Marines ( SpecForce ) The Marines , also known as SpaceOps , were a division of the Alliance to Restore the Republic ' s Special Forces operating during the Galactic Civil War . Comprised of tough , hardened soldiers , the Marines were specially trained to fight aboard starships and space stations , and in zero - gravity . Equipped with light weaponry so as not to cause undue damage to their environment during combat , Marines generally wore light armor , or armored spacesuit s . Organization . The Marines , also referred to as " SpaceOps , " were a military speciality within the Alliance to Restore the Republic ' s Special Forces . The first regiment of each of the ten SpecForce divisions was designated as the Marine Regiment . Marines were trained for combat aboard starships and space stations , with typical mission profiles including boarding and capturing enemy vessels , repelling invaders aboard their own craft , or as the vanguard of a spaceport landing assault . In addition to their combat role , Marines were deployed as security personnel throughout the ships on which they were assigned , posted to critical areas when the likelihood of enemy boarders was probable . Marine units relied on fast - moving assaults , using firepower and numbers to overwhelm the enemy , and were not above withdrawing in the face of stiff opposition . History . During the Galactic Civil War , SpecForce Marines were deployed as part of Operation Cobolt , a mission to retrieve a Scandoc decoding computer from an orbital base over the planet Mantooine . A Marine unit using an assault boat breached the cargo doors on the station after an Infiltrator team disabled the base ' s deflector shields . The Marines established an airlock to allow more Marines — White Team , Black Team , and Red Team — in a " Wolden " - class shuttle to enter the station to retrieve the decoding computer and sabotage the base ' s power station . Once the objectives had been achieved , the survivors withdrew and the station fell into Mantooine ' s atmosphere . Marines commanded by BL - 1707 and Basso were deployed via YM - 2800 limpet ship to take control of an Imperial cargo convoy . As the Galactic Civil War moved from a state of insurgency and hit and run guerrilla assaults , the Marines were expected to be attached to standard line division s , alongside Heavy Weapons Specialists units to assist in spearheading planetary assault and landings . Personnel . SpecForce Marines were generally beings who were already comfortable with living in space ; having either grown up around ships and ports , or spent a significant portion of their life in space . They were able to cope with the confinement inherent in space travel and living amongst the stars , and were used to the boredom that came with journeying through space on long voyages . Despite being around ships , the Marines almost never developed skills like piloting starships , or even astrogation . Because of their background , when the beings joined the Alliance , they were assigned ship - board duties until they requested a transfer to Special Forces , where they were inducted into the Marines due to their experiences . After completing drop camp , Marines were transferred directly to vessels throughout the Fleet and were trained on the job . Additional training was achieved through drills on moons or in deep space . Training in ship boarding , space combat and assaults were conducted in remote locations , such as deep space or remote planetoids , often against derelict and stripped hulks . Training in space weapons was conducted alongside Heavy Weapons Specialists squads . Marine life was tough , and the personnel were fighters at heart , thick - skinned and hard - headed with a reputation for charging into the fray . They were considered to be thick - headed by other Specs , although not directly , and were often referred to as " vacheads . " Officially , the nickname was derived from their operational environment . Marines also had a reputation for being vicious in combat , a result of the long periods spent aboard ship and in close company throughout the duration of their tour of duty . A Marine ' s goal was simple . Complete the mission , stay alive , protect their squadmates , and make it intact to the next shore leave . During the Galactic Civil War , Colonel Anena Seertay was the Alliance High Command Special Forces Regimental Marine Commander . Seertay was killed in action during the Primtara Offensive . Colonel Anna Seertay commanded the Marine boarding force that assaulted the Imperial orbital base over Mantooine during Operation Cobolt , while Gideon and Toombs led the follow - up Marine assault teams . Seertay and Toombs were killed in action during the mission . Team 19 was a platoon - sized unit based aboard the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser " Mantan Wanderer " , which was part of the 14th Roving Line . Under the command of Lieutenant Miko Beski , Team 19 was comprised of three Marine squads , a Heavy Weapons Specialists squad , and a squad of Technicians . They were utilized as the main boarding party force , and the core of the planetary assault force . Skills . Marines were trained in close quarters fighting , hand - to - hand combat , and zero - gravity engagements . Marines spent the majority of their time developing and honing the combat skills and tactics required to fight aboard starships and other confined structures in space . Technical skills were given a secondary emphasis , while stealth training was kept to a bare minimum . Marines also had access to the Alliance ' s small collection of armored spacesuit s and battle suit s , and received training in their operation . Marines were able to identify which weapons were suitable to be deployed in certain areas of a ship to prevent undue damage to the vessel during combat operations . They were also trained in sabotage of shipboard systems . All Marines were capable of speaking Galactic Basic Standard . Marines were combat experts ; they were trained to use blasters and grenades , and were skilled in both unarmed combat and melee combat , especially in zero - gravity . Marines had survival training with an emphasis on space survival , and were capable of applying first aid . In their role as shipboard security troops , Marines were trained to use the weapons aboard both capital ships and space transports , and could also assisting in repairs to the vessels if needed . Marines were also able to bypass security systems . Equipment . Marines were generally armed with light weapons to avoid causing damage to the interior of the starship they were in , but did use heavier weapons when attacking an enemy vessel . Armor - wise , Marines wore either a blast vest and blast helmet , or an armored spacesuit or battle suit . Marines also liked Karflo Corporation thinsuit s due to their utility . Standard weapons included blaster pistols , blaster rifles , blaster carbines , grenades , — including fragmentation grenade s — and a vibroknife . Marines also had access to either a light or medium repeating blaster , although the weapons were generally impractical to deploy aboard starships , and Czerka Arms flame carbine s . An encrypted comlink allowed the Marine to remain in contact with their unit . Marine forces were commonly deployed through use of " Katarn " - class boarding shuttles , or " Aegis " - class combat shuttles .