History

The late 1970s and early 1980s were a high water mark for US military anti-terrorist efforts. A series of deadly attacks directed at Americans highlighted the requirement for security forces capable of countering terrorist threats against military units.

The President issued a directive ordering US security agencies and all branches of the military to enhance their capabilities in this field. In compliance with this directive, the USMC conducted a thorough evaluation of its security forces during the mid-eighties. Upon the study's completion, the Corps came to the conclusion that its current security procedures were inadequate to handle the security threats being posed against it. The Corps decided to form a new unit of highly trained elite Marines dedicated to defending both US Navy and Marine Corps assets from terrorist attack.

The new unit was designated as the Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team, or FAST. Established in 1987, FAST Companies are equipped to perform security missions as directed by the Chief of Naval Operations. FAST Company marines augment installation security when a threat condition is elevated beyond the ability of resident and auxiliary security forces. They are not designed to provide a permanent security force for the installation. The Marine Corps uses FAST Companies to protect forces when a threat level requires it. Other missions include infantry duties, Close Protection, and occasionally augmenting part of Maritime Raid Forces aboard Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU).

Each company is well grounded in basic infantry skills. FAST Companies are primarily designed to conduct defensive combat operations, military security operations, and infantry operations. They also can be tailored for specific tasks from the Chief of Naval Operations. They also ensure nuclear material on submarines is not compromised when the vessels are docked.

• Dedicated, armed, combat-trained cadre
• Task organized and equipped to perform security and combat operations of short duration
• Augment installation security when the threat condition has been elevated beyond the capability of the permanent security force
• Conduct anti-terrorism missions out of threatened installations.
• Train, advise, and assist host nation security forces in anti-terrorism and weapons marksmanship.
• Assist the base security officer and DSS Agents in the preparation of base defense and other security operation planning.
• Conduct PSD (Personnel Security Detachment) missions for diplomats, high ranking officials, and other at risk national assets.
• Requested by combatant and fleet commanders-in-chief
• Deploy only upon approval of the Chief of Naval Operations

The marines of 1st FAST 1st Platoon after raiding a mock embassy in Rota Spain.

Since their inception, FAST Company marines have seen a heavy operations tempo, being deployed to participate in numerous training, security, and combat operations. In 1988, elements of 1st FAST had been deployed to Rodman Naval Station, Panama as a response to a number of incursions by unknown intruders (the intruders were believed to be members of a Cuban special operations unit who were attempting to sabotage US POL stockpiles located on the base). On alternating with US Army security elements, FAST conducted operations including combat and security patrols in the battle space, and establishing ambush positions along known avenues of approach. During one incident in April 1988, a Marine Corporal, an 0331 augment from the 2nd Marine Division, was killed by rifle fire during a half-hour long fire-fight with a force of about 30 well-armed soldiers, who were suspected to be Cuban special forces.

The FAST marines were successful in deterring further assaults, and on a number of occasions they captured infiltrators, attempting to gain entry to the base, under fire. On 21 December 1989 the US launched Operation Just Cause, the invasion of Panama. US forces were to secure the country and remove Panamanian military strongman, and the country's de facto leader, from power. Although primarily a US Army, and special operations forces mission, a select number of USMC units were to participate. One of the USMC units selected for the operation was 1st FAST Co.

1st FAST had been operating in Panama for some time providing security at US naval installations; conducting training exercises; and gearing up for any possible terrorist attack directed at USMC or USN facilities in Panama. 1st FAST along with a detachment from the 2nd Light Armored Infantry (LAI) Battalion, another new USMC unit, conducted several joint combat missions together. The 2nd LAI det. provided speed, armored protection, and heavy firepower, while 1st FAST provided CQB skills necessary for operating in the tight confines of an urban environment that was seen during the invasion.

During Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield, FAST marines provided additional security to US naval installations in Bahrain.

In January 1991, the US Navy and Marines conducted Operation Sharp Edge, the noncombatant evacuation operation of US and foreign nationals from Liberia. FAST was deployed to relieve the Marine Amphibious Readiness Group that was providing security at the US embassy in Monrovia, Liberia.

Shortly after the conclusion of Vigilant Warrior, USCENTCOM found itself involved once again in Somalia, this time to cover the withdrawal of UNOSOM II in accordance with a United Nations decision to pull its forces out of that war ravaged country. After the withdrawal of US forces on 25 March 1994, the United States maintained a liaison office in Mogadishu in an attempt to further the process of political reconciliation in Somalia. Security for this office was provided by a FAST platoon. As conditions in Mogadishu deteriorated, the liaison office relocated to Nairobi and the FAST platoon redeployed to Mombasa, Kenya, on 15 September 1994, with FAST redeploying to home station three days later.

FAST Platoons also provided protection support for the transfer of Cuban migrants from Panama holding areas to Guantanamo Bay during Operation Safe Passage from January to February 1995. Following the 1996 bombing of a USAF barracks in Saudi Arabia, FAST marines responded. Elements of FAST Company arrived on the scene and secured several buildings within 10 hours.

During Operation Fairwinds in late 1996, FAST Platoons provided security for Navy Seabees and USAF Civil Engineers, work sites, camp sites, and convoys in Haiti.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve FAST Platoons from FASTCENT provided Combat/QRF support for MEU (Marine Expeditionary Units). High Threat Protection and Embassy missions were conducted routinely during these operations throughout the Middle East.

During the attack on the U.S consulate in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012, a FAST Platoon was deployed to the country to assist in combat operations.

Fast Platoons from FASTCENT assisted in Operation Ocean Shield on October 11, 2016, to assist in the counter piracy campaign against Somali pirates and Houthi Rebels from Yemen.

Organization

There are currently three FAST companies in the US and a training company. All Companies A,B, and C are located at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Yorktown, Virginia. These companies operate under the control of the Marine Corps Security Force Regiment located on Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia, The Security Force Regiment Training Company is located on Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Northwest Annex (NSA Northwest), in Chesapeake, Virginia. Each company includes almost 400 marines, task-organized based upon mission.

Training

All Marines assigned to FAST must have completed the following training:

• Recruit Training (13 weeks)
• SOI (School of Infantry) (8 weeks)
• BSG (Security Force Training (6 weeks) - (NSA Northwest, Chesapeake, VA) - Teaches Combat Marksmanship (shotgun and pistol), Close Quarter Battle
• FAST Training (5 weeks)-(NSA Northwest, Chesapeake, VA) Additional training in Advanced Urban Combat.
• Close Quarter Battle School - 8 weeks long, RTTs receive this same training as FAST. FAST Platoons have a full squad dedicated to CQB which is a military occupational specialty (MOS 8154). They receive this training at Marine Corps Security Forces Training Company which is an MOS producing school but the whole Platoon will also go through a course known as Advanced Urban Combat or AUC to make sure the entire platoon can be called upon for that very mission if the threat requires it. AUC is a shorter course that is not an MOS producing school.
• BSR Summit Point, West Virginia High performance driving school that teaches, high risk driving, motorcade operations, evasive driving techniques, driving beyond normal limits, ramming, pit, close proximity, driver down and various other driving techniques.
• High Risk Personnel also known as executive protection, similar to protective services detail, the military version of Federal Law Enforcement Training Center focused heavily on providing High Threat Protection training. This course includes route reconnaissance and surveillance training.
• Inter-service Nonlethal Individual Weapons Instructor Course and other riot control techniques
• Helicopter and Rope Suspension Techniques Master Course, aka H.R.S.T., from Special Operations Training Group: This course focuses on how to properly rappel down structures and out of helicopter, fast rope out of helicopter, use Special Purpose Insertion and Extraction SPIE rigging and how to rig these systems to an aircraft with the proper gear for safe tactical operations.
• VBSS (Visit, Board, Search, Seizure): This training focuses on how to properly raid enemy vessels, oil rigs, and contested coastal areas via boat.
• Designated Marksman School: FAST Marines will have the opportunity to attend this training. The course trains Marines to be able to conduct long range precision shooting.

During their training exercises, FAST makes extensive use of simulated ammunition or UTM. Si-munition and UTMs are like paintball ammunition, but it can be fired from weapons normally used by the unit instead of plastic guns. The USMC has seen fit to equip its FAST units with a wide array of weapons, and equipment to help them accomplish their mission. The FAST's arsenal is known to include M4 rifles, M4/M-203 40mm grenade launchers, Modified M-14 rifles with specialized stocks to make them Designated Marksmen Rifles (DMR which has a composite stock and fixed magnification scope) or Enhanced Marksmen Rifle (EMR which has a SAGE stock with a specialized scope known as the Scout Sniper Day Scope or SSDS), Beretta M9A1 9mm pistols, Remington 870 shotguns, Benelli M1014 semi automatic shotgun, M-249 5.56mm Squad Automatic Weapons (SAWs), M-240B 7.62mm MMGs, Browning .50 Cal. HMGs, MK-19 40mm HMGs (automatic grenade launchers).

All these weapons can at any time be outfitted with the most advanced optics known today like ACOG, EoTech, AimPoint, various PEQ laser systems and night vision scopes. Almost all of FAST Company's missions are unknown, except by the members of that platoon. Charlie FAST Company from NAS Bahrain was sent to secure the embassy in Sanna Yemen in July 2011 just one year prior to the FAST's most recent mission that was known around the world and caught media attention was on 12 September 2012. A FAST team 1 from Rota, Spain was sent to Libya in response to the 2012 US Consulate attack in Benghazi.^[4][5]