THE TENSION: Combat Camera: Special Ops Marines Deliver in Southern Afghanistan

A Marine special operations company leatherneck examines a poppy plant handed to him by an Afghan national army soldier (right) during a late February patrol through a Helmand province village in which they were looking for Taliban fighters. (Photographer: Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr., Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

An Afghan boy receives a school bag from Afghan national army soldiers and a Marine special operations company's team members. The ANA and MSOC unit were visiting a Helmand province village in late February. (Photographer: Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr., Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

Marines with a Marine special operations company take aim on Taliban fighters in a Helmand province village in late February. Afghan national army soldiers and the MSOC Marines were visiting the southern Afghanistan village when they were attacked by Taliban fighters. (Photographer: Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr., Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

Marines with a Marine special operations company and an Afghan national army soldier position themselves to fight Taliban fighters who attacked them a few minutes prior. ANA soldiers and MSOC Marines were visiting the southern Afghanistan village when they were attacked by Taliban fighters in late February. (Photographer: Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr., Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

A rocket propelled grenade lays unexploded on the ground after bouncing off a Humvee in a Helmand province village during late February. A Taliban fighter had just shot the RPG at a Marine special operations company's Marines in the southern Afghanistan village. (Photographer: Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr., Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

A Marine with a Marine special operations company patrols a village looking for Taliban fighters who attacked the MSOC unit and Afghan national army soldiers in the Helmand province village. ANA soldiers and MSOC Marines were visiting the southern Afghanistan village when they were attacked by Taliban fighters in late February. (Photographer: Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr., Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

Marines with a Marine special operations company secure an area of a Helmand province village in which they were under attack by Taliban fighters, while a Chinook CH-47 pulls in to provide support for the Marines. Afghan national army soldiers and MSOC Marines were visiting the southern Afghanistan village when they were attacked by Taliban fighters in late February. (Photographer: Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr., Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

A Marine special operations company's Humvees traverse through mountainous terrain in Helmand province after a day of battling against Taliban fighters in a southern Afghanistan village. (Photographer: Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr., Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

A Marine with a Marine special operations company is on the lookout in a village for possible Taliban fighters during late February. The MSOC unit and Afghan national army soldiers were visiting the southern Afghanistan village in which they distributed humanitarian aid to villagers. (Photographer: Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr., Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

Two Marines with a Marine special operations company are on the lookout in a village for possible Taliban fighters during late February. The MSOC unit and Afghan national army soldiers were visiting the southern Afghanistan village in which they distributed humanitarian aid to villagers. (Photographer: Staff Sgt. Luis P Valdespino Jr., Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

Dispatches from the Front:

EDITOR'S NOTE: The author of this article, Staff Sgt. Valdespino, is a Marine combat correspondent assigned to Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan. He recently spent 16 days embedded with a Marine Special Operations Company in Helmand province, Afghanistan, to watch and learn about their role in Operation Enduring Freedom. Because the military personnel mentioned in this story are special operations personnel, their names and the specific locations cannot be published.

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, March 16, 2008 -- For most Marines, “special forces” traditionally means Force Reconnaissance units.

Having served in the Corps for almost 20 years, I have heard stories about Force “Recon,” but until recently I was not familiar with the role of a Marine special operations company. A couple weeks with a Marine special operations company deployed from the 1st Special Operations Battalion in Camp Pendleton was an eye-opening and humbling experience.

Marine Special Operations, as an organization, has only existed for about two years. The MSOC Marines come from former Force Recon and other infantry units, said a former Force Recon Marine. Their experiences vary, but most have had years of combat experience.

The MSOC Marines, based out of a forward operating base in central Helmand province, operated at a much faster pace than I had previously seen.

Accompanied by a small group of Afghan national army soldiers, the Marines were constantly on the go: visiting villages, distributing humanitarian aid and always searching for insurgents. Their breaks between operations varied from 12 hours to three days.

The MSOC Marines thrive on missions that have them patrolling for enemy forces, an MSOC Marine said. “We don’t like being on the FOB.”

Shortly after my arrival on their FOB, the unit departed on a mission in northern Helmand province.

An MSOC leatherneck said his Marines were attacked four times throughout the four-day mission. He described how they overcame enemy machine gun positions, mortar attacks and rocket-propelled-grenades.

“Needless to say, we silenced their weapons,” said another MSOC Marine.

I joined the MSOC Marines on their next mission, a three-day assignment in north central Helmand province, visiting villages throughout the districts. At night the Marines slept on the desert ground – in sleeping bags, but not on cots.

While on foot patrol through the first village on day one, I learned that these Marines were not on a time schedule, and they took no shortcuts. In full combat gear they searched all compounds, streets and paths in the village. When it was secure, they set up distribution sites for the humanitarian aid they brought with them.

On the second day the unit came under attack within five minutes of arriving at a small village. Immediately the MSOC Marines positioned themselves throughout the village and began engaging the enemy insurgents.

Halfway into what turned out to be a nearly four-hour battle, a Marine who seemed to never rest, looked at me and said with a grin, “We’re not done yet.”

He seemed unfazed that earlier a rocket-propelled grenade missed him by less than two feet.

Despite several other close calls, the Marines relentlessly pursued the insurgents until they secured the village, and the Taliban fighters were either killed or fled. Before they were done, the MSOC hospital corpsmen cared for and treated villagers injured by insurgents.

Afterward Marine leaders met with village elders and committed to return with much needed aid and support, as long as the Marines had the villagers’ support.

As my time with the unit ended, the MSOC Marines prepared to depart on another mission. After all, they weren’t done yet.

(Story by Marine Staff Sgt. Luis P. Valdespino Jr., Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan Public Affairs.)