23rd Marine Raiders

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23rd Marine Raiders insignia.

Marine Special Operations Team 23, a unit of the United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) Marine Special Operations Advisor Group (MSOAG), operates under the official designation of Marine Raiders. The team consists of 14 personnel, commanded by Captain Jack Whiteside.

Personnel

As of 31 December 2009, the following personnel are assigned to MSOT-23 (listed by rank and seniority):

Captain Jack Whiteside. Veteran of Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lieutenant Robert King. Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lieutenant Ira Zsasz. Graduate, US Navy War College.

Master Sergeant Steve Corey. Veteran of Operation Desert Storm.

Gunnery Sergeant John Wilson. Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom. Previously assigned to NASA Special Operations Team Delta.

Sergeant Esmerelda Esparza. Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom. Previously assigned to NASA Special Operations Team Delta.

Sergeant Louis DeBonne. Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Corporal Jimmy Takeda. Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Corporal Victor Martinez. USMC Forces Special Operations.

Corporal Lee Linda. Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom. Previously assigned to NASA Special Operations Team Delta. M4 Rifle expert. Infiltration specialist (e.g. security systems, intelligence gathering, sentry removal, etc.).

Corporal Lane Stanley. Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Private First Class Will Dawson. USMC Infantry.

Private First Class Dennis Albertson. USMC Infantry.

Private First Class George Fisher. USMC Infantry. (KIA 2 April 2010)

Private First Class James Buda. USMC Infantry. (KIA 2 April 2010)

Team Deployments

On 30 December 2009 MSOT23 was deployed to Firebase Maholic in Afghanistan. The team cooperates in a variety of special ops missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Missions

• Operation Burnt Umber. The new members of MSOT23 are sent on a shake-down mission to retrieve a package en route through Iran.

• Operation Short Reaper. MSOT23 are sent to capture (if possible, kill if not) a beast of unknown classification that has recently been terrorizing the small village of Barwani.

• Operation Viper Challenge. MSOT23 are sent to secure (and inspect) an Afgani Police compound, operated by Gemstone Security, against potential incursion by Taliban forces.