![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/marsoc-mark-clark.jpg.jpg\")
Then-Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos, left, speaks with MARSOC Commander Maj. Gen. Mark Clark, center, and an unidentified Marine first sergeant at a MARSOC event in 2012. (Photo by Sgt. Mallory S. VanderSchans\/Marine Corps)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n I can tell you that the Marines assigned to MARSOC live up to that every day. They are some of the finest Marines with whom I have had the honor of serving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Within the special operations community, MARSOC Marine Raiders are viewed the same way \u2014 as Marines who carry out special operations in a most professional, adaptable, can-do manner. The Marine ethos and fabric that is interwoven into each of them are what add to their specialness, their uniqueness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Retired Adm. Bill McRaven, who led U.S. Special Operations Command, once said that being Marines is our niche within the special ops community; it\u2019s what makes us special and unlike any other in that realm. That was, is, and will remain our identity within MARSOC\u00a0\u2014\u00a0the\u00a0fact we are Marines. The tag on the front of our utility uniforms reads the same as every other Marine who earns the eagle, globe and anchor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The new insignia is a means of identification, not separation, within the Corps just like naval aviator wings, aircrew wings, scuba insignia, explosive ordnance disposal insignia and jump wings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means of identification also serves another purpose for the Marine Corps \u2014\u00a0MARSOC operates 90 percent of its time in a joint special operations environment. Special operations credibility is a must immediately in this environment. The insignia offers that credibility without having to state it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n MARSOC has faithfully maintained its role and responsibility as the Marine Corps\u2019 special operation component to the joint community, and it has continued to be a strong part of the Marine Corps fabric even though there were concerns with the special operations specialty designations and the Marine Raider name inheritance. Marine Raiders will continue to stay the course of “always faithful” with the insignia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Names etched on the memorial wall in front of the MARSOC headquarters building in Stone Bay, North Carolina, attest to this fact. Marine Raiders have proven it in combat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I would ask, rather than have concerns about this, embrace it as a good thing for the Marine Corps and the Marine Raiders who have worked so very hard and sacrificed much to achieve this designation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clark is a retired Marine Corps major general and the fourth commander of Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command. He left active duty in 2014. These views do not necessarily represent those of the Marine Corps or the Defense Department.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the special operations community, credibility is a must and this device ensures that, writes MARSOC’s former commander, retired Maj. Gen. Mark Clark.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":33816,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":14,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"2":{"categories":["opinion"],"primary_category":"opinion"}}},"categories":[12,14,69],"tags":[],"coauthors":[1745],"class_list":["post-14614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-opinion","category-your-marine-corps"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"YGLQWVLDYNFNBFPTIY5WUPKTII","arc_canonical_url":"\/opinion\/2016\/09\/19\/the-marines-new-raider-insignia-gives-special-operators-street-cred\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"\n