What is the longest standing ELITE US military unit?

Question

and when did it originate?

Answer 1

Not sure if this is exactly what you are looking for , but its a good read anyway .

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=W...

and this

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll...

Answer 2

The "Old Guard" out of D.C. They are charged with mostly ceremonial duty's but are still listed as an "Elite" unit. These are the folks who guard the Tomb of the Unknown, Etc. They are the oldest unit in all the fore branches but I'm sorry I don't know the date of activation.

Answer 3

Units come and units go. Tactics change as well.

Force Recon was dropped in 2006 and changed their name and is now MARSOC with 2 Special Operations Battalions.

Cavalry goes back 1000's of years and are hardly "Elite"

The phrase Special Forces was not used until WWII.

Ranger units have participated in the US Army before in was the US. Can't go much farther back here than the French and Indian Wars in the 1700's.

While the units names and tactics have changed they have never gone away.

SSG US Army 73-82

Looks like I took too long looking this up

Answer 4

i would say marines are pretty elite on their own and they been around since the beginning. But as far as spec ops, no idea. maybe rangers?

Answer 5

Well, I would have to say Rangers. The 75th Ranger Regiment indirectly traces its lineage all the way back to the French and Indian Wars. Ranger units have been used in every war since then and eventually evolved into what it is today.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stat...

Answer 6

cavalry

make no mistake.

originated:  when they could afford horses.

ok, you got me.

poor soldiers were infantry

Answer 7

Marines of course.  Right from when they started prior to the Revolution.  But the Army has had the Rangers since the Civil War, and some say the term was used for Militia before the Revolution.

Answer 8

Since you say ELITE, you would have to agree with me that ELITE would be considered todays Special Operations Command Units.

Rogers Rangers and his standing orders. So I would have to Say Army Rangers, which date back to Major Robert Rogers to his Rangers in 1755.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers'_Ran...

They orriginate prior to the US Revelutionary war (during the French and Indian war). More info on the link above.

His standing orders are still standing for todays Army Rangers and its in there handbook. If you read them, for the most part they acctually do apply today, I mean change musket to weapon, ect. Check them out below.

1.  Don't forget nothing.

2.  Have your musket clean as a whistle, hatchet scoured, sixty rounds powder and ball, and be ready to march at a minute's warning.

3.  When you're on the march, act the way you would if you was sneaking up on a deer.  See the enemy first.

4.  Tell the truth about what you see and what you do.  There is an army depending on us for correct information.  You can lie all you please when you tell other folks about the Rangers, but don't never lie to a Ranger or officer.

5.  Don't never take a chance you don't have to.

6.  When we're on the march we march single file, far enough apart so one shot can't go through two men.

7.  If we strike swamps, or soft ground, we spread out abreast, so it's hard to track us.

8.  When we march, we keep moving till dark, so as to give the enemy the least possible chance at us.

9.  When we camp, half the party stays awake while the other half sleeps.

10.  If we take prisoners, we keep 'em separate till we have had time to examine them, so they can't cook up a story between 'em.

11.  Don't ever march home the same way.  Take a different route so you won't be ambushed.

12.  No matter whether we travel in big parties or little ones, each party has to keep a scout twenty yards ahead, twenty yards on each flank and twenty yards in the rear, so the main body can't be surprised and wiped out.

13.  Every night you'll be told where to meet if surrounded by a superior force.

14.  Don't sit down to eat without posting sentries.

15.   Don't sleep beyond dawn.  Dawn's when the French and indians attack.

16.  Don't cross a river by a regular ford.

17.  If somebody's trailing you, make a circle, come back onto your own tracks, and ambush the folks that aim to ambush you.

18.  Don't stand up when the enemy's coming against you.  Kneel down, lie down, hide behind a tree.

19.  Let the enemy come till he's almost close enough to touch.  Then let him have it and jump out and finish him with your hatchet.

http://www.i-kirk.info/tales/vnr17.html

So I think you would have to agree with that. (1755)

Also Francis Marion AKA Swamp Fox fought during the french and indian war and modeled his fighting style from Rogers Rangers during the Revolutionary War. Better remembered as Mel Gibson during the movie the Patriot, in which he was known as Benjamin Martin.

Special Forces (Army) wasnt around till Vietnam

Same with Seals

US Marine Corps wasnt established until 10 NOV 1775

Answer 9

George W Bush and his duschebags  

Answer 10

The National Guard - seriously.

They were the first continental army

Answer 11

Marines.

Tuns' Tavern, Phili., PA

November 10, 1775

But Lava -- you know that, Mi Amigo!

edit: On first go, I can't believe that I wrote 1995 (d**n my fingers' alignment)

Answer 12

Rogers Rangers 1755

Answer 13

SEALS

Answer 14

This has to broken down into a few catergories. As for type of unit or force, it would be the US Army Ranger hands down. We were created here back when Captain Benjamin Church formed Church's Rangers, which fought hostile Native American tribes during King Philip's War in 1675–1676 (not just when Major Robert Rodger's formed his Ranger companies later in the French and Indian War in 1754–1763 87 years later). This type of force is American made and bred. The US Marines (even though the people would debate the term 'elite' usage) should be for special operations types) would be next (even though the British had the concept already in use and was formed as part of the naval service in 1755. However, it can trace its origins back as far as 1664).

Now as for continous service as an elite in the way the defintion is put out:  MILTARY ELITE: A military elite is a unit of soldiers or recruits picked for their competence and put in a special elite unit. Elite units enjoy some benefits as compared to other units, at least in the form of higher status, but often also higher pay and better equipment. The US military use "elite" forces for covert missions which require better trained soldiers who are more disciplined and mentally and emotionally stronger.

Then this could mean alot of units, not just special ops types. Special is not the same always elite. The 82nd ABN is "elite", but not "special". Same with the 3rd Regiment, Old Guard as you can just get assigned with to with meeting one or two qualifications. The 75th Ranger Regiment is an elite unit, but d**n sure Special Ops too. Also, any SF Groups. Sorry to get 'brainy', but the terms mean different things to new militaries. Look at Britain for example and what they consider elite.

So as for a long standing ELITE US military lineage in my view:

For straight time as a unit (or elite force without a break in service):



It comes to the US Marines who were formed as the Continental Marines on November 10, 1775 as the naval infantry.

Longest standing time as an elite type force:

The American Ranger: 1675-as of 2008 (333 years) (for length in time of service. Not as one one continous unit, but as a type of force which we American's produced and others emulate around the world).

FYI:

It wouldn't be the 3rd Infantry regiment. They are the oldest active unit of infantry in the army, having been first organized as the First American Regiment in 1784. The Old Guard (1st Battalion) isn't a elite unit per se, but ceronmonial unit which still does it's infantry mission to includes deployments. The other (2nd and 4th) battalions are in various units throughout the Army during their infantry mission.

My 2 cents....

Answer 15

3d United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). The regiment is the oldest active unit of infantry in the army, having been first organized as the First American Regiment in 1784.

Answer 16

The LONGEST standing elite force in the US Military is the Special Forces, or at least their root ancestors in the Revolutionary war. They were the gurilla fighters of the time.

Answer 17

To paraphrase a former President, it depends on what "elite " means. The Army's Old Guard is among the longest serving infantry units, and it got it's name (the Old Guard of the Republic) because it was the only Infantry unit at full strength at the time, and fought with great valor in Mexico along with the "Brave Rifles".

The longest continuous serving military unit is the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (Tujors Pret). Before WW1, the Army was kept small because the American people thought that they could raise militia and defend against invaders, and they really weren't worried about invasion from Canada or Mexico. Warfare made the militia system as useful as a musket would be against a modern force. The training requirement now need semi-professional and professional military. During that time, the Navy kept it's Marine Corps fully manned, and on a more operational footing, due to being away from the mainland US.