There was once a string in the Narattor Board that talked about "Marines." I started talking about it, and got band from it, and the strings conversation changed by the Narrator.
Now I understand why, however, I do feel that my response was warrented and my request to move the string was a valid request. However, they are the law, so it has been written and there is nothing I can do about that.
Therefore, I shall do as they have requested and move this discussion here. The discussion, I'm sure has been done before, but as I understand it, and do to the multiple postings about it, it is a discussion that should be continued.
This discussion centers around what the Ground Forces as stated by ADM Ross on air (thus being canon) that have been called RRTs in the LUG Players handbook (thus being Canon) and Marines (non-Canon). The discussion has ranged from name, to structure, to even whether it is "with in Star Trek" to have these forces for as a part of Starfleet, and thus the Federation.
Thus, let us continue this debate.
Personally, I call them Marines myself and don't believe that they were part of Starfleet until the Dominion War, and have been left as part of Starfleet since. Prior, I speculate, the units that now make up the Marines were part of each Members Defense Force.
I use them in the same sence, as seen on TV. Ground forces, not to replace the Security personnel onboard Starfleet vessels. Their use is rare, if at all. Furthermore, there numbers are small, and their make up is dependent on whether a Member Planet volunteers their units to Starfleet for them to become part of the Marines.
Therefore . . . it is very much structured techniqually like the current United States Army National Guard. In which they are techniqually under the command of that States Governor, and only are Federalized if there is a national emergency, such as a war.
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"See Everything; overlook a great deal; correct a little." -Pope John XXIII