 iconic[19] Vietnam War photos.

Leaders of the battalion

  • Colonel Frank R. Koethe (1975;[20] the battalion was still named Marine Security Guard Battalion)

See also

References

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

  • Frampton, James Scott, The Influence of Attitudes and Morale on the Performance of Active-Duty United States Marine Corps Female Security Guards (2011)
  1. ^ "Marine Security Guard Battalion". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
  2. ^ a b Moses, Lance Cpl. Meloney R. (2009-05-14). "Marine Corps Embassy Security Groups' new commander". Marine Corps Base Quantico: United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  3. ^ "Marine Corps Embassy Security Group". Unit Profile: Marines Magazine. United States Marine Corps. March 23, 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  4. ^ "Expert: USMC embassy guard boost will be tough."
  5. ^ Harkins, Gina; Lamothe, Dan (20 September 2013). "Infantry Marines deploy; fill gap in demand for embassy security". www.militarytimes.com. Military Times Group. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  6. ^ Brian Barron (2000-11-16). "Vietnam revisited". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
  7. ^ Article that was in Leatherneck Magazine, September 1975
  8. ^ a b Putting Out the Fire: Jim Kean's Vietnam
  9. ^ Inside People, July 11, 1994 Vol. 42 No. 2
  10. ^ American Legion Post 89 home to significant national artifact
  11. ^ Karen Jeffrey (2000-04-30). "The Fall of Saigon". Cape Cod Times. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  12. ^ Mellon, Dave. "President's newsletter November 2008". 38th OCC/BC 3-66 USMC Alumni, Inc. 38th OCC/BC 3-66 USMC Alumni, Inc. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
  13. ^ Letter to the Commandant of the Marine Corps from Ambassador Martin
  14. ^ LCpl Travis J. Crewdson (November 30, 2006). "MSG classroom named after fallen Marine". United States Marine Corps. Along with Navy Seabees assigned embassy duty, an MSG is a rare example of uniformed member of the U.S. armed forces under the operational command of a civilian, albeit law enforcement head.
  15. ^ "The mission of the Marine Corps Embassy Security Command". Marine Corps Embassy Security Group. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
  16. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)". Marine Corps Embassy Security Group. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
  17. ^ "Plan For Success". Marine Corps Embassy Security Group. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
  18. ^ Henderson, Dan. Goodnight Saigon. p. viii.
  19. ^ 13 ikoniske bilder fra Vietnam-krigen
  20. ^ AFTER ACTION REPORT~ 17 April ~ 7 May 1975
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