September 6, 2007:
Even the U.S. State Department
has its own commando force. For nearly a century, the State Department has had
a security force, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (BDS). But over a hundred
of the 1,400 BDS personnel belong to a more specialized organization, the
Mobile Security Deployment (MSD). Members of MSD are trained to deal with
kidnapping or terrorist threats at embassies. Most members are former military,
and receive an additional six months training at a special State Department
facility in Virginia. The skills they acquire are special operations type
things, including how to drive a car in a combat situation. The MSD agents are
mainly used to analyze dangerous situations, come up with a security plan, and
carry out direct action (commando type stuff) if needed. Mainly, the MSD is a
defensive organization, trained and equipped to protect diplomatic personnel
under the most trying circumstances. That involves knowing how to evacuate an
embassy under attack, usually with the help of U.S. Marines or SOCOM
operatives.