Special operations capable (SOC) is a concept and designation developed by the United States Marine Corps and United States Navy concerning select special operations capabilities of Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU).

The SOC designation is currently only utilized to indicate that a MEU is capable of undertaking certain special operations. Properly trained and certified MEUs are known as MEU(SOC). MEU(SOC) units are not generally considered to be special operations forces (SOF) proper, despite being capable of some of the same missions and tasks associated with SOF units. While originally representing the Marine Corps’ contribution to the United States’ special operations forces, with the introduction of the Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC) to the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) command structure in 2006, SOC units now instead bridge the gap between ‘conventional’ units and SOF units.

SOC units do not fall under USSOCOM, as most US SOF units do, including MARSOC units, and instead are controlled solely by the Marine Corps. The use of the term has been limited to the United States Marine Corps and Navy, and in practice, only the Marine Corps currently utilizes the designation, although the term may be unofficially utilized both within the US and internationally to describe certain units.

The strategy behind the MEU(SOC) is to provide continuous and perpetual maritime & amphibious force projection. Such units are expected to be able to respond to a variety of crises, most notably incidents that conventional units may not be able to properly handle. A MEU(SOC) is also expected to be capable of providing various forms of security or a military presence to any region worldwide, within 24–72 hours of receiving orders. Such crises may range from natural disasters to civil or national discord, or total invasion of forces into a hostile area. The term "special operations" in the Non-SOF context, therefore, refers to special taskings of limited duration in support of a combat commander. These operations include:

Therefore, "the primary objective of the MEU(SOC)...is to provide the theater CINC's with an effective means of dealing with the uncertainties of future threats, providing a forward deployed unit that is inherently balanced, sustainable, flexible, responsive, expandable and credible."