Thomas the Cat was kind enough to post all the patches he created for Star Trek Online recently on his twitter.
https://twitter.com/#!/thomasthecat/status/189397718182019072/photo/1/large
In the bottom right corner, you will notice a patch for Starfleet Elite Joint Operations - Military Assault Command OPS.
For fun, what do you see this patch as representing in 2409?
What form do you see MACO as having in 2409?
GO!
Comments
As I'd interpret it, the SEJO would probably form a similar function to the JSOC today. That is - it could be the administrative/development arm of Starfleet's Special Forces, facilitating inter-operability between departments. Part of that organization would have to be the MACOs and Omega Force, clearly. But there may be other components that we've not seen (Such as wet work offices of Starfleet Intelligence, which I can only assume exist in some form or another.)
That's the most direct analogy I can think of... The other possibility is that whoever came up with SEJO got muddled up, and assumed that JSOC was the same thing as USSOCOM - Which it is not. This however would make more logical sense as to why you'd see MACO tags under a SEJO banner.
As for the MACOs themselves... It's a little hard to say what kind of role they'd play in 2409 given how much of a dynamic and flexible organization Starfleet is. Sufficed to say, I doubt MACO is a static institution, and probably evolves constantly to reflect the demands of the time. I don't think there is a direct equivalent in real-world Special Forces, but it would be fair to say that the MACOs would need to have mission specialists who are drawn from multiple disciplines to suit the requirements of a mission. Obviously, given their combat orientation, most of their operatives would probably have to have some advanced training in tactical disciplines.
I'd see them a lot like the "Hazard Team" depicted in Elite Force, oddly enough. Tactical specialists from multiple disciplines who are used as special forces to take on jobs and operations that fall outside "standard' away team spec. How often did we see a "standard" away team get trounced? The one that always comes to mind for me is when Sisko teamed up with the Jem Hadar to destroy an Iconian gate. You might remember that while the Jem Hadar beamed down in understated greys with personal camouflage generators as standard, the Starfleet personnel beamed down in bright, colourful jumpsuits (on a jungle planet) ...and acted surprised when they were ambushed...
...Well duh.
Simply put: MACOs, to me, seem to be the answer to Red Shirt Stupidity.
I didnt get the impression that MACO was apart of Omega Force for all intents the two are seperate entities with the difference being that MACO's still answer to SF command or the Federation President(* like the Marines, or Seals not sure never served) While Omega Force is kinda like an independant army made up of both KDF and UFP spec ops.As such one wouldnt assume that the KDF Honor Guard are apart of the O.F. either.
(* Not a rant or flame kinda just stateing my thoughts
MACO's are the boots on the ground they go where there needed do what has to be done. They would be the modern day version of Marines,Seals,Green Berets,Rangers.You will find a nice wiki on Spec-Ops here
In a time of War there stories are born even if we never hear about them.
* Edit to add the post above as it was way better than mine
In US military nomenclature "Joint" refers to a command with elements from multiple branches. "Combined" refers to a unit from multiple nations. So, for the middle east you have SOCCENT (which is joint) and contributes to CFSOCC (which is combined).
The way I read it is that MACO is a "joint" command made up from the different branches of Starfleet (and maybe other Federation organizations?), which contributes to Omega Force (which is Combined.) IIRC the initial explanation of KHG/MACO/OF was something along those lines.
The way the patch looks MACO is subordinate to SEJO, much like SOCCENT is subordinate to USCENTCOM.