Colonial Marine Corps (Battlestar Galactica)

The Colonial Marine Corps (CMC) of the Battlestar Galactica universe is a little known organization as the only known members are the ship's detachments on board the Galactica and Pegasus with some retired members being encountered thru the series. They are seen in the new series and not in the original series.

Mission

They are responsible for guarding the ship's captain and his quarters, and command crew, the Combat Information Center, the ship's Brig, and other vital parts of the ship. It is comprised of both a regular component, as well as a reserve component, and are part of the Colonial Forces.

They are also responsible for repelling enemy boarding actions as in episode "Valley of Darkness". They guard President Roslin and other senior VIP's, when they is aboard ship.

Strength

Galactica appears to have about thirty Marines, with this number increasing with the addition of the Battlestar Pegasus to the Fleet. During a briefing in the episode "The Passage", Colonel Tigh tells Admiral Adama that they now have 300 marines of whom "a hundred Marines too weak to work, two hundred more about to drop".

After Pegasus's destruction, a number of Marines are integrated into Galactica's crew.

Very few Marine officers appear to be stationed on Galactica with only Lieutenant Terry Burrell in "Sacrifice" and an unnamed lieutenant in "Escape Velocity".

Uniforms

The Colonial Marines wear a solid black battle dress uniform with black helmets, load-bearing vests, communications equipment, knee and elbow pads, gloves and goggles are standard. Marine BDUs are worn with a plain black t-shirt as depicted in "A Measure of Salvation".

Marines conducting security duties wear a black armband on the right upper arm with the word "Security" printed in black letters on a small square of white. Sergeant Hadrian, Galactica's Master-at-Arms, wears one on a khaki fatigue uniform, which may also be seen worn by crewmen walking in the background in hallways are seen wearing the Marine non-com uniform. An olive-drab/version of the khaki uniform is worn by planetside Marines in "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I".

The Colonial Marines are shown to wear both woodland, USMC MARPAT pattern, and urban grey digital camouflage uniforms.

Equipment

With their black uniforms, the Marines weapons and personal combat equipment are similar to police SWAT teams and anti-terrorist special forces units utilize. They seem primarily equipped for CQB.

See also

• Marine
• Colonial Marines
• Space marine

External links

• Colonial Marines at Battlestar Galactica Wiki
• Ranks
• Battlestar Galactica Hub
• BattlestarGalactica.com - Richard Hatch's Battlestar Galactica site