Republic Marines

"Marines don't have time for regret. At least, we don't when there's battles to be fought."

- Marine Captain Laera Reyolé, to

The Republic Marines, also known as the Republic Marine Corps or simply as "the Corps", was first formed as a branch of the, which encompassed its primary ground forces and shipboard security personnel. Separate from the, soldiers who served in the Republic Marines were considered to be among the best-trained and best-equipped troops that the could field. Generally organized into al- or -sized units, depending on the era, Marines would often see a wider range of duties than their counterparts in the Army, including garrisoning remote outpost worlds, serving on warships, or protecting embassies and other governmental posts. Aside from their main combat units, the Corps possessed two major sub-branches: the Marine Aerospace Wings, which was made up of several s of starfighters that were utilized for everything from close air support to raiding enemy installations, and a dedicated intelligence and special operations branch, the Republic Marine Force Reconnaissance companies.

Founded by Admiral Sakira Tobonne, an experienced Navy officer who had been successful in guarding the borders of the Republic, the Marine Corps served with distinction in many of the galaxy's fiercest and widespread conflicts. Beginning with the and continuing through the time of the, they were regarded as an important arsenal in the Republic's armed forces throughout their history. The Corps eventually grew to include thirty s and thirty-seven starfighter s before they were disbanded along with most of the rest of the military. Refusing to become a part of the that had been created to take their place, most Marines instead became, though they still held to the traditions of the Corps. However, their tactics and doctrine would be resurrected during the by the s of the, with the formation of the.

Formation
"A soldier is good on land, fighting soldiers. A pilot is good at flying in atmosphere and space, fighting other pilots. What we need is a new kind of soldier, capable of fighting on land, in space, or on a starship. A sort of amphibious soldier, a Marine, if you will."

- Admiral Sarkin Tobonne

First proposed in the years prior to the by  Sakira Tobonne, the Republic Marines were originally conceived of as an adjunct to the, serving as the main line of defense in the event that a Republic warship was boarded by enemy forces, or else to serve as shock troopers when boarding enemy vessels. Tobonne, a native of and a career Navy officer, had spent several years working the fringes of Republic space combating  and  along recently-blazed s. During his time commanding the cruiser Wayrunner, he learned the value of training in shipboard combat. At the end of his tour, Tobonne began to advocate for increased combat training for Navy personnel serving aboard warships. At the same time, he and his staff began developing specialized weapons, armor, unit tables and tactics for use by ships' security, culminating in the radical idea of forming an autonomous branch within the Navy to organize and train them. With his promotion to flag rank in 5,006 BBY, he began to openly advocate for the creation of what he referred to as "the Republic's Marine Corps."

The Admiralty, however, listened with only half-open ears; it took the outbreak of hostilities with 's to press home the necessity of forming such a group. Even as Sadow's forces raided itself, the  approved appropriations to create the Marine Corps, as well as confirming Admiral Tobonne as its first Commandant. As the Marines proved themselves at the height of that conflict, they began to be regarded as an elite "first response" force that could be quickly deployed to any combat zone in the galaxy as fast as any sizable warship could deliver them. As a result of this shift in doctrine, Marine training became some of the most grueling in the Republic; becoming one was seen as a mark of honor not only among the military, but of the citizenry as well. So powerful was his influence in the organization he created that for the rest of its history the Marine Corps would celebrate Tobonne's birthday, dubbed "Corps Day" in official documentation, marking it with various festivities that included public relations events and tactical demonstrations by selected units.

Old Sith Wars
"The rocket-jumpers have established a toehold, but they're pinned down. Let's go help them punch a hole!"

- Commander Voskel Dun'vei, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment

When initiated the  in 4,015 BBY on, units of the Seventh Marine Regiment stationed on the capital world protected the  and the surrounding governmetnt buildings from attacks by renegade s while their fellow elites, the s, fought against large numbers of s over. In the years that followed, as s came into production, the Marines helped to test them under combat conditions though they never formally adopted these weapons for field use. A year later, a battalion of the 20th Marine Regiment spearheaded the efforts by the Republic to break the self-imposed blockade of the that had been erected by the  king. This action only took place after political negotiations had proved untenable and the public at large demanded that the Republic stage an intervention. The effort incited a general revolt that led to the king's deposition.

During the Republic's involvement at the height of the on the jungle world of, the Republic Marines once again saw action alongside the rocket-jumpers; a battalion of the Second Marine Regiment was deployed to  at the height of the conflict. Involved in the battle that resulted was future Commandant Voskel Dun'vei, who was the battalion's commanding officer at the time. When initiated his  against the, Marine units fought alongside the Jedi against the invading , when they attacked the  on Coruscant. Marines, along with support from the Navy, also helped to evacuate the world of in the wake of the destruction of the. In the war's final battle at all three regiments of the 4th Marine Division were among the first troops on the ground, securing a safe landing zone and coordinating the  by the Republic's capital ships that followed.

Reorganization
"There are hundreds of unknowable nightmare threats lurking out there beyond the Outer Rim, things we need to know about so we can defend ourselves against them. Proactive intelligence-gathering is the key, and that requires a special type of unit."

- Marine Commander Hestus Jessup, from his draft proposal for the Republic Marine Force Reconnaissance companies

Despite the losses incurred during the conflict initiated by Exar Kun's forces, the Marines continued to hone their tactics and traditions. Lessons learned from fighting such foes as the and the Krath's own elite forces helped the Republic to adopt new training methods, allowing the Marines to diversify themselves. Beginning in 3,992 BBY, the Marines began to reorganize themselves, many of the front line combat units being pulled back on a rotating basis in order to replenish, refit, and retrain as the Corps' doctrine, tactics and strategies began to change. During this time the Corps underwent long process of reforming its line units, abandoning the as the primary field command in favor of the.

To these units were added at least one specialized that included scout/snipers, infiltration experts, demolitions specialists, and other elements of advanced soldiery. Dedicated intelligence analysts and staff sections were also added, so that battalions operating independently would still be able to perform to the same degree of efficiency as a larger force. This transitional period lasted until 3,984 BBY, and included the acquisition of the Corps' first dedicated assault dropship in the form of the T-32z Jarhead-class assault lander, the introduction of integrated starfighter s under the auspices of the Marine Aerospace Wings, and the formation of the Republic Marine Force Reconnaissance companies that served to provide extra flexibility in strategic warfare. These changes resulted in a Marine Corps that would be better prepared to handle new threats and sudden crises with increased speed and strength in the centuries to come.

The Mandalorian Wars
"We're dead if we leave, but just as dead if we stay. D'you want those dogs to sings songs about how they gunned you down?"

- Laera Reyolé to her squad during the Liberation of Onderon

When the finally attacked the Republic in 3,963 BBY after two years of probing and feinting, units of ground-based Marines took the brunt of these initial assaults. Fighting to hold their ground despite being heavily outnumbered, many frontier units along the three corridors of the invasion were either overwhelmed or forced to retreat Coreward. One example which typified these initial battles was the defense of Bad Alshir by Cresh Company, 21st Marine Battalion and the 5th Marine Starfighter Squadron. Though forced to evacuate after the two-day struggle, the Marines were able to inflict disproportionate losses upon the attacking Mandalorias, including the destruction of a. Despite these minor successes, the initial Mandalorian blitzkrieg cost the Republic dearly. However, the actions of Cresh Company and other Marine units helped to prevent total battlefield dominance, often serving as examples for Republic Army units to rally behind. In the months that followed, Force Recon units were dispatched to worlds occupied by the Neo-Crusaders in order to gather information on the Mandalorians' ultimate goals. What they found instead was widespread destruction, which lent no clues as to the true intentions of the reigning.

When and, along with  joined the fight against the Mandalorians, a number of Marine units were sent out in order to harass the enemy, even as the Neo-Crusaders continued to push deeper into Republic space. The 3rd Marine Battalion became one of the most highly-decorated units in the Republic at that time after carrying out a series of highly-successful raids against the Mandalorians' supply lines, raids that Revan himself had planned. As the war reached its midpoint, the Republic Army was sent to reinforce strategically-important worlds in order to make them too well-defended for the Mandalorians to risk attacking; meanwhile, Marine companies and battalions were sent to non-essential yet still important minor worlds, in order to entice the Mandalorians into attacking a seemingly under-defended garrison. These trap-worlds sucked up Neo-Crusader resources, pinning them under exquisitely-prepared defensive positions, until elements of the Mandalorians' fleet could come to their rescue. These reinforcements would then be ambushed by waiting Republic warships, forcing the attackers to waste far more resources than these worlds were worth to either take or hold. Unfortunately for the Republic, these bait-and-switch tactics were almost as costly. However, their strategic value was in keeping the front stalled, preventing the Mandalorians from accumulating enough reserves to enable a direct assault on the and the Republic capital. This had the added benefit of keeping the invaders from dictating the course of the campaigns to follow.

After several of these grueling battles of attrition, Revan had succeeded in blunting the Mandalorian offensive, and began to take the initiative. The Marines' training in rapid planetary assaults was intensified; with leadership supplemented by Jedi commanders, the Corps proved essential to establishing toeholds and landing corridors on contested planets, allowing Army units to reinforce their positions and retake world after world. The Neo-Crusaders did not give ground easily however, and with increasing frequency the Republic was forced to send Marine units into these battles in order to flank strongholds and cut off the supply lines of the retreating Mandalorians. Serving as snipers, sappers, and shock troopers, they isolated Mandalorian units from one another, allowing each to be tackled separately, without support from their fellows. In the war's final campaign, elements of the 3rd, 8th, 14th and 25th Marine Battalions served as spearheads for the assaults on and, taking heavy casualties on the jungle moon against the deeply-entrenched and well-fortified Neo-Crusaders. With reinforcements from the Army, as well as new units of combat droids, the Republic took back what would later be known as "Bloody Dxun."

The, however, would bear witness to the Republic Marines' most humiliating defeat. A force of Mandalorian warships, under the command of and crewed by elite assault units, ambushed an entire Republic task force, boarding Republic vessels before their crews could be properly prepared. The Marines stationed aboard these ships fought with desperate courage against the hardened veterans of Fett's forces; despite their heroism, however, the force of some twenty-four warships, including its flagship and fleet commander, was lost save for one, the Battleaxe. That vessel, along with the few survivors who had managed to escape the battle, fled in hyperdrive-equipped shuttles and starfighters. By the time Revan had finished preparing his at, few combat-ready Marine units were left among his forces, having suffered greatly from attrition. Instead of keeping them spread out amongst his fleet, he consolidated them, sending them back to worlds on the edge of Republic space to serve as garrison units. Most Marines, unaware of what their commander had in mind, regarded this shift in deployment as a sort of punishment for the failure of their comrades at Jaga's Cluster. The news of the Mandalorians' defeat and the casualties suffered by both sides, however, quelled most of these thoughts; senior Marine commanders came to recognize that Revan had been attempting to preserve what he had come to see as a bulwark against future attacks.

The Jedi Civil War
"We had thought that we'd won the war, but that was a lie. Those who had led us, who had sent us into the thickest fighting that sentient beings can engage in, had gone away, only to return as tyrants. You're damn right we weren't going to take that lying down."

- Marine Sergeant Denaas Bekuur, in his memoirs

During the year between the victory at Malachor and the assaults by the newly-crowned Darth Revan, the Marines rebuilt their forces, drawing exceptional troops from throughout the Republic's armed forces in order to bolster their ranks, a tradition that had begun in the wake of the Great Hyperspace War. To the Marines' great surprise, the initial offensives did not target worlds upon which they had been garrisoned. Instead, Revan had focused his attention on strategically-valuable planets that sat upon the intersection of vital galactic trade routes, or worlds that already boasted a fully-functional military-industrial complex and defense network. These included the s at, where Revan's initial attack took place. During the that saw dozens of Republic ships captured and many more destroyed, the 11th Marine Starfighter Squadron was among the first units to encounter the 's new weapons of war.

Revan's surgical strikes threw the Republic, which was still reeling from the devastation wrought by the Mandalorians, into near-chaos, with the Sith forces under his command putting together an impressive number of victories in the months after Foerost. Some Marine units, particularly those who had first come into contact with Revan's new Sith Empire and those who had fought under him during the previous conflict, joined their old commander and forsook the Republic. The vast majority, however, remained faithful, almost fanatically so, and were determined to prove that fact.

Demonstrating once again their versatility, loyal Marine battalions undertook their own counterattacks, driving small wedges into the Sith front. One of the earliest of the war's Republic victories, which came within weeks after the, was secured by the hardened veterans of the 3rd Marine Battalion. Acting on intelligence gathered by Captain Laera Reyolé, the battalion's commanding officer who had led Besh Company during the previous war and had trained briefly as a during the short-lived peace, the force of eight hundred soldiers and officers attacked and seized the Sith supply depot on. Though the initial plan was to cart away what munitions, ordnance and other supplies that they could before demolishing the base, the battle was interrupted by the arrival of a Sith task force of Interdictor-class cruisers. In the intense space battle that followed a flotilla of Republic warships under the command of Kedlis Hetton, who had been waiting in the shadow of one of Iridonia's moons for just such a contingency, pounced on the new arrivals, eliminating the threat in a one-sided victory made possible through. Further information gathered during the raid led to the Republic victory at the ; the resulting campaign was the first serious counter-punch to be landed by the Republic against the Sith armadas.

In 3,956 BBY, with the war going poorly for the Republic, the Jedi Order conceived a daring but risky plan to capture Darth Revan. The hope was that, in depriving the Sith of its greatest leader, strategist and tactician, a power struggle would ensue that would cause the expanding Sith Empire to lose focus and turn on itself. In orbit of, a force of Republic Hammerhead-class cruisers and , supplemented by a pair of Interdictor cruisers engaged the fleet of Sith vessels under Darth Revan's command, a single assault shuttle, aided by the battle meditation of Jedi , managed to board the Sith flagship. Shan, accompanied by four other Jedi Knights, made their way to the bridge. In the meantime the platoon of Army troopers hastily trained in Marine tactics and led by Captain Reyolé, who had accompanied her team aboard, did their best to cause as much havoc as possible in order to provide the Jedi with a clear route to and from the bridge. When Darth Malak took this opportunity to betray his master by firing on the flagship's bridge, Shan alone survived, and carried the comatose Revan back to the hangar deck and their transportation. The troopers assigned to her command held fast, enabling the Jedi to escape with the barely-alive Dark Lord. As the unit split up to make its escape aboard separate vessels, the flagship succumbed to the pounding inflicted by Malak as the Republic force swung in to collect them before retreating from the battlefield.

The change in leadership of the Sith Empire caused unexpected complications, however. Darth Malak, who was not as skilled in strategy or tactics as his former master, preferred to engage in wholesale slaughter when he encountered worlds that would not immediately surrender to him. While the Jedi Order did its best to find a way to halt this new and incredibly destructive advance, the Marines took the brunt of it. The Sith Empire began to focus less on taking and holding strategic worlds in favor of consolidating its territory. Marine units who had thought themselves far from the fighting soon found themselves under siege by huge forces of Sith troopers and warships. Though outnumbered and outgunned, the Marines were much more highly-trained than their attackers, and held out for as long as possible before eventually being overrun and destroyed. Despite this onslaught, some garrisons managed to hold their worlds until relieved by Republic forces, but these victories were incredibly rare. Casualties among the Corps were staggering, with several battalions reduced to such minimal strength that they were unable to conduct combat operations.

Recovery
"The Republic Marines' countless sacrifices throughout the war has ensured their existence for the next thousand years."

- Supreme Chancellor Cressa

With most of the galaxy still on the defensive as the Jedi Civil War came to its sudden conclusion, the Marines found themselves a shattered force, stretched out across the galaxy in a thin line of outposts and depleted garrison bases. However, with the end of hostilities also came a shift in governmental policies, as program after program was launched to breathe life back into the struggling Republic. Under the leadership of a new, , a titanic effort to restore worlds ravaged by the Mandalorians and Sith was undertaken, beginning with. This new program of rebuilding came at a cost, however, as the Army and Navy and, by extension, the Marine Corps, were left without adequate resources to recover from the immense losses incurred by the two recent and devastating wars. Warships were pressed into service as cargo haulers as flora and fauna was imported from verdant worlds to those left scourged by conflict, with any Marines stationed aboard serving as impromptu cargo handlers.

Two years after the war's end however, a company of the 13th Marine Battalion participated in an expedition to the Sith tombworld of Korriban. Led by the redeemed Revan and Bastila Shan, the purpose of the foray was to make sure that the barren world, which had been a stronghold of the Sith during the previous conflict, was clear of any remnants that could potentially reform and reignite hostilities. Though no active resistance was found, the Marines on the ground encountered a number of natural and Force-based hazards that nearly resulted in the mission becoming far too costly. It was not long afterward that Revan left the Republic, bound for the Unknown Regions and an unknown fate, but not before creating a a holocron, into which had been recorded his experiences and knowledge.

The five years that followed the destruction of the Star Forge were not kind to the Corps. Despite having emerged victorious, the morale of the military was ebbing, and many soldiers from all branches were leaving government service in order to find employment either as private security, enlisting in mercenary companies, or, when there was no other option, to sell their guns to criminal groups, pirate bands, slavers and raiders. After several years, due in no small part to the actions of the in ending the  and  that had continued to undermine its ability to govern, the Republic was able to once again assert itself as the dominant power in the galaxy. The military was given its proper due, and the Marines were once again held in high regard along with other elite units of the Republic. Twenty years after the end of the Jedi Civil War, the Corps was deemed to have returned to full operational capacity.

The Sith return
"The air was so thick with dropships and starfighters, plunging through congested traffic lanes with reckless abandon, that the sun was all but extinguished."

- A Marine officer describes the sacking of Coruscant

The new era of prosperity did not last forever. Three hundred years after the Mandalorian Wars, a resurgent revealed itself, attacking the Republic and initiating. As with all great conflicts before, the Marine Corps was involved in the thickest fighting. During the of  from the Sith, several Force Recon platoons helped to provide the  with the field intelligence needed to liberate the world. On the larger scale, facing a combination of war droids, Mandalorian warriors, and legions of lightsaber-wielding Force-users proved to be too much for the Republic Military as a whole to handle, and though many units fought hard, they were unable to prevent what ultimately turned into a defeat. This was exemplified by the result of the war's last campaign, a in the, during which the Marine defenders aboard a number of Republic warships were overwhelmed and their vessels captured. Shortly thereafter, Coruscant itself was ; during the battle, the 4th and 29th Marine Battalions were all but destroyed as they tried desperately to defend the Senate district and alongside a number of regular Army units.

The that followed the Imperial-dictated peace accords was a difficult time for the Corps. Reeling from the losses suffered in the recently-ended conflict and frustrated by the tensions between the Republic and the Sith that followed, most troopers, NCOs and junior officers longed to find a way to get out from under the haze of inaction that had gripped the galaxy. Even through the chilly peace that had settled, small proxy wars continued to crop up throughout civilized space. Most politically-savvy beings living on both sides of the Republic-Imperial border knew that this climate could not last for long, however, and hostilities were eventually renewed in a most unexpected way. Unable to stand by and watch what she knew to be Sith manipulations at work, in 3,641 BBY Daria Uwe, the newly-appointed Commandant of the Marines who had survived the Sith assault on the Republic capital, began to engineer a scheme of her own. Scattering her forces so as to make the Republic appear weaker than it was, she entered into a series of secret negotiations with representatives from the Imperial military, hinting that she wanted to take the entire Corps with her in defecting to the Sith. The plan, which was known only to her and her chiefs of staff, soon bore fruit and became known as one of the most successful mass ambushes in galactic history.

When the various Marine units that were still active left their posts en masse to rendezvous with a waiting Sith task force, they made an extra stopover. Debarking from their s and loading scan-shielded crates of explosives in their place, the Corps journeyed into the heart of Sith-occupied space aboard a fleet of independent freighters piloted by sympathetic&mdash;and well-paid&mdash;crews. The improvised bombships had the intended effect, and nearly all the Sith warships were either destroyed or heavily damaged. Meanwhile, the leaders of every major Marine combat command involved revealed the true purpose of the plan to their troopers; buoyed by its boldness, they proceeded to carry out devastating attacks against key Imperial outposts and worlds, seizing huge quantities of supplies and war matériel in addition to numerous warships and other facilities. With such an overt and effective first strike having been carried out, the Republic had no choice but to support the unauthorized attack and mobilize once again for full-scale war. This time, however, the Republic proved to be the victors. After three more years of heavy fighting, the Republic and the Jedi Order succeeded in scattering the Empire and eliminating the.

New Sith Wars
"The Jedi are massing what they're calling an 'Army of Light' to deal with the Sith main body at Ruusan. We're going to keep the road open for them."

- Anonymous Marine admiral, prior to the Ruusan Campaign

After nearly fifteen hundred years of peace, however, the forces of the Sith began once again to threaten the Republic. These "New Sith", however, were not as strong as the Mandalorian clans had been, or those under the Dark Lords Revan and Malak and the ones that followed. While they were never able to force the Republic into the terrible state that it faced during the worst of the assaults from the past, their cumulative efforts did result in economic downturns amidst a series of brushfire wars. For nearly nine hundred years, with few exceptions the Sith were but a nuisance for the border regions, butting heads with Marine units scattered throughout the frontier. During a particularly onerous period of time, later known as the, sheer economic necessity resulted in the merging of the 11th and 12th Marine Divisions' constituent battalions into other units.

When Lord formed his, he put together a string of offensives and counteroffensives that saw heavy involvement by the Marines Corps. Fighting against these newly-invigorated Sith in ship-to-ship battles and as vanguards for the Army and the forces under the command of the Jedi Order, they saw combat on a number of worlds in the Mid Rim of the galaxy, including a rearguard action on. During the that took place at the height of the war, elements of the 15th and 27th Marine Battalions, accompanied by a company of Force Recon troopers, served in all manner of roles. They provided Lord and his lieutenants with crucial battlefield intelligence as well as peripheral military support for the Jedi force on  itself, as well as the protection of supply lines to and from the planet.

Dissolution and rebirth
"The Ruusan Reformation was greeted with great fanfare by the citizenry of the Republic. But, given all that I've seen, one cannot help but wonder if it was in fact a mistake. The Jedi became bogged down in the everyday currents of galactic affairs so much, that they became blind to threats from within, and because of this, they were nearly destroyed."

- Luke Skywalker, c. 44 ABY

With the victory of the Jedi over the Brotherhood of Darkness, many war-weary citizens from throughout the Republic began to clamor for reform. With no discernible threats to galactic stability in sight, the Senate instituted the, which saw the entire military of the Galactic Republic abolished, with peace being maintained by the newly-organized and the Jedi Order, who had chosen to undertake a greater hand in policing the galaxy. Along with the disbanding of the armed forces came an end to the Marine Corps; however, instead of becoming s, nearly every single soldier and officer deserted in a mass exodus, taking their weapons and equipment with them. Those battalions which stayed together as they left Republic service formed independent companies, keeping their core values intact and hiring themselves out to nonaligned planets who were threatened by expansionist powers that were outside of Republic jurisdiction. Some cadres of ex-Marines instead hired on with established mercenary bands, most of which kept to their own sets of morals. Some of these bands were controlled by criminal elements, including the s, and for a time the Republic secretly paid the 'good' mercs to keep the 'bad' mercs in check.

In the thousand-year peace that followed the Reformation, the traditions and honors of the Marines were all but forgotten by the galactic populace. One of the few agencies to keep records of the Corps and what they had accomplished was the Jedi, whose archivists felt that such knowledge and history could not be allowed to vanish. With the rise in power of interstellar corporations and their droid armies, which culminated in the pan-galactic, the legacy of the Republic Marines was once again brought to the fore. As the s of the diversified in the face of the shifting tactics and doctrines of the ' droid and naval forces, a new brand of  was created. Formed from an elite division of clones under the leadership of, these troops were cross-trained in a wide variety of roles, including harsh-weather combat and shipboard fighting. After the war's end and the Republic was remade by into the, these marine units were greatly expanded, serving in the  aboard everything from  and  s, to both s.

Basic unit structure
The Marines, who used the same rank system for officers as the Navy, were originally organized into regiments at the highest levels of field command, and led by a captain or full commander. They were in turn organized into administrative divisions, which were normally commanded by a rear admiral. Each regiment was typically divided into smaller, semi-autonomous units; the organizational system was as follows:

Units operating separately also mustered with enlisted and commissioned support staff: this included executive officers for regimental, battalion, company, and platoon-sized units, as well as adjutants, armorers, weapon and equipment riggers, as well as vehicle and heavy-weapon crews where applicable. Medical services were provided by corpsmen that were trained by and attached to the Navy, and were not usually assigned to specific Marine units. Disciplinary matters, such as violation of regulations or other, more serious criminal activity, was handled by the Navy's Department of the Judge Advocate General.

The larger warships in the Republic Navy could muster a full battalion, however, most ships maintained only a company-sized presence. Worlds on the fringes of Republic space might garrison a regiment of Marines, alongside two or more regular Army divisions depending on population and strategic value. Small outposts, such as those which contained listening posts, were often staffed only at the company level. When the Marines abandoned regimental-sized field units, the rank scale moved up one notch, which was to say, a battalion would be led by a full commander, while a platoon would serve under a junior lieutenant, with an ensign as executive officer. As before, the system was flexible; battalions could be led by captains, with companies sometimes being led by senior lieutenants. The battalions themselves were also increased in size. The new chain of command became:

This updated organizational system served the Marines well during the years and wars that followed, when small-scale actions could have profound consequences for concurrent or future operations and campaigns. During their history, the Corps itself grew to include thirty-six battalions of combat troops, organized into twelve divisions. This was in addition to the ten Marine Force Recon companies, along with other autonomous and semi-autonomous combat and specialist units and various administrative, logistical, and public-relations units and teams.

Order of Battle
As of the beginning of the Great Sith War, the order of battle for the Marines' active units was thus:

By the end of the Jedi Civil War, the order of battle for the Marines' active units had become thus:

Though the intervening years had seen an increase in the number of combat units through the restructuring of the Marine Corps, this was due to the fact that the battalion, even as the new primary field unit, was smaller than the regiment. By the end of the and  that followed the defeat of Revan and Malak's Sith Empire, the Marines' ranks had been severely depleted. Thus, while the Corps could boast thirty operational battalions, the sixty years of near constant warfare had reduced overall numbers drastically. Fortunately for the Republic, there were no shortages of volunteers; within another two decades the Marines were back up to full strength and combat capacity.

During the Great Galactic War, however, the Marines would once again take heavy losses, with several battalions being put out of action entirely due to casualties. What units that remained fit for combat were used some years later to end the Cold War, when the newly-appointed Commandant sought to reopen hostilities on the Republic's terms. Many years later, the severe economic downturns that took place during the Republic Dark Age forced the Republic Military to cut back on the size of the Marine Corps. Despite the fact that intermittent conflicts were still occurring, the 11th and 12th Divisions were disbanded, with their vehicles, equipment and personnel redistributed among the ten remaining divisions in order to fill out their losses.

Republic Marine Force Reconnaissance
"You want Marines on that wall, Admiral, Marines to keep their eyes sharp for when the enemy comes to get you. But if you want to see what's behind the enemy's wall, you want my Force Recon boys."

- Commander Hestus Jessup, prior to his Force Recon troopers' first war game

In addition to other reforms brought about during the period of reorganization that followed the defeat of Exar Kun's forces, the first companies of Republic Marine Force Reconnaissance units, referred to simply as Force Recon, were created by Commander Hestus Jessup. The first such units to be assembled drew veteran troops from those units which had fought on Onderon during the Beast Wars, soldiers who had training and experience in reconnaissance work and other aspects of unconventional warfare. For six months Jessup oversaw the integration of the first two companies of Force Recon troopers, demonstrating their prowess in a series of war games conducted on, , and and involving a number of established Army garrisons. The results were promising, and Jessup was given the go-ahead to raise more companies, as well as the task of putting together a training regimen and planning how to integrate the new sub-branch into the Corps itself.

By 3,985 BBY the task was largely complete, with semi-autonomous companies being attached to pre-existing divisions based across the Republic and capable of responding swiftly to developing situations. Though in theory they would be directly overseen by the admirals commanding their parent units, in practice they were to be deployed in platoon strength only. Their primary missions involved being sent into hostile territory in order to gather intelligence and harass any enemy forces, either by wiping out isolated pockets of troops, seizing supplies, or sabotaging defenses. Force Recon units were also used to conduct special missions alongside other Marine-led operations, including pinpoint strikes at key defenses or the extraction of high-value individuals, be they friendly or hostile.

Organization
The basic structure of Marine Force Recon companies was the same as others within the Marine Corps with the exception that they were made up of three platoons and not four. However, the very nature of their missions demanded a higher degree of autonomy, with the various platoons having their own numerical designation that others would not have received. The platoons were also slightly larger, with each squad being assigned a dedicated communications specialist in addition to the intelligence officer who advised the platoon's leader. In addition, these smaller units possessed little in the way of heavy firepower, instead relying on small arms and powerful explosives to facilitate their missions. Finally, Force Recon soldiers saw little, if any, shipboard combat.

At any one time, an operational battalion would have a forty-five strong platoon of Force Recon troopers attached to it. These troops were among the first to land in any planetary assault, and typically maintained a state of closed communications in regards to the larger units they accompanied, breaking comm silence only if help was urgently needed. During the Republic's effort to liberate Alderaan during the Great Galactic War, a number of Force Recon platoons were involved in gathering field intelligence that proved useful when the shooting started.

The Marine Aerospace Wings
"There's nothing quite like terrain-following flying at supersonic speeds while evading detection to get the heart pumping. Forget swoop racing, flying for the Corps is where the real thrills are!"

- Marine Lieutenant Chak Ravartin, in a letter to a friend

During the reorganization prior to the outbreak of hostilities with the Mandalorians, the Marines expanded to include several wings of starfighters, to be equipped with the brand-new and, later, the. Up until then, the Marines had also relied on Navy assault shuttles piloted by Navy crews, and it was realized that extra aerial support was needed for Marines to be effective in areas of active hostilities or contested landing zones. Since Navy starfighter pilots were expected to be proficient in with enemy starfighters in addition to attacking enemy capital ships, they did not have the level of atmospheric combat training that the Mandalorians demonstrated in their raids against the outlier worlds beyond the Republic. What was more, they did not have the same level of expertise with direct ground support operations. In addition, a specialized class of dropship, the T-32z Jarhead-class assault lander, was designed, with pilots initially drawn from the ranks of Navy Search and Rescue units. Some of the more daring smugglers, in lieu of prison time, were given the opportunity to serve as Marine dropship pilots, passing on tactics to the new generation that would eventually replace them.

The Marines' Aerospace Wings were designed to correct this deficiency. By recruiting new pilots from the circuits of the galaxy, the Marines were able to quickly field a force of combat-ready pilots who were as comfortable flying through the narrow artificial canyons of a city to attack a ground-based strongpoint as they would be in the vacuum of space. With the exception of dedicated atmospheric and ground-attack training on top of standard space combat tactics, Marine aerospace units were readied and organized on broadly similar terms to their Navy counterparts. Marine squadrons, like their Navy counterparts, also used specific callsigns when communicating within the unit and with the rest of the fleet or force they were attached to. These simple one- and two-syllable words were chosen when the unit was first formed.

Aerospace Wings themselves were typically administrative units only, with the bulk of operations occurring at the squadron level. On large Republic capital ships, a squadron of Marine-piloted Aureks would be assigned to supplement the Navy starfighter units already stationed on board, and would typically take orders from the senior Marine commander. Individual squadrons would also be assigned to ground bases already garrisoned by Marines. At their height, the Marine Corps possessed as many as thirty-seven operational squadrons, which were organized into ten wings. As newer versions of Aurek- and Chela-class starfighters were produced, the various Marine units were among the first to receive such upgrades.

Order of Battle
As of the end of the Jedi Civil War, the order of battle for the Marines' Aerospace Wings was thus, with unit callsigns in parentheses:

The Aerospace Wings started out small; the first three were formed in 3,987 BBY, with two more having been activated by the end of the following year. The last such unit to be formed, the 10th Marine Aerospace Wing, only became fully operational in the wake of the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders' initial invasion of the Republic. Its three constituent squadrons were hurriedly rushed to the front lines in order to replace units that needed to be pulled back to reform and replace their losses. By the end of the Mandalorian Wars, the wings had become so interspersed across the galaxy that they were barely reorganized in time to stand against the threat posed by the resurgent Sith Empire led by Darths Revan and Malak. While the Aerospace Wings would maintain this level of strength until the dissolution of the Marine Corps during the Ruusan Reformation, these first two decades of warfare had done much to weaken them in terms of pilots and equipment. Nevertheless, they continued on and were eventually replenished with improved models of the Aurek fighter and other craft.

Ranks
The Marine Corps used a modified rank structure that combined a system of enlisted and non-commissioned officer ranks similar to that of the Army with the commissioned officer ranks utilized by the Navy. This system had several benefits, including making it easier for Army officers to oversee Marine enlistees and NCOs, and for Marines to adjust to having superiors who were commissioned as naval officers.

Since the Marine Corps made up a fairly small percentage of the Republic military, there were no provisions for the rank system to include the upper admiralty. In fact, vice-admiral was the highest rank that could be held within the Marines, and was given only to the serving Commandant of the Marine Corps. Marine officers who held the rank of captain or rear admiral, being educated in fleet operations as well as ground tactics, typically served as staff officers or liaisons to major Navy or Army commands, though in times of war they sometimes oversaw the deployment of larger units. In some rare cases, captains would actually serve in combat; this occurred most often during the Mandalorian conflict and the Jedi Civil War that followed.

The various grades of enlisted personnel contained three ranks unique to the Marine Corps: Lance Corporal, Gunnery Sergeant and Master Gunnery Sergeant. The first was equivalent to the Army's rank of Specialist and the Navy's rank of Senior Crewer, both of which were the last of the lower ranks below the system of non-commissioned officers. The ranks of Gunnery and Master Gunnery Sergeant also held a unique subculture within the Marines; holders of these ranks were often affectionately referred to as "Gunny" by their superiors and subordinates alike. As the highest-ranking NCOs that most troopers were likely to associate with on a more or less regular basis, gunnery sergeants were regarded as the conduit between the officers that gave the orders and the soldiers who had to carry them out. Master gunnery sergeants, on the other hand, were the ones who introduced newly-commissioned officers to the realities of service in the Corps, taking them through courses that helped to integrate them into field duty and the chain of command.

Awards and citations
Like the rest of the Republic Military, the Marine Corps also bestowed awards and citations upon its officers and soldiers for acts of heroism, outstanding performance in the field, or other noteworthy achievements. The only example of a medal that could be awarded to a Marine that was also given to Army and Navy personnel was the Cross of Glory; below that, the Corps had its own structure for and system of decorations, citations and awards. Many of these honors reflected the cultural ethos of the Marine Corps, for example the three-tier award system that rated an individual's skill with small arms&mdash;those levels being basic, sharpshooter, and expert. In addition there were significant numbers of non-combat related awards and badges, which could be earned during training or ordinary line service during peacetime. These included badges that reflected a Marine's dedication to the Corps, or demonstrated that the recipient had successfully passed one or more of the advanced training course.

Combat-related decorations
These medals could only be earned during times of war or other combat situations, such as border skirmishes, internal interventions, and police actions. Recipients had to be recommended for awards of this nature by their commanding officers; in the case of high honors such as the Cross of Glory or the Marine Corps Star, a small board of inquiry would be established to review the recommendation and issue the citation. Flag officers of all three service branches, however, could bestow such awards without the need of a review board.

Campaign ribbons
These ribbons marked the different versions of the Marine Corps Victory Medal that was given to individual Marines who saw service with the Corps during major galactic campaigns, regardless of their capacity. Earning these campaign citations, along with the medal itself did require that a Marine had served within the theater of hostilities and, thus, took part in the campaign's prosecution in some manner.

Citations were also given to Marines who had served on various Republic-aligned planets for a year or more at a time. These were considered to be mementos rather than actual awards; nevertheless, they were typically displayed on a Marine's dress uniform along with any other medals, badges, or citations.

Proficiency and service badges
These awards and badges were typically earned during training or peacetime service. Some awards superseded others; in these cases, the one with greater prestige was worn by a Marine who had earned both during the course of their careers. These included badges that identified individual involvement with branches such as Marine Force Recon or the Marksmanship Team. Other such badges were indicators of how versatile individual Marines could be, or how skillful they were in the use of blaster weapons.

Overall tactical doctrine
"Luck is the difference between a good battle plan going bad, and a bad one going well."

- Marine axiom

The Republic Marines were first formed within the Republic Navy, and intended to serve as adjuncts to a warship's security personnel. Trained in close-quarters combat using both ranged and melee weapons, they became effective at repelling boarders and even at boarding enemy warships. Admiral Sakira Tobonne, who had originally outlined the concept of the Marines and served as their first Commandant, soon realized that these skills would translate well to urban warfare. Overall, the Marine Corps saw itself and its units as shock troopers, able to overwhelm their enemies and provide a conduit for funneling reinforcements onto contested areas or battlefields, leaving the tasks of city, region, or planetary occupation and protracted fighting to the Army.

In the years leading up to the Mandalorian Wars, the Republic Marines diversified radically. While they had always&mdash;and continued to be&mdash;experts in small-unit tactics on dense urban battlefields, a greater emphasis was placed on flexibility and initiative. The regiment was abandoned in favor of the battalion as the largest self-contained unit, with emphasis placed on company and platoon commanders becoming more proactive and able to adapt to changing battlefield circumstances. While still considered by some to be a part of the Navy, the Marines adopted such tactics as scout/sniper pairs, infiltration and extraction teams, as well as commando operations which included sabotage, high-value target neutralization options, and the raiding of an enemy's vulnerable rear areas and logistical support. This model for organization and operation remained largely unchanged throughout the rest of the history of the Republic Marines, due in large part to its success against the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders and the Sith Empire under Darths Revan and Malak.

Operational deployment
"You go where they send you, that's the long and short. You either learn to love traveling the galaxy, or you learn how to get out."

- Marine Sergeant Denaas Bekuur, in his memoirs Marine Corps units saw shipboard and planetside duty throughout the Republic, though they saw the majority of their service on the outer reaches of the explored galaxy. Ideally, every warship in the Navy of frigate class or greater would have had a cadre of Marine troopers assigned to it, though in practice this was rarely maintained. were the smallest ships that would receive a Marine detachment, carrying only a squad; Hammerhead-class cruisers, being the mainstay of the Outer Rim fleets during the Mandalorian Wars and Old Sith Wars, could carry a platoon. Larger capital ships such as Interdictor-class cruisers might carry two companies, while command vessels such as or  could field battalion's worth of officers and soldiers. These numbers were in addition to any regular Army troopers that would normally serve as part of a warship's crew, however it was rare for an entire battalion to ship out aboard a single vessel. In addition, the starfighter compliment aboard such larger vessels would often be augmented by at least one Marine squadron.

Marine units were also assigned to many of the frontier worlds of the Republic, the size of their garrison usually dependent on how valuable or populated any given world was according to a number of factors that included the overall galactic situation. Small listening and communications posts might be guarded by a single company, but they would oftentimes have support from ground-based Marine starfighters in addition to priority access to the in order to report relevant information or request reinforcements or extraction in the face of attack. On worlds that were strategically valuable or else heavily-populated, Marines served as supplementary forces; part of this included ceremonial duties such as serving as the guardians of embassies, consulates, and other government agencies and the buildings in which they conducted business. In these cases, Marines utilized the services and support of vehicles from the Army and Navy, as dedicated Marine support units were seen as more important to reinforcing the frontier. The size of such supplementary forces was never greater than a single company's worth of personnel.

Individual troopers, officers and pilots could expect to see a variety of such duty assignments during their initial six-year commitment, even if they did not choose to pursue a long-term career in the Corps. Officers and enlistees usually served in at least two different units during a given term of service, oftentimes in entirely different regions of the galaxy. While peacetime tours for individual soldiers could last for up to two Standard years, combat deployments were kept to a maximum of six months before a unit was rotated away from the fighting in order to rest, replenish and retrain before being brought back to the front at a different sector. The goal of this was to maintain a sense of mobility, so that a Marine trooper or their unit would not become too comfortable in one place and be more capable of adapting to new environments and conditions. Nevertheless, the Marines did maintain permanent administrative posts, such as stations at various s including, , and.

Tactical specializations
"'I'm just a grunt' is never a valid excuse in the Corps."

- Marine Commander Hestus Jessup

While most Marines served the dual role of line infantry and warship security, exceptional soldiers were recruited into the specialized divisions of the Corps. Every line squad included at least one demolitions specialist, while a typical platoon would include a scout/sniper pair. A field company would include a squad of reconnaissance troopers, which was in turn centered around two scout/sniper pairs and a demolitions and sabotage expert and led by specially-trained NCOs. A full battalion working together would include all of these, in addition to a dedicated intelligence section that reported directly to the battalion commander and commanding officer of the warship or planetary garrison the battalion was stationed with. Since medical and other support services were supplied by the Navy aboard warships, or by the Army on planetside deployments, there was no need for dedicated medics or vehicle pilots, except in the case of the Marines' own Jarhead-class assault landers and light-armored vehicles.

This up-scaling of tactical specialization allowed for Marine units to be largely modular in nature, so that a reinforced battalion that shipped out with six companies attached to it instead of the usual four would not be bogged down by excess bureaucracy. Similarly, an understrength company or platoon would still have the ability to utilize non-conventional warfare tactics when faced with superior numbers of enemy forces. Advanced individual training, on top of the six months of boot camp that every recruit underwent, ensured that virtually any Marine would be able to, in a crisis, fill in for downed comrades who had received specialized training for these roles. In theory, this also allowed for a smooth transition of leadership should a unit's commanding officer or senior non-commissioned officers be incapacitated in the course of combat operations.

Starfighter combat
"Death From Above"

- Marine fighter pilot axiom

As befitted their name, the Marine aerospace wings participated in combat in atmosphere as much as they did in the vacuum of space. Nicknamed "flying leathernecks" by their Navy counterparts as a reference to the tenacity of nerf leather, though some believed it also had to do with the general unintelligent nature of the, Marine starfighter pilots were called upon to do more than simply combat other starfighters. Though they were trained in most of the same doctrines, techniques and maneuvers as Navy fliers and organized along parallel lines, the primary purpose of the Marine Aerospace Wings was to serve as additional ground support; thus, Marine pilots received additional, specialized training. In addition, the Corps actively recruited from the ranks of the amateur circuits throughout the galaxy, the better to acquire pilots who were already familiar with the concept of maneuvering in tight spaces and low altitudes.

Though Marine pilots were well-equipped to engage enemy starfighters, they were typically held back during fleet engagements. Among the specializations that those who flew for the Marines learned included terrain-following flying, the scatter formation tactic, and the ability to co-ordinate attacks with Marine troopers on the ground. In theory, during combat operations any Marine would be able to access the encrypted opchan and request a starfighter strike on a specific target. In practice, however, this was typically overseen by unit commanders, who were in a better position to know what needed pounding and how hard to pound it. Marine fliers rarely went after capital ships, but they were better equipped to hit targets within asteroid fields and evade pursuit. During the Mandalorian Wars and Jedi Civil War, Marine squadrons were sent into enemy-occupied systems to conduct hit-and-fade raids.

Weapons and equipment
"All the training in the galaxy ain't worth a bucket of bantha sweat if your gear's crap."

- Marine Sergeant Denaas Bekuur, in his memoirs

Blasters and other weapons
When they were first formed from the ranks of the Army and Navy, the Republic Marines made use of the same weapons and equipment as the forces they were recruited from. Eventually, after having honed their tactics and doctrine, they began to favor weapons of two distinct types: for short-range work they used blasters with reliable stopping power, such as and compact, rapid-fire ; during the Old Sith Wars these roles were filled by the tough DL-3 blaster pistol and the versatile BC-7m blaster carbine, respectively. For medium- to long-ranged field duty, the Corps utilized high-powered that could deliver reliable accuracy at ranges in excess of one and a half kilometers; one exemplary model was the BR-12m blaster rifle.

Pistols and carbines were favored for close-quarters combat, often abbreviated to CQC in Marine parlance, such as that which typically took place in boarding actions or room-to-room fighting in urban centers. Blaster rifles, on the other hand, saw the lion's share of service while a Marine unit was stationed out in the field, away from the more civilized parts of a planet. Both types of weapons could be fitted with various attachments, ranging from wide-view optical scopes to s, and even light grenade launchers and s that could be attached underneath the barrel. These devices made use of a modular-type rail system, which permitted different soldiers to mount their weapons' accessories at different locations in order to better suit their shooting style. Specialized detachments used highly-modified versions of the long-ranged battle rifles, the result of which further increased their power and accuracy; a trained Republic scout/sniper team, outfitted with a custom-rebuilt BR-12m with specialized sniping scope, could reliably inflict lethal damage at ranges exceeding three kilometers in ideal conditions.

Though Marine doctrine and ethos favored precision and mobility over brute strength and overwhelming firepower, the need for and usefulness of heavier types of weapons was still acknowledged and provided for. Depending on circumstances, a squad could include from one to three Marines outfitted either with s, s that could lob a variety of ordnance types, light proton mortars, portable anti-vehicle missile systems, or a combination of these types. Field units tended to assign their heavy weapons to a single fire team or squad, who would employ their weapons and ordnance as part of a mobile base of fire to cover their comrades' movements on the battlefield. Marine companies and platoons stationed in space, however, placed a much smaller emphasis on the use of larger-scale munitions and delivery systems, as a misplaced explosive or projectile could rupture the hull of a starship, or else accidentally damage components that were vital to continued operations. While shipboard units still maintained their allotment, these were typically kept in reserve, used only on those occasions when they would be called upon to fight on the surface of a planet, moon, or other battlefield where such concerns were minimal. Training in heavy weapons use was typically elective, with Marine volunteers taking courses in the use of various types after having graduated from basic training.

Other equipment
"The right tools for the right job. That's what I love about the Corps&mdash;whatever we need, we get."

- Marine Commander Hestus Jessup

In addition to blasters or heavy weapons, Marines typically carried explosives that were somewhat more powerful than those that would normally be carried by their counterparts in the Army, including low- to medium-yield s. Each squad included at least one demolitions specialist, who could draw upon the pool of ordnance carried by his or her fellows to achieve any number of objectives, often in non-conventional ways; this was one aspect of Marine demolition training. Most line soldiers within the Corps also carried s, which were employed not only as last-ditch melee weapons, but also as tools. By the time of the Mandalorian Wars, the Marine Utility Knife Mk. I had been developed and circulated into general service; this item, sixteen centimeters long and nearly five centimeters thick, housed a folding vibroblade of some ten centimeters, in addition to a small hydrospanner, and other miniaturized tools that could be useful in affecting field repairs to damaged weapons and equipment. While not as effective against as a blaster or  would have been, the blade could prove lethal if inserted into the gaps between an enemy's plating. Filling out the typical assortment of field gear, each Marine was issued a multifrequency comlink, a grapnel hook and supply of liquid cable, an emergency medical kit with kolto injector&mdash;which was later replaced by bacta)&mdash;and extra power cells and gas cartridges for their weapons.

Armor
"Most of you know how to put on your basic battle armor in your sleep, but Marine armor is a bit more complicated. This suit is vacuum-rated, and its seals will keep out anything from airborne pathogens to nuclear waste, as long as you keep your helmet screwed firmly on your face."

- Captain Laera Reyolé, to the 1st Marine Strike Platoon

Due to the nature of their roles and the fact that they were a relatively small percentage of the armed forces, the Republic Marines enjoyed the use of some of the best suits of battle armor that Republic armorsmiths could craft. Built of tough, reinforced and comprising eighteen separate pieces, Marines considered their armor to be roughly on par with that worn by the average Mandalorian trooper. The materials used made for a heavier suit than what Republic Army troopers wore, but new recruits were conditioned to accept its bulk by wearing suits that were identical to standard assault armor, but made of significantly heavier materials. These suits would be worn through most of basic training, so that by the time a newly-minted Marine received their standard issue armor, they were well-equipped to handle any potential hindrances to mobility.

The first type of assault armor, developed in the wake of the Great Hyperspace War, included a large, somewhat bulky cylindrical helmet that appeared to many outside observers to resemble an inverted jar. This resulted in Marines often being referred to as "jarheads," a title that they would never succeed in squelching even after their suits were redesigned and modernized. This new version included a number of key developments, the most noticeable of which were the slimmed-down and upgraded helmet, the replacement of the right shoulder piece with a reinforced pauldron which nested well with Marine-issue blaster rifles, the separation of the shin armor into boots, and the addition of extra pouches on the utility belt. Marine armor had always been vacuum-rated, but the new set further protected the wearer from exposure to airborne contaminants that included biological pathogens, chemical irritants and agents, and the fallout from nuclear weapons.

Variations
Since a Marine's armor was intended to last for a long time outside of combat, many soldiers and officers personalized their suits. On the surface, this was typically limited to small personal markings and the application of mission-specific camouflage as required, while internal variances might be quite different; this also included not wearing certain parts. Force Recon Marines and those who served in scout/sniper pairs, since their skills were of little use in shipboard combat, typically eschewed use of the full set of plating, preferring to wear the chest and back plates, shoulder armor, grieves, boots and helmet. The ensemble would then be painted a generic gray-green and festooned with local flora to form a sort of "ghillie armor" that would enable them to more easily conceal themselves. Demolitions experts would have a hardened equipment case welded to their back plates, in addition to more pouches on their utility belts. Vehicle pilots, who were not expected to engage in personal combat, were instead issued a hardened flight suit with a self-contained life support system that could be sealed within moments if vacuum exposure was thought of as immanent.

Since the Marine Corps recruited members from all over the Republic, accommodations had to be designed into the basic armor in order to be of use to members of various non-Human species. s, Twi'leks and s were three examples, and their needs were largely met with the design and use of species-specific helmets. Those worn by Bothans and Rodians were roomier at the crown and sides in order to provide space for their larger ears and, in the case of the latter, head-spines and antennae. The needs of serving Twi'leks were met by the design of a helmet with an extra-large rear portion that hung low across their back, which allowed them to comfortably protect their sensitive and still achieve a full vacuum seal. Other species whose physical parameters were sufficiently different from baseline Humans to need special pieces simply consulted either the Corps' in-house armorsmiths or a sufficiently-qualified Navy quartermaster, who would make any necessary alterations or else come up with larger-sized equipment.

Vehicles and droids
"A more impressive cannon-fodder army I've never seen before in my life."

- Anonymous Marine officer, after witnessing Sentinel droids in action

The Marine Corps made use of few classes of vehicles, as most of their needs in this regard were met by the Navy or Army. Those that the Corps did utilize included assault shuttles, such as the T-32z Jarhead-class assault lander, a heavily-armored and -shielded landing craft developed and manufactured by, that was equipped with a pair of twin blaster cannon turrets; and lightly-armored vehicles such as the GP-22b infantry fighting vehicle, a land-based attack transport that was produced by , that possessed a turreted heavy laser cannon in addition to slots in its armored sides for blaster rifles. While Jarhead-class landers were kept aboard Navy warships as the primary means of inserting shipboard Marines onto and extracting them from various battlefields, planetary garrisons were typically equipped with up to four GP-22bs per company. These repulsorlift combat vehicles could transport a half-squad of troopers in addition to the two-person crew, while the assault landers were capable of transporting more than a full platoon. Both vehicles were capable of being converted into ambulances, with each able to carry half of their normal compliment when pressed into service evacuating casualties.

Marine units, particularly those stationed on frontier worlds, were also assigned supplemental forces of s, ranging from the ubiquitous to various marks of s and other models. These were typically optimized for a variety of defensive roles; they were ideally-suited for use as sentries during day-to-day operations or as supplementary line units in the case of a full-scale attack. Though capable of operating in a semi-autonomous capacity depending on the skill of their operators and field programmers, groups of these droids were typically controlled from within an established Marine garrison from which they would receive general deployment and targeting orders. Most Marine troopers and officers considered them to be expendable, however certain others took care to keep these inorganic auxiliaries in full working order and utilizing their strengths in any plans that they might craft. In addition, droid support was critical to the successful operation of Marine outposts, with various models providing and other  that freed soldiers for duty elsewhere.

Basic training
"Marine training ain't for the faint of heart, and it ain't for the guy off the street, either. It takes guts and dedication to cut it as one of us, and if the DIs don't sense it in you...well, you've had it."

- Marine Sergeant Denaas Bekuur, in his memoirs

The level of training given to Republic Marines was intense and grueling, both physically and psychologically. The Basic Marine Training Regimen, often referred simply as boot camp, lasted for six months from time of induction to graduation as a Marine private. The length of this training was necessary in order to prepare the recruit for the trials of a six-year enlistment period. The very first week, referred to recruit and drill instructor alike as "Hell Week," revolved around an initial twenty-four hour period of nonstop physical exercises that were interspersed with obstacle-course running under simulated combat conditions provided by live-fire blaster weaponry and s. The rest of the week was never the same for each training cycle, with the various platoon DIs mixing things up as they saw fit to impress upon the recruits exactly what they could expect to experience during wartime. Recruits who were unable to complete Hell Week due to accidental injury would be given the chance to go at it again, but those who chose to quit voluntarily were shipped off to the Republic Army or Navy due to the fact that they had still agreed to a term of military service. If a recruit made it through, which seventy-five percent of trainees did, then they passed through three separate phases, each of which was two months long.

Basic Physical Training
"The more you sweat in training, the less you will bleed in combat."

- Marine drill instructor axiom

Upon the completion of Hell Week, the recruit would pass through Basic Physical Training, or BPT, where they would learn Marine-style calisthenics and other forms of physical exercise that were intended to condition their bodies to withstand long periods of stress. This period also covered basic hand-to-hand martial arts, wherein recruits learned unarmed combat training that drew inspiration from the various forms. While it was not as graceful, it put more emphasis on power and the ending of fights quickly&mdash;which was in keeping with Marine doctrine. Also during BPT, recruits would be exposed to all manner of potential irritants and impairments, such as flashbangs and s, in order to experience their effects under controlled conditions. In the last two weeks of Basic Physical Training, the recruits would be issued their first suits of training armor, which was actually heavier and more cumbersome than those issued to line units, in order to acclimate to the idea of being so encased. For those two weeks, recruits were not allowed to remove the armor under any circumstances, except for doffing their helmets during mealtimes.

Basic Combat Training
"Center mass equals a sure kill."

- Marine axiom

After completing the BPT courses, recruits would then enter Basic Combat Training, or BCT. During this phase, recruits would learn to master the proper uses of blaster pistols, carbines and rifles as well as the basics of melee combat with vibroblades as well as unarmed combat. Physical exercises were continued, though at a less vigorous pace, and were mainly used as a means of continuing to keep recruits in shape and into the habit of staying in shape. Blaster marksmanship was seen as the keystone of a successful Marine; thus, this phase was the most critical time for any recruit despite their potential in any other field or endeavor. Recruits were drilled extensively on the proper maintenance and field repair of common types of blasters, so that they could be better acquainted with that type of weapon. Marksmanship training also included shooting at stationary and moving targets from stationary and moving positions, and targets ranged from durasteel cutouts either embedded in the ground or mounted on repulsorlift sleds, to blaster-equipped that fired back as they attempted to evade the recruits' fire.

Advanced Combat and Tactical Training
"If warfare was all about point-and-shoot, the Republic wouldn't need the Marine Corps."

- Marine drill instructor axiom

Recruits who passed their Basic Marksmanship Test went on to the final phase of basic training, Advanced Combat and Tactical Training, or ACTT. At the beginning of this phase, the drill instructors would pick temporary squad and fire team leaders from within their units, assigning them to oversee the other recruits; these training NCOs were typically selected from among the best performers and encouraged to explore the concept of combat leadership. ACTT continued to emphasize the honing of a recruit's marksmanship skills and proficiency with other types of weapons, but it also introduced the many-fold problems and theories of battlefield tactics and strategies. This phase typically took recruits away from the well-established courses and other familiar areas of a Marine training facility and out into the field, where they would learn about terrain and how to use it as cover and concealment. Other training included tactical formations and deployments, including rappelling training for use when deploying from assault landers or other forms of shuttlecraft, as well as simulated combat drills using practice weapons and target harnesses in platoon versus platoon actions.

The Blast Furnace
"Heat and pressure are what forges diamonds from graphite."

- Marine drill instructor axiom

Upon the successful completion of Advanced Combat and Tactical Training, Marine recruits were taken through a last phase of training before being inducted into the Corps. This seventy-two hour period, nicknamed "The Blast Furnace," was intended to serve as the final test of everything that the recruits had learned during their time in boot camp. During the three day exercise, no recruit was permitted to sleep, and they were given only two high-calorie meals at twenty-four and forty-eight hours in. The first day consisted of forced marches in full armor and field gear, capped off with a night obstacle course run under live-fire conditions. Afterward, the recruits would share their experiences amongst themselves and their DIs, exchanging ideas and feelings about the progression of their training. At dawn the next day, the recruits would go through a series of field problems, once again using simulated weapons and target harnesses. These were also interspersed with more forced marches, and the field problems lasted well into the following night. The last day combined marching with more tactical problems, but the marches were plotted and the battles were led by the recruits themselves with no intervention or advice from their DIs. After completing this grueling course, the gathered units of recruits were pronounced true Marines in a quiet, solemn ceremony led by the base's commanding officer.

Advanced training courses
"A Marine who goes directly from boot camp to the field will very quickly become a dead Marine."

- Anonymous Marine drill instructor

Though individuals who successfully passed through boot camp were considered to be Marines in full, their training was by no means complete. Depending on their proficiency scores and personal preferences expressed during training, newly-minted troopers could be offered spots in any number of advanced courses. These were designed to emphasize diversity amongst the Corps, ensuring that each successive generation of soldier was as well-rounded as was possible; while a Marine might go through infiltration training, they might not necessarily be assigned to a reconnaissance unit. The Corps offered a number of different options for enlisted personnel upon their graduation, and most took at least two courses before joining a line unit. Those who failed a given course were typically denied the chance to reapply, though exceptions were made depending on any mitigating circumstances.

Close-Quarters Combat Training
"Close the distance, close the kill."

- Marine CQC axiom

By far the most popular secondary training course, Close-Quarters Combat Training, or CQCT, built upon the foundations laid in the BCT and ACTT phases of basic training. It emphasized short-ranged combat with blaster pistols as well as melee combat, including higher-tier unarmed fighting styles and advanced training with vibroblades and other melee weapons. CQCT courses lasted for one month, and took place almost exclusively aboard old and decommissioned warships that had been stripped of nearly all useful equipment and permanently anchored in orbit above Marine training bases. Troopers lived and trained aboard these vessels, and exercises and other combat drills could take place at any time, the idea being to impress upon the trainees that shipboard combat was rarely scheduled in advance. In order to graduate CQCT, training classes had to demonstrate teamwork and mastery of their environment in a number of mock battles against their compatriots.

Demolitions School
"Battlefield destruction isn't so much a science as it is an art form."

- Marine axiom

Since demolitions specialization was often necessary on the battlefield, many new Marines underwent demolitions training. The basic three week-long course taught new soldiers how to properly handle the explosives and other munitions that they were most likely to be issued during combat operations. These included various types of s, s and other equipment such as breaching charges and blasting caps. Nearly all participants passed the basic course; however, those who achieved results within the upper tier of their training class were given the opportunity to take an advanced version of the course. Overseen by long-serving combat veterans, this extension course lasted for another four months and made those who graduated into virtual bomb-factories unto themselves. Graduates were capable of scratch-building just about any kind of explosive ordnance with scrounged materials, or dismantling improvised devices while out in the field.

Heavy Weapons Training
"There is no overkill. There is only 'Open fire!' and 'I need to reload.'"

- Marine axiom

Though they were not as prevalent among Marine units as their Army counterparts, training in the use of heavy weapons was still offered to newly-graduated troopers. The heavy weapons course itself lasted for four weeks, with trainees choosing to specialize either in heavy energy- or projectile-based weaponry. The first category included repeating blasters, crew-served s, and other heavy energy-based weapons, while the second represented warhead launchers and other projectile weapons, such as light proton mortars, grenade launchers, or portable anti-vehicle missile systems. Nearly all Marines who took the course passed, and typically did not pursue any other specialized training; thus, they were typically assigned to line units as specialists.

Infiltration, Reconnaissance and Sabotage Training
"The sneakier the infiltration, the more explosive and gratifying the exfiltration"

- Marine axiom

Often nicknamed Invisible Rascals and Sneaks Training School, this training course first required new Marines to have passed the basic demolitions course at the very least, though completion of the advanced course was preferred. The two-month class imparted the essentials of scout training, including lessons in silent movement, cover, concealment and camouflage, and infiltration techniques to the trainees. Once these were mastered, students went on to complete another two weeks of sabotage training, which drew upon knowledge acquired during demolitions school. This second phase taught soldiers how best to utilize explosives and other munitions against pinpoint targets during small-scale operations that might be part of a larger action or a covert mission behind enemy lines. Those who passed IRST but did not go on to scout/sniper school typically went into training for service with Republic Marine Force Reconnaissance.

Scout/Sniper Training
"Being a sniper isn't just about shooting bad people at ludicrous distances. It's about getting in, getting the kill, and getting out without anyone realizing you've been there."

- Marine scout/sniper axiom

Considered the most elite secondary training course, scout/sniper training required candidates to have passed both demolitions school and the IRST course with high scores. In addition, soldiers wishing to become scout/snipers had to have consistently demonstrated high degrees of marksmanship skills throughout basic training and any other advanced courses that they had undergone. Throughout the two months of training, recruits further honed their scouting, observation, and marksmanship skills to a degree that was over and above that which was considered "perfect" by the previous courses. Recruits also learned how to use field datapads to monitor the tactical situation and assess any battlefield conditions that could affect their work.

During the course of training, the various applicants were paired up, so that each could be cross-trained in scouting and sniping roles; these partnerships would last well beyond deployment if both succeeded in passing the course. The grueling nature of the training and high grading scale resulted in an acute dropout rate, with only thirty to forty percent of accepted candidates passing the entire course. It was so demanding, in fact, that any Marine who managed to achieve results within the upper tenth percentile of the course's scoring possibilities, was highly-encouraged to meet with a representative of the Jedi Order so that they might be checked out for possible Force-sensitivity. If this turned out to be the case, they would then be evaluated for possible.

Enlisted Leadership Program
"Officers issue the orders, we implement them."

- Marine NCO axiom

Regardless of any advanced training courses that a new Marine might have attended, certain recruits were singled out for additional training in battlefield and tactical leadership skills. The Enlisted Leadership Program, or ELP, was where such training was given; entry into this course was based on both objective and subjective observations of a recruit's performance during boot camp and advanced training. Most classes were small, with only five or so Marines chosen from any given training company, which allowed for individualized instruction from senior non-commissioned officers. ELP emphasized two aspects of a soldier's development; first, by drawing out a recruit's latent leadership qualities and helping to refine their ability to organize resources and encourage others to excel; second, the course built upon the recruit's prior training experiences, teaching them how to assess a battlefield situation and see how it could be influenced for the benefit of the unit. The program culminated in the setting up and overseeing of the opposing force, or OpFor, for a field exercise being undertaken by boot camp-level trainees going through their own turns at The Blast Furnace.

Inter-Service Training School
"Transitioning from Army life to service with the Corps can be...somewhat traumatic."

- Ibratu'na, former Republic Army lieutenant

Since the Republic Marines was first formed as an adjunct to the Navy, it also drew recruits from enlisted soldiers, non-commissioned, and commissioned officers who served with the Navy or the Army. To compensate for these inter-service transfers who already possessed training and practical battlefield skills, the Inter-Service Training School was established on. An expedited version of boot camp and some advanced courses, it lasted for nine weeks and, in essence, converted Navy and Army personnel into Marines. Recruits were broken of various habits and modes of thinking that Navy or Army training instilled, and were instead taught to use whatever skills they possessed in accordance with Marine tactics, doctrine, and esprit de corps. The school only accepted voluntary transfers, which could be requested but were almost entirely based on recommendations from senior Marine NCOs and officers; in rare instances, recommendations made by Jedi Knights who had served with Army, Navy and Marine units were also accepted.

ISTS classes were demanding, however they also had a near one hundred percent graduation rate. Successful completion of the transfer course was typically rewarded with an increase in rank for the trainee, who was then considered a Marine in full. However, among those with whom they would then serve, they were often jokingly referred to as "void Marines" for former Navy personnel, or "mud Marines" for former Army soldiers. In addition, upon the completion of ISTS, the myriad advanced training courses that were available to boot camp graduates were also open to enrollment by inter-service transferees. The only type of inter-service transfer that the Marines did not seek or accept were starfighter pilots, as the Corps preferred to train their own fliers from the ground up in Marine doctrine and tactics.

Officer training
"If you need a city captured, ask an Army officer. If you need a planet protected, ask the Navy. If you need everything else, ask the Marines."

- Marine Commander Hestus Jessup

While boot camp and the advanced courses that accompanied it served to ensure that enlisted and non-commissioned officers received the best training that could be provided, Marine officers underwent an altogether different kind of induction and training regimen. The majority of officers were trained at the various Marine Corps Academies, which were adjuncts to the major Republic Naval Academies that had been set up on various Core Worlds, while others were graduates of Officer Candidate School.

The Marine Corps Academy
"Void-brained egghead officers! Trust me, they'll get you killed faster than the."

- Anonymous Marine trooper at the Battle of Lannik

As the Marine Corps had first emerged from the ranks of the Republic Navy, cadets underwent their officer training at a number of auxiliary academies that had been set up on various Core Worlds, such as Carida, and. In order to be accepted, potential cadets had to possess high academic marks attained during the course of attending accredited secondary schools. In addition, candidates were expected to have put in training in extracurricular activities that lent themselves toward specialized warfare; these included such activities as, vehicle piloting, participating in leadership organizations such as various benevolent charitable organizations, or scientific pursuits. Candidates also had to pass a battery of physical and psychological tests, as well as a basic entrance examination aimed at determining a potential cadet's ability to learn as well as their current level of knowledge. Once accepted, cadets were then shipped off to the closest academy, where they would spend the next four years.

The typical academic year for Marine Corps recruits was spent in four phases, the first and third focusing on academics while the second and third focused on practical training. Cadets were expected to learn the history of the Marines as well as its esprit de corps, famous figures, and illustrious battles and campaigns; in addition, they were expected to achieve the same results in physical exercise, marksmanship, and melee combat as their enlisted counterparts. Where Academy training differed radically was in its increased focus on academics and the incorporation of principles of naval warfare, including basic fleet operations, space warfare tactics, and inter-service co-operation. Though Marine cadets were not expected to be as proficient as their Navy counterparts, they were taught how to fill roles aboard warships that might be rendered vacant through combat action or campaign attrition.

In addition to all of this, Marine Corps officer training was also intended to draw cadets into various areas of military specialization. Since Marine battalions possessed their own intelligence sections, some cadets were taught how to interpret and analyze battlefield intelligence and make recommendations to their commanding officers based on any data that such sources provided. Marine officers were also expected to be able to properly deploy specialized troopers such as demolitions soldiers, scout/snipers pairs, or reconnaissance squads on the battlefield. Because of these various needs, cadets typically underwent abbreviated courses in those fields, which were typically undertaken in the third and fourth years. As part of the progression from one year to the next the various classes of cadets, in conjunction with their professors, picked their own cadet officers based on their academic and field performance as well as their ability to lead. Graduation came after the completion of the fourth year of study, after which cadets would be granted the rank of Ensign and, after two months of post-academic field training under a Master Gunnery Sergeant, would be assigned to a line unit.

Officer Candidate School
"Make no mistake, the Academy turns out plenty of good officers. But the truly exceptional ones first came up through the enlisted ranks."

- Marine Captain Teeklak Sookanado

Often abbreviated to OCS, this course allowed for enlisted personnel within the Republic military who possessed and demonstrated leadership skills worthy of promotion to officer, to learn their new roles and what was expected of them. Within the Marine Corps, the school was accessible in a number of ways. Enlistees with exceptional qualifications, such as a university degree, could apply for admission upon their recruitment, going there immediately after their successful completion of basic training. An enlistee who performed exceptionally well in basic training or advanced individual training could also be recommended by their commanding officer for possible candidacy. In addition, enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers with proven track records of quality leadership, tactical or strategic thinking skills, or courage and forethought in combat, could be recommended by an officer of command rank.

The course lasted for two Standard years, during which candidates learned to hone their leadership abilities, tactical thinking, and strategic planning, as well as more technical skills. Marine OCS combined the two aspects of the curricula employed in the Army and Navy counterparts, and was often considered the toughest of the three to succeed in. Candidates had to learn how to fight effectively both on planets and within starships. Marine officer candidates also received basic training in warship operations, in case they were needed to fill in for casualties suffered by a warship's compliment of Navy personnel. After graduation, Marine OCS students were promoted to junior lieutenant, bypassing ensign due to their prior experience as enlistees. Like Academy graduates, they were also eligible to apply for advanced courses at the Republic Military's various War Colleges once they had attained the appropriate rank, which within the Corps was Lieutenant Commander.

War College
"The difference between tactics and strategy might seem simple to the layperson, but to an officer it is the void between galaxies."

- Vice Admiral Voskel Dun'vei, addressing a class of War College graduates

Though not required for promotion to Commander and beyond, attendance at the War College was highly encouraged for those wishing to extend their careers into the upper echelons of service. The curriculum was the same no matter the branch of service, with classes often containing a diverse mix of Army, Navy, and Marine officers; this was done to further encourage inter-service co-operation and to emphasize the fact that the military could only function effectively when all parts were working smoothly together. For two years, students were taught in the intricacies of strategic military theory and thinking, expanding on the knowledge that had been gained through their initial training and experience in the field. The focus was primarily on grand strategy at the galactic level and its many parts, such as the importance of hyperroutes in coordinating offensives and the economics of warfare.

The standard for graduates of War College were high, though not so much that there were many failures. Those who were accepted had already demonstrated the capacity to understand such high strategy, in addition to possessing the skills to process the combined input of subordinates and form plans. By the second year, students were expected to be able to formulate offensive and defensive campaign strategies for multiple forces from all three branches of the military, including the setting up of logistical support and contingency plans in case some aspect didn't go according to plan. These operational strategies were then put into computer simulations, which pitted random student entries against one another and produced a series of theoretical results, with students continuing to come up with new plans that used the same computerized data runs to ascertain possible outcomes.

In order to graduate, students had to demonstrate an evolution in their strategic thinking skills. This was done by writing a campaign thesis that incorporated the student's primary theory on interstellar warfare, which was accompanied by a detailed operational plan that was meant to fulfill the requirements that were chosen for this final project by their instructors. These requirements involved the setting up of a potential situation that the student then had to resolve, such as an insurrection in the or an invasion of the  by a well-equipped splinter faction. This thesis and plan was then put to the test in an interactive simulation, in which the student would pit his or her plan against one of their instructors. The student was not required to win the scenario in order to graduate; in fact, very few were those who were able to beat their instructor. Rather, the scenario itself and how the student played it was measured and evaluated. Those who graduated from War College with high enough marks might be promoted to Commander immediately, however the majority simply returned to their units, where they might take on additional responsibilities.

Starfighter training
"Flight sims can't teach you how to fight, just to fly. They might fix that some day, but not while there's a war on. Until then, you better listen to the veterans and do what they do if you want to survive."

- Marine Lieutenant Commander Chak Ravartin, to new pilots prior to the Battle of Rakata Prime

Though the Navy and Marine Corps approached starfighter combat and training differently, their training courses both lasted for eighteen Standard months. In order to even be considered for training, pilot candidates were required to already possess airspeeder licenses and clean flying records; those with experience in swoop racing were preferred for Marine training. This was due to the fact that were not yet sophisticated enough to substitute for actual "stick time." Rather, the pilots would use these sims to learn the controls and basic handling characteristics of the Aurek-class tactical strikefighter, only moving on to flying the actual craft once they had mastered these basics.

Once they had checked out on the Aurek, pilot candidates were put through various exercises designed to bring out their aggressiveness and willingness to enter combat. Gunnery training was conducted using powered-down targeting lasers and pigment-filled proton torpedo shells, in scenarios that ranged from strafing runs through lunar valleys to mock assaults on decommissioned hulks outfitted with their own sets of targeting lasers. Within the Marine Corps, much of the starfighter versus starfighter training time that the Navy put their pilot candidates through was instead spent on space-to-ground scenarios or assaults through congested areas such as an asteroid belt or a dense urban setting. Graduates of flight school were inducted into the Corps as Ensigns and put through the same post-graduation training as their Academy-trained compatriots.

Marine starfighter pilots spent most of their careers flying Aurek fighters, with the more skilled among them being offered the chance to check out and train on the Chela-class fighter before returning to their units to continue their combat careers. Squadron leaders wishing to pursue promotion into the higher ranks of the Corps were required to undergo a year of training at the Marine Corps Academy or, if they wished to pursue positions in Fleet Command, at the Naval Academy. An officer would then attend the War College before being given a new posting.

Esprit de corps
"There's no such thing as an ex-Marine. You may be out, but you never lose the attitude or the mentality&mdash;no matter how hard you might want to."

- Marine Sergeant Denaas Bekuur, in his memoirs

The ethos of the Republic Marines was built upon the duty of professional service to the Republic, loyalty to one's unit and comrades-in-arms, and dedication to upholding the values of civilization as embodied by the principles of the galactic government. This was embodied in the Marine Corps' motto, "Semper Fidelis," which meant "always faithful" in Old Alsakan. The necessities of war and the role of the Marine Corps, both as front-line guardians and protectors of key figures, brought with them a tight-knit bond. Troopers and officers within the Corps were encouraged to form close, trusting relationships with one another and across the chain of command, the better to be able to back one another up in a fight. Fraternization and even marriage among officers or enlisted personnel was allowed; however, unions between an officer and an enlisted trooper were forbidden in order for each to maintain objectivity. Another common side effect of Marine service was in the transition back to civilian life, whether this was after a single term of enlistment or retiring upon the completion of a twenty-year career. Marines who mustered out typically maintained the habits they had developed during training and deployment, and tended to live simpler lives than most people; this prompted many, including current and former soldiers and officers, to maintain that there was no such thing as "an ex-Marine."

Though operational discipline was tighter than that enforced within the Navy or the Army, Marine units in garrison or on deployment during peacetime or away from the front lines were allowed liberties that Navy and Army units would not normally receive. In combat situations Marines were pushed hard, and the commanders knew that their officers and troopers alike needed to find outlets in order to maintain their combat edge&mdash;as well as their sanity. Marines were encouraged to use their down time perfecting their combat abilities, this was accomplished by engaging in such activities as friendly competitions, such as competitive shooting matches with blaster pistols or rifles, sparring matches involving melee weapons or various techniques of unarmed combat, or long-distance endurance runs and races through obstacle courses. Unofficial hostile-environment training was also encouraged and practiced frequently, with unit leaders of all levels organizing exercises in the wilderness of whatever worlds they happened to be stationed upon. Such expeditions usually resulted in the collection of souvenirs and trophies, which were typically sent home by the troopers and officers who had collected them.

Ceremonial duties and units
"Marines aren't just good for fighting, you know, we also put on a helluva show. If it's the band coming to your world, the marksmanship team, or the Red Gundarks, you're guaranteed to be impressed."

- Marine Sergeant Denaas Bekuur, to a holojournalist

Throughout the operational history of the Republic Marines, they served as both practical and ceremonial guards for government offices and the holders of government positions. This stemmed from their first battles, which included the defense of Coruscant during the Sith Empire's attack on the capital world during the Great Hyperspace War, and preventing rogue battle droids from overwhelming the Senate Rotunda during the Great Droid Revolution. Such posts were filled only by Marines whose training and proficiency scores were in the uppermost five percent; this duty, however brief it might be, was considered to be a badge of honor. In addition to this ceremonial role, the Marine Corps fielded an assortment of public-relations units. With the adaptation of the Ruusan Reformation that disbanded the military, however, these units ceased to exist altogether.

Marine Corps Band
"Ever try to play a cantina crowd? I don't recommend it."

- Yen Duursema, Marine Corps Band founder

In 4,925 BBY the first iteration of the Marine Corps Band was formed by Lieutenant Commander Yen Duursema. A Togruta who had graduated from the Marine Corps Academy and risen through the officer ranks as a supply and logistics officer, after her promotion to command of the First Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment, she began to seek out other Marines who, like her, were talented musicians. Duursema's favored instrument was the, but she was also skillful with other woodwind and reed instruments. After combing the Fifth Regiment for a few weeks, she had assembled a thirty-member band, training them in various popular martial tunes as well as some contemporary music. For Corps Day that year, Duursema's band performed their repertoire for the serving Commandant; after pronouncing that the performance was exemplary, he ordered the organizing of a limited tour for the band.

This first group of Marine musicians, playing various brass, reed and percussion instruments, visited a number of the more outlier garrisons that year, bringing with them the latest musical styles from the Core Worlds. The success of this first tour encouraged the formal creation of a musical unit, which under Commander Duursema's leadership eventually grew to include five hundred of the Marines' most talented performers. This pool was divided up into five sub-units, each a full orchestra in itself, that would visit military and civilian centers across the Republic backed up by support staff and a small honor guard. A Marine Corps band would typically perform at the inauguration of a new Supreme Chancellor, at the funerals of high-ranking officers and other officials, at dedications for war memorials or monuments to a significant battle or leader, or during state visits by planetary or sector dignitaries.

Marine Corps Marksmanship Teams
"It's a good thing the Marine shooters aren't allowed to compete for credits..."

- Anonymous marksmanship competitor

In 4,924 BBY, not long after the success of the Marine Corps Band in promoting public relations was realized, a unit of competitive sharpshooters was created by Commander Lorna Illior, leader of the Sixteenth Marine Regiment. A crack shot herself with all manner of blaster-type weaponry, she had developed a reputation as a person who could pick off moving training remotes at distances of over a kilometer with only the most basic of scopes attached to the standard Marine battle rifle of the time. After organizing a series of shooting competitions within her regiment that lasted for over a year, she had assembled a team of twenty troopers and officers that included pistol experts, carbine experts, and rifle experts. Commander Illior furtively entered the members of this team into a number of high-profile civilian competitions, each of which was won by the Marine entrants who, prior to entering, had agreed to donate any winnings to charity.

When word reached the Commandant, he was at first furious that Illior had taken these actions without clearing them with her chain of command. However, the public reaction to the revelation of the Marines' role in setting new standards for competitive shooting was overwhelmingly positive. Buckling to political pressure, the Marine Corps brass refrained from reprimanding the commander, and instead appointed her to oversee the building of several additional teams for exhibition matches and other public-relations events which were often done in conjunction with performances by other public-relations units within the Corps. Illior herself would star in some of these exhibitions, demonstrating her remarkable long-range shooting skills throughout the galaxy. Many years later, members of these teams would form the core faculty of the Marines' first scout/sniper schools.

Marine Corps Flight Demonstration Teams
"Swoops and speeder bikes might be fun to watch, but nothing quite beats out the sight of starfighters in tight formation roaring by overhead!"

- A holojournalist describes the Red Gundarks in action

In the wake of the re-emerging of the Republic as the dominant government in the galaxy in the aftermath of the Old Sith Wars, the role of the Marine Corps in demonstrating the continued mission of the military was expanded. In 3,949 BBY Captain Caescar Piccolé, who had flown a Chela-class starfighter with the 11th Marine Starfighter Squadron at the, began evaluating the pilots of the 3rd Marine Aerospace Wing, which he commanded, for their proficiency in space and atmospheric flight maneuvering. After finding a half-dozen suitable candidates, he began to train them in precision formation flying, something which he himself had shown an aptitude for. After eight weeks of extensive drills, Captain Piccolé sought permission from the Commandant to form what he called "The Red Gundarks."

Impressed with the skills demonstrated in a show put on for graduating cadets at the Corulag branch of the Marine Corps Academy, the Commandant approved the idea of implementing the team as part of the Republic Military's public-relations campaigns. The six pilots of the initial roster were split into pairs, in order to form the nuclei for two additional teams. After acquiring more members from across the starfighter arm of the Corps, the three Red Gundark teams began touring various worlds throughout the Republic the next year. Each of the three teams covered roughly a third of the well-populated galaxy, with their areas of coverage shifting every couple of years as the pilots were rotated back into their units and new ones were brought in to replace them. These tours continued throughout the history of the Marine Corps, ceasing only during times of pan-galactic crisis. Occasionally, however, a performance could be delayed or moved due to the outbreak of localized hostilities.

Behind the scenes
The Republic Marines, as envisioned by fan fiction author Sean "Goodwood" Nash, are based heavily upon the as well as the Systems Alliance Marines from the computer and video games ' and ' developed by. First mentioned in the short story Star Wars: Death and Life, the Marine Corps itself was fleshed out considerably in the novellas and novels that followed within the Tales from the Corps series, also written by Nash. The various sub-branches, ceremonial roles, schools and academies, and public-relations units, and even the overall ethos of the Republic Marines, were also inspired by the real-world Marine Corps. In addition, inspiration was drawn from certain aspects of the such as the  and the.

Within the context of the  universe, the Marines were intended by Nash to bridge what he saw as a critical gap in the way galactic military forces operated, both in peacetime and in war. The only reference for an organization like the Marines in, as far as he is aware, was the Galactic Marines formed from a legion of clone troopers during the Clone Wars, and their Imperial counterparts, the latter of which only sees use in the computer and video game  and. Eventually, Nash hopes to be able to implement the Republic Marines into sources and stories surrounding the and the events surrounding the upcoming  .

Appearances

 * Glorior
 * Star Wars: Death and Life
 * A Marine Went to Jedi Camp
 * Star Wars: Saber Battalion
 * The Last Full Measure
 * The Great Leap Forward