42 CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan – He grew up working on farms and construction sites whilst moving all over Wisconsin and even to Pennsylvania and Georgia with his three younger sisters. However, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Shane Holum, a combat engineer with Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Installations Pacific – Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, always felt there was something more for him.
“I have always been interested in doing things that are difficult and wanted to be around like-minded and driven individuals,” said Holum, a native of Fall Creek, Wisconsin. “I saw the Marine Corps as the ultimate thing that could check those boxes as a kid. I also have family who have fought through multiple wars from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm so I felt like it was an important thing to do.”
Physical in-test
During Phase 2, which is also three-weeks-long, candidates continue to face more physical and mental challenges. During this phase, individuals are continuously evaluated to determine if they re the right fit for the MARSOC community.
After the completion of Phase 2, candidates are selected for the Individual Training Course. Just because a Marine is selected for ITC, does not guarantee his/her success through the next nine months of training.
Individual Training Course:
ITC is nine-months-long and is based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Here, CSOs and SOOs receive extensive training, preparing them for the demands and op-tempo they will face at the Raider battalions and on deployment.
by
SOFREP
Mar 10, 2021
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Marine Special Operations Command, better known as MARSOC, officially came into existence on February 24, 2006. The institution of MARSOC and the Marine Raiders was the result of many years of effort.
Special Operations Command (SOCOM) was instituted in 1986. At the time, the Marine’s elite unit was known as Force Reconnaissance, they were the predecessors of MARSOC. Back then, Marine leadership did not want to join SOCOM, since they felt it would jeopardize Force Recon and its special capabilities under the direction of the Marine Corps. There was a sense that joining SOCOM would result in the downfall of the Marines as a whole.