USMC SRT (SWAT)

Marines with a United States Marine Corps (USMC) Special Reaction Team (SRT) move in formation across open ground during a training mission at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, 2011.

SRTs are the Marine Corp's equivalent to civilian police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams and trained to respond to dangerous situations at USMC installations.

SRT members are hand-picked military policemen who have been selected for their physical abilities and ability to work in a close-knit team.

Before the SRT concept was established, local civilian SWAT units would respond to any incident beyoind the abilities of the standard MP force at a given base.

The time it might take for an outside law enforcement SWAT team to assemble, gear up and be properly briefed could run into hours.

An in-house, in-situ SWAT team, such as the Special Reaction Team, not only can respond far more rapidly, but, due to regular training at their location, have an intimate knowledge of their assigned base and are familiar with its layout, building interiors and personnel.