Tough Rugged Bastard and the Creation of MARSOC | Marine Raider and Force Recon | John Dailey RD 1

Today we have round one of a fascinating Combat Story interview with John Dailey, a former Marine Force Recon operator who was one of the very few selected to help stand up what was known as ”Detachment One,” which would lead to the creation of the Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) that we know today.

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The eighty-six-man “Detachment One” was formed with a two-year charter to train and deploy as a “proof-of-concept” to assess the viability of a larger Marine Special Operations contribution in support of the Global War on Terror. The Commanding Officer—Colonel Robert J. Coates, a Marine Force Recon legend—was given his pick of personnel and one of the four team leaders he selected was Gunnery Sergeant John Dailey. Their sole stipulation in finding the right recruits was that they be: “Tough, rugged bastards with strong backs and hard feet.” We know they got it right because we’ve interviewed some of those early warriors on this show, like Elliot Ackerman and Jason Lilley, to name a few.

John has written a book that will be released in August 2024, aptly titled ‘Tough Rugged Bastards: A Memoir of a Life in Marine Special Operations’ that describes both John’s experiences and the beginning of MARSOC from his perspective on the ground. I hope you enjoy this experience of combat and the weight of the Marine Corps on the shoulders of a small group of men like John, as much as I did.

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