[1][2] Its mission is to provide security forces to guard high-value naval installations, most notably those containing nuclear vessels and weapons.

FAST (FMF LANT) Marines engaged with "intruders" on 14 April 1988 at the Arraijan fuel farms near Howard Air Force Base in Panama during a two hour-long firefight.

FAST Marines had participated in the Shallow Hawk 1-87 Riverine Exercise led by US Navy Special Boat Unit-11 a battalion-sanctioned a month earlier in July 1987 prior to the official battalion stand-up.

Broken Arrow and Bent Spear) site security; as well as, reinforcement of US Navy Facilities and US Embassies in the Pacific and Indian Ocean AOR.

Three of the FAST platoons also participated in KENNEL LANCE BRAVO anti-terrorism exercises with and against US Navy SEALS at several CONUS Naval Bases in the San Diego and Oakland areas.

Established in 1987, FAST companies provide a limited-duration, expeditionary security force to protect vital naval and national assets and personnel.

FAST maintains forward-deployed platoons at various naval commands around the globe, and possesses US-based alert forces capable of rapidly responding to unforeseen contingencies worldwide.

The USMC's FAST companies provide both the US Navy and Marine Corps with a dedicated force protection and anti-terrorist unit.

A series of deadly attacks directed at Americans highlighted the requirement for security forces capable of countering terrorist threats against military units.

Other missions include infantry duties, Close Protection, and occasionally augmenting part of Maritime Raid Forces aboard Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU).

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.

1st FAST along with a detachment from the 2nd Light Armored Infantry (LAI) Battalion, another new USMC unit, conducted several joint combat missions together.

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.

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.

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.

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.

[5][6] The Recapture Tactics Team or RTT specializes In-Extremis Hostage Rescue (IEHR) and Nuclear Counter-Proliferation (NCP).

The marines and sailors who attend this school learn to violently recapture, or take back by force, United States personnel and property that has been stolen, taken hostage or otherwise compromised.

If they pass the two-month long USMC CQB school, they have officially earned the 8154 MOS, and they then report back to their Naval Nuclear Weapons Command where they spend several more weeks getting "broken in" by the platoon as new Operators.