Special Operations Training Group
Encyclopedia
The Special Operations Training Group, or SOTG, is a training section of the United States Marine Corps
that provides Marine Expeditionary Force
(MEF) commanders with training facilities and a liaison for Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU). They also conduct special skills courses that trains Marines and Sailors, and other cross-services as well. They participate in the MEUs' Special Operations Capable
Certification, by acting as the "Training and Evaluation Board" for the exercises and events during the MEU annual training cycles.
.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
that provides Marine Expeditionary Force
Marine Expeditionary Force
A Marine Expeditionary Force or MEF is the largest type of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force...
(MEF) commanders with training facilities and a liaison for Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU). They also conduct special skills courses that trains Marines and Sailors, and other cross-services as well. They participate in the MEUs' Special Operations Capable
Special Operations Capable
Special Operations Capable refers to special tasks that the tangible Marine Air-Ground Task Force units are capable in providing to the Fleet Marine Force , or foreign uniformed services of maritime regions worldwide...
Certification, by acting as the "Training and Evaluation Board" for the exercises and events during the MEU annual training cycles.
Courses
The SOTG curriculum contains many courses of instruction for Marines, Sailors, and other service personnel in methods and procedures of skills that are required to perform special operationsSpecial operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
.
- Scout Swimmer Course — Teaches the difficulties of maneuvering without detection while operating under clandestine insertion by combat swimmingFrogmanA frogman is someone who is trained to scuba diving or swim underwater in a military capacity which can include combat. Such personnel are also known by the more formal names of combat diver or combatant diver or combat swimmer....
. The students learn to operate with rubber boats, the fundamentals of diving, and amphibious reconnaissanceAmphibious reconnaissanceThe concept of amphibious reconnaissance, or commonly amphib recon, are used primarily in conjunction with ground and naval reconnaissance concerning the littoral area bordering coastal or maritime areas of interests...
techniques. - Applied Explosives Course — This course outlines the discussion of the different compositions and theory of explosivesExplosive materialAn explosive material, also called an explosive, is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure...
and tamping methods. - Dynamic Entry Course — Students are taught different methods of explosive breaching. They must have already completed the "Applied Explosives Course".
- Urban Reconnaissance & Surveillance — A course designed to train personnel from FMFUnited States Marine Corps Force ReconnaissanceThe Force Reconnaissance Companies , are one of the United States Marine Corps's special operations "capable" forces that provide essential elements of military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force ; supporting the landing or joint task force commanders, and...
and division reconnaissanceUnited States Marine Corps Reconnaissance BattalionsThe United States Marine Corps Reconnaissance Battalions are the reconnaissance assets of Marine Air-Ground Task Force that provide division-level ground and amphibious reconnaissance to the Ground Combat Element within the United States Marine Corps...
, Scout Sniper Platoons, Radio BattalionRadio BattalionRadio Battalions are tactical electronic warfare units of the United States Marine Corps. There are currently three operational Radio Battalions in the Marine Corps organization: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd...
s and Radio Reconnaissance PlatoonRadio Reconnaissance PlatoonThe Radio Reconnaissance Platoon is a specially trained element of a United States Marine Corps Radio Battalion. A Radio Reconnaissance Team was assigned as the tactical signals intelligence collection element for the Marine Corps Special Operations Command, Detachment One...
s, and company intelligence (S-2)Military intelligenceMilitary intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
detachments in the conduct of urbanizedUrban warfareUrban warfare is combat conducted in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat is very different from combat in the open at both the operational and tactical level...
reconnaissanceReconnaissanceReconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
and surveillanceSurveillanceSurveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
(R&S). The course will cover at a minimum, an introduction to R&S, intelligence considerations, R&S planning, urban route planning and movements, introduction to direct actionDirect action (military)In the context of military special operations, direct action consists of: "Short-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions conducted as a special operation in hostile, denied, or politically sensitive environments and which employ specialized military capabilities to seize, destroy,...
(DA) operations, evasion-and-escape techniques, surveillance/counter-surveillance techniques and equipment, and urban communication procedures. Training will focus on reconnaissance in support of special operations and conventional missions with specific emphasis on urban operations. This course provides an outstanding opportunity to integrate with the Amphibious Squadron's (PHIBRONPHIBRONPHIBRON is an abbreviation for Amphibious Squadron. In the U.S. and NATO, it is a tactical and administrative organization composed of amphibious assault shipping to transport troops and their equipment for an amphibious assault operation....
) Naval Special WarfareUnited States Naval Special Warfare CommandThe United States Naval Special Warfare Command was commissioned on April 16, 1987, at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in San Diego, California...
Detachment (NAVSPECWAR Det.) - Urban Sniper Course — Same as above. This course trains snipers in target, surveillance and acquisitionSurveillance and Target AcquisitionFor Artillery STA, see belowSurveillance and Target Acquisition is a military role assigned to units and/or their equipment. It involves watching an area to see what changes and then the acquisition of targets based on that information....
while conducting operations in urbanized areas. It lists discussions in advantages and disadvantages of the built-up environment, to include course of instructions in countersniper techniques. - Assault Climbers Course — There is a 4-day, 2-part course that provides tactical climbing skills to negotiate high-risk, non-permissive environments. It encompasses the skills of abseilingAbseilingAbseiling , rappelling in American English, is the controlled descent down a rock face using a rope; climbers use this technique when a cliff or slope is too steep and/or dangerous to descend without protection.- Slang terms :...
in different types of terrain; wilderness, rural, and urban, by climbing various vertical obstacles (i.e. cliff sights, rock slabs, quarriesQuarryA quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
, buildings, bridges, dwellings, and other man-made facilities) that are listed in the training curriculum. Students gain skills in planning, preparing, conducting, supervising, and leading all facets of tactical climbing operations. In addition, students gain the qualifications to provide related instructions to other personnel in assault climbing in the environments mentioned. There is also a 5 week, 3 phase course that consists of mountaineering skills, mountain physical endurance training, multi-pitch climbs, lead climbs, belaying, rope installations, knots, rappelling, steep earth climbing, and all the necessary knowledge associated with it. It is much more in depth than the 4 day course. - Basic/Advanced Coxswain Skills Course — In this course, students learn how to maintain and operate Combat Rubber Reconnaissance CraftCombat Rubber Raiding CraftThe F470 Combat Rubber Raiding Craft , also known as the "Combat Rubber Reconnaissance Craft," is a specially fabricated rubber inflatable boat often used by United States Navy SEALs and Marines, among others...
s (CRRC) and lead boat teams of Marines during amphibious missions. It outlines training of coxswainCoxswainThe coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority. ...
s for safe insertions of a raid force from ship-to-shore movements. The students train on the fundamentals of nautical navigation, such as plotting points on a nautical chart and tying various knots used to secure lose objects to the craft. Also, students learn to identify and repair outboard motorOutboard motorAn outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom and are the most common motorized method of propelling small watercraft...
discrepancies. Students scoring a minimum of 80% on a test at the end of the course earn the additional job description of MOS 8111, "Combat Rubber Reconnaissance Craft Coxswain". - Dynamic Assault Course — This course is initially designed for enhancing close quarters combat (CQC) skills. Students learn and apply CQC in a low-light environments. It also emphasizes on advanced surgical and precision shooting with the M4 carbineM4 carbineThe M4 carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 designed by Eugene Stoner and made by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle, with 80% parts commonality.It is a gas-operated,...
and M1911A1 .45 caliber pistol. Students learned to quickly switch from one weapon to the other during failure drills. They are also introduced to a close quarters battle environment. They were instructed on how to systematically clear a room and navigate through buildings as a team. Participants learn to quickly identify and deal with improvised explosive devices, adversaries and individuals of unknown intent, referred to as unknowns, within the confined spaces of the "Shooting House". - Security Element Training Course — This course is designed for the Security Element of a Maritime Special Purpose ForceMaritime Special Purpose ForceThe United States Marine Corps' Maritime Special Purpose Force, or MSPF, are a unique specialized sub-unit that are drawn from the Marine Expeditionary Units' major subordinate elements. They are special operations capable forces deployed to give the commanders low profile, two-platoon surgical...
, a platoon sized force. It develops the skills necessary for the force to function in support of the Assault Element. The training of this platoon will include limited Close Quarters Battle (CQB) skills, internal security procedures, hostage handling procedures, and other capabilities required to support the assault element. - Boat Raid Course — The course familiarizes the students with the Combat Rubber Reconnaissance Craft in performing various raid and reconnaissance missions. The training also teaches courses of instructions on how to move from an maritime environments to dry land. Students are required to operate around obstacles in the aquatic course.
- Helicopter Rope Suspension Training (HRST) Masters Course — Teaches students on how to rig CH-46E Sea KnightsCH-46 Sea KnightThe Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight is a medium-lift tandem rotor transport helicopter, used by the United States Marine Corps to provide all-weather, day-or-night assault transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment. Assault Support is its primary function, and the movement of supplies and...
, CH-53 Sea StallionCH-53 Sea StallionThe CH-53 Sea Stallion is the most common name for the Sikorsky S-65 family of heavy-lift transport helicopters. Originally developed for use by the United States Marine Corps, it is also in service with Germany, Iran, Israel, and Mexico...
s, and UH-1N Twin HueyUH-1N Twin HueyThe Bell UH-1N Twin Huey is a medium military helicopter that first flew in April, 1969. The UH-1N has a fifteen seat configuration, with one pilot and fourteen passengers. In cargo configuration the UH-1N has an internal capacity of 220 ft³ . An external load of 5,000 lb can be carried...
s for fast-ropingFast-ropingFast-roping, sometimes known as Fast Rope Insertion Extraction System , is a technique for descending a thick rope. It is useful for deploying troops from a helicopter in places where the helicopter itself cannot touch down. First developed by the British with UK rope manufacturer Marlow Ropes,...
, special purpose insertion/extractionSpecial Patrol Insertion/ExtractionThe Special Patrol Insertion/Extraction system was developed as a means to rapidly insert and/or extract a reconnaissance patrol from an area that does not permit a helicopter to land. SPIE has application for rough terrain as well as water inserts/extracts...
(SPIE), and abseilingAbseilingAbseiling , rappelling in American English, is the controlled descent down a rock face using a rope; climbers use this technique when a cliff or slope is too steep and/or dangerous to descend without protection.- Slang terms :...
. Students must familiarize with knots and rigging systems (11 in all). Upon mastery of these subjects, students put their new skills to use on towers, and are given a written test to complete. - Long Range (Over-the-Horizon) Maritime Navigation Course — This course teaches the courses of instruction and capabilities of a raid force to remain undetected or unidentified for a sufficient period of time necessary to achieve tactical surprise. Students learn how to operate the Combat Rubber Recon Craft in navigable waters.
- Deep Infiltration and Extraction Team (DIET) Course — This course teaches students to make small air/ground units under the SPMAGTF. Only students qualified in (HRST), (CQC),Urban Sniper and masterful command of aircraft and navigation may qualify.
- Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and/or Personnel (TRAP) Course — Course teaches students in the fundamentals of helicopter and subsurface insertions for the recovery of aircraft equipment and personnel, or other sensitive material that is of interest for retrieval.
- Non-Lethal Weapons Course — Students learns skills in utilizing their MCMAP skillsMarine Corps Martial Arts ProgramThe Marine Corps Martial Arts Program is a combat system developed by the United States Marine Corps to combine existing and new hand-to-hand and close quarters combat techniques with morale and team-building functions and instruction in what the Marine Corps calls the "Warrior Ethos". The...
in defense and offense of non-lethal weapons.