[B'atL'eth's Blood]

There was an episode of DS9 where Sisko, Bashir, Nog, and Jake I think; were on this planet and decided to stick around to help a beleagured contingent of StarFleet personnel against the J'em H'adar. There was one of the characters that counted coup against the J'em H'adar by hanging the vials of Ketricel White around his neck. My question is this, were these the StarFleet Marines on this planet? This episode was one of my favorites. Lots of good fighting/small unit tactics, and some good choreographed hand to hand scenes....

[Maco Captain]

I think the episode you are referring to is "The siege of AR-558". If it is the same episode I am thinking of, then Nog loses his leg in this one. Sounds familiar? The starfleet personnel in this episode were not starfleet marines, they were starfleet personnel assigned to the planet as a security contingent to safeguard Starfleet and Federation interests there. The uniforms that they were wearing were consistent with Starfleet personnel, not Starfleet Marines. However, there is another episode from either season 4 or 5 of DS9 "Nor the Battle to the Strong" That features a bewildered Jake Sisko finding a survivor from a unit of Starfleet Military that survived a battle with the Jem'Hadar. Most noticeable here are the black uniforms worn by the military personnel killed in this battle. I hope this helps.

[Greystone]

I suppose these were Starfleet front line infantry troops. Starfleet is a combined service so it is logical that they would have ground troops to mobilise during time of war. So in a way they could be considered to be Marines.