MCO 3440.7C governs Marine Corps roles, policy, and responsibilities for Defense Support of Civil Authorities operations.
View MCO 3440.7C on armypubs.army.mil
It addresses domestic emergencies, homeland defense, immediate response authority, mutual aid agreements, mission assignments, and standing rules for the use of force. The Order requires DSCA support as directed and within existing laws, DoD issuances, and SECDEF-approved orders.
Applies to: In accordance with reference (c), the Marine Corps shall support DSCA operations as directed and in accordance with existing laws, DoD issuances, and SECDEF-approved orders.
Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA). Support provided by U.S. Federal Military Forces, DoD civilians, DoD contract personnel, DoD component assets, and National Guard Forces (when the SECDEF, in coordination with the governors of the affected states, elects and requests to use those Forces in Title 32, United States Code (reference (a)), status) in response to requests for assistance from civil authorities for domestic emergencies, law enforcement support, and other domestic activities, or from qualifying entities for special events. (paragraph 9)
Immediate Response Authority provides local commanders the ability to quickly respond to support requests in order to save lives, prevent human suffering, or mitigate great property damage under imminently serious conditions when time does not permit approval from a higher authority. (paragraph 4)
Immediate Response Authority does not permit actions that would subject civilians to the use of military power that is regulatory, prescriptive, proscriptive, or compulsory. (paragraph 4)
Prior to performing a DSCA mission, commanders and their Marines must know the SRUF which govern the actions to be taken by commanders and their Marines during all DSCA missions occurring within U.S. territory or U.S. territorial seas. (paragraph 7)
A request based on mission requirements and expressed in terms of desired outcome, formally asking the DoD to provide assistance to a local, State, tribal or other federal agency.