There has always been a bit of confusion and more than a few unanswered questions concerning the role of Starfleet Marines on board Starfleet vessels. Are they Security? Are they not? Do they answer to the ship’s Captain? Do they answer to no one? What are they allowed to do? What are they not allowed to do? Are they actually part of the crew, or are they heavily armed passengers hitching a ride to the next drop zone? Well, the answers to these questions and many more are not simple… and that is why playing a Marine character is not for the faint of heart. But, even though they can be difficult to play, the rewards for playing a Marine character successfully can be immense, both for your character and those who have the opportunity to role play with you.
Marines are the military arm of Starfleet. Now, even though Starfleet has huge ships with weapons capable of raining down death and destruction and even destroying entire planets outright ; that is not their purpose. Starfleet is dedicated to the peaceful and scientific exploration of the galaxy, and the establishment of diplomatic relations with new civilizations. That being said, things do not always work out that way. When diplomacy fails and arms have to be taken up, the Federation calls upon the Marines.
The primary role of the Marines within the fleet is to be a rapid-deployment armed force anywhere within the Federation. Marine detachments can be stationed aboard starships and bases where they conduct combat operations, board enemy vessels, and perform reconnaissance and intelligence gathering operations; as well as assisting with the defense of Federation worlds and their citizens. They also serve as a hostile-zone landing contingent; securing areas for transporter or shuttle landings. As a result of their mixed land and space role, Marine forces mainly specialize in amphibious assaults using infantry, armour, artillery, and a wide variety of space / air / ground / water craft. They are trained and cross-trained in a variety of combat and non-combat operations; including hostage extraction, evacuation of at-risk populations, relief efforts, sabotage, and many more.
While StarFleet officers serve a wide variety of purposes, diplomatic as well as scientific, Marines operate under a much more rigid framework and much narrower purpose. This purpose is made up of three elements:
| Reconnaissance | All Marines are trained in basic covert reconnaissance and surveillance tactics and technologies. Some receive further specialized training, and become elite warfighters in some of the Corps’ most specialized units. |
|---|---|
| Armed Support | While StarFleet Security officers are highly trained within their field; sometimes the need to protect an individual, group, or location becomes a matter of projection of deadly force and the ability to apply that force quickly and efficiently. Armed support roles are designed expressly for that. Escorting valuable assets through pirate space, defending a frontier colony from Orion Syndicate Raiders, and Vessel Boarding parties are just some of the activities Armed Support operations are involved in. |
| Combat | Combat Marines are there to perform combat actions against enemies of the Federation. Marines assigned here can expect to see Zero-G combat, boarding operations, and to be utilized to take territory on hostile worlds. |
1A- The difference between a Marine and a Security Officer
Many people believe… and act as if… Marines and Security personnel are interchangeable… but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Marines are not law enforcement entities. Unlike Security, Marines do not walk a ship or station patrol, investigate crime or administer the brig. And unlike Tactical, Marines do not operate the ship’s weaponry. Security, unlike Marines, are not combat personnel. Security fights as a last resort. Marines fight because that is why they were created in the first place.
The SFMC is an autonomous branch of the Starfleet Operating Forces, falling under the jurisdiction of the Starfleet Commander-in-Chief, but not under the auspices of Starfleet itself. The Commanding officer of the SFMC holds the rank of Force Marshall, which is equivalent to Fleet Admiral.
The Marine duty uniform differs from their Starfleet counterparts as well. Each member of the Starfleet Marines, just as Starfleet officers, wears a standard division uniform; however Marines do not use Starfleet division colors. Instead, Marines hold with tradition and wear uniforms consisting of a deep Kelly Green.
The Marine Standard Type-II Tactical armor is centrally designed to vastly improve situational awareness and protection of Marines. Starfleet Marine Tactical Armor is some of the most durable and well constructed protective gear in the Alpha Quadrant. The armor is constructed in overlapping layers of low weapons yield resistant memory fabric inside of external layers of Duranium. It is a sealed system, capable of extravehicular activity or operations in toxic atmosphere. It is hardened against EMPs and radiation, and has filters that are extremely effective at removing toxins and bacteria from local atmospheres.
The armor’s shell is composed of a multi-layer alloy of remarkable strength and has been augmented with a refractive coating capable of dispersing a limited amount of Disruptor and Phaser energy weapons fire. The suit contains a gel-filled layer underneath a thick black armored bodysuit. The gel layer regulates temperature and can reactively change its density. The inner skinsuit is made of a moisture-absorbing synthetic material linked to an environment control computer.
Most humanoids have an internal molecular fiber network called the nervous system within their brain. The electrochemical signals from the Marine’s brain are translated to digital code and are routed through an interface connection in the helmet. Through this interface, input from the on-board sensors is delivered directly to the Marine’s mind.
The suit also possesses other features that enhance the abilities of its user. It has numerous clips, belts, and magnetic holsters for the attachment of additional weapons and ammunition; an advanced Holo based Heads-Up-Display (HUD) linked to sensors in the gloves detects the type of weapon and devices held, readst ammunition count, a targeting reticule, waypoints, a radio uplink for communication, health monitoring and other helpful data.
Additionally, Marines use a different rank structure to StarFleet:
1B - What sort of character makes a good Marine?
All Marines have one thing in common: a level of dedication and discipline that defines them and the work they do. Marines are driven by the core values that have remained unchanged since before there was a Federation: Honor. Courage. Commitment. Marines have had these values etched into their very being. Whatever they do, these three things remain paramount. Now, that isn’t to say that a Marine can’t be as unique as you wish to make them. But regardless of the world they come from, the species they are, their likes and dislikes… one thing they will be most proud of is the title they have earned:
Marine.
1C - When you create your character bear in mind the following as you write your backstory
Marine officers do not attend StarFleet Academy for their training. They attend StarFleet Marine Corps Academy, which shares grounds with the Fleet Academy. Additionally, while the two institutions share some of the same facilities and there is a small degree of overlap; the training for each is wholly different from the other.
StarFleet Academy is four years long, with the first two years being generalized studies followed by two years of Department specific training. The basic Marine Academy is four years long and focuses on very specific topics all Marines are supposed to know: Tactics, military history, combat, leadership, weapons and vehicle operations, field communications, small unit deployment, and intense physical fitness training are just some of those. Following completion, the officer is sent to combat training with newly graduated enlisted personnel.
Enlisted Marines are also different from Fleet Enlisted personnel in that Fleet Enlisted go through eight weeks of training followed by a various length ‘A’ School where they are trained in their specific departments. Enlisted Marines go through a sixteen week long boot camp at MCRD (Marine Corps Recruit Depot) Parris Island on the east coast of North America on Earth. That sixteen weeks is followed up by another ten weeks of pure combat training at the Marine Combat Training Battalion. Upon successful completion, they are assigned to units throughout Federation space and are expected to continue their training while stationed.
Once a Marine has graduated (and they do not earn the title of Marine until they do), they are assigned a MOS: Marine Occupational Specialty. This is the specific role the Marine has within their unit; be that Heavy Weapons, Armorer, Sniper, Reconnaissance, or even Administration. The options are plentiful and quite varied. Regardless of their specialty, and as is etched into the arch over the entrance to the Marine Combat Training Battalion: “Every Marine Is A Rifleman”
1D - Marines and Other Branches Of The Service
It is often put forth that there is a rivalry between StarFleet and Marine personnel. While that may be true in certain circumstances, it is not the rule. Marines are consummate professionals, and their belief of ‘Mission First’ can cause friction with non-Marines. It can also be said without much exaggeration that Marines can seem aloof, even arrogant, to individuals outside the Marine community. This is the result of the closeness with which Marines operate within their unit. Unit and Corps camaraderie runs deep within the service; to the point that it is a common saying that “There are no ex-Marines. There are simply Marines who no longer serve on active duty.” Almost all Marine units have a unit club, typically based around where the unit is generally stationed. Any current or former Marine who served with the unit is considered a member, thus leading some clubs to have thousands of individuals on their membership rolls.
1E - Corpsmen of Marines
Corpsmen are unique within both Starfleet and the Marines. Corpsmen are an all-enlisted Fleet Medical Corps; specialists who have volunteered to serve with Marine units and field medical support. They retain Fleet rank structure and their dress uniforms are standard issue StarFleet dress. Otherwise, Corpsmen live, eat, train, and fight with the Marines they serve with.
Corpsmen are highly trained in trauma management, battlefield medicine, triage, and emergency medicine. Corpsmen are so highly trained, in fact, that if they elect to leave the Corps and become Fleet Medical officers; they only require one year of secondary training at the Academy.