[2] The new unit's first major engagement occurred during the 2015–16 Latakia offensive aiming at driving rebel forces completely from the Syrian Coastal Mountain Range.

In course of the fighting at Aleppo, the local Military Shield fighters under Mudar Makhlouf began to coordinate their operations with the Syrian Resistance and the Republican Guard-affiliated Popular Security and Support Forces.

This unit was later accused by the Tiger Forces to have fled in disarray after the first serious Islamist attacks, leaving Palmyra and Tadmor's remaining pro-government defenders to their fate.

On 23 February 2017, al-Masdar News reported that over 900 Syrian Marines had joined the Military Security Shield Forces in order to avoid being drafted into the regular army.

[11] Military Security Shield Forces have been accused of being financed by Syrian Sunni businessman Samer Foz, and of acting as the latter's private army.