The Pic of the Day: Recon Marines building one brotherhood at a time

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Zachary Johnson, right, holds the bipod of an M40A6 sniper rifle over his shoulder as a stable shooting platform while a Philippine Marine fires during KAMANDAG 3 at Fort Magsaysay, Philippines, Oct. 14, 2019. Exercises such as KAMANDAG increase our ability to work together in response to crises across the military […]

Study reveals what makes it more likely to pass Marine Recon Selection

Why do so many candidates fail to become Reconnaissance Marines? With an attrition rate of over 50 percent, the Basic Reconnaissance Course (BRC) is one of the more difficult Special Operations selection programs in the U.S. military. Adding the rest of the Recon pipeline to the equation, and the attrition rate skyrockets. In an effort […]

The Pic of the Day: Recon Marines storm ship

ANTA RITA, Guam (Aug. 26, 2019) Marines assigned to 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division and Clearance Divers assigned to the Royal Canadian Navy’s Fleet Diving Pacific and Atlantic Units board Military Sealift Command maritime prepositioning force container, roll-on/roll-off and mobile landing platform USNS Dahl (T-AKR 312), during a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) […]

The Pic of the Day: Force Recon Marines train

Force Reconnaissance Marines from the Force Reconnaissance Platoon attached to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Maritime Raid Force conduct a live-fire deck shoot for sustainment aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp, flagship of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 31st MEU, is operating in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability […]

Marine Recon and MARSOC

Before Special Operations was even a term, the Marine Corps tried to cultivate the capability.  The Marine Raider Battalions and Amphibious Reconnaissance Companies of WWII formed the basis of all of the Marine Corps’ capabilities in the field of SOF ever since. Today, the Marine Corps Special Operations Capable forces are divided between the Recon […]

Marine Recon Battalion 101

Recon Battalion Overview The Marine Recon Battalions are the eyes and ears of the Marine Divisions. Over the years they have consisted of anywhere from one to five companies, according to the perceived needs of the Division and the size of the Marine Corps at the time. There are three active duty Recon Battalions and […]

Remembering Tamatea Teai: MARSOC Fox Company and Recon legend, brother, and friend

Editor’s note: This article was originally written and published by Justin Carroll on RevolverGuy.com. With permission, it is being shared on our site due to the ties that Tamatea Teai had with MARSOC Fox Company during their initial 2007 deployment. NEWSREP has covered the MARSOC 7 saga in depth for many years. After hearing how […]

The Pic of the Day: Recon Marines conduct arctic parachuting

U.S. Marines with Force Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, discuss their plan prior to an operation during Exercise Trident Juncture 18 at Vaernes Air Station, Norway, on October 31, 2018. Trident Juncture 18 demonstrates the II Marine Expeditionary Forces’ ability to deploy, employ, and redeploy the Marine Air Ground Task Force while improving interoperability with […]

Recon Challenge 2019: Sweat, blood, and pain for a noble cause

On May 16, active-duty and veteran U.S. Marines from units stationed around the globe gathered in Camp Pendleton, California, to participate in the annual Recon Challenge. The Recon Challenge is an endurance event that takes participants through numerous tests inspired by the Reconnaissance Marine training and operational history. There is, for example, a grueling 30-mile […]

How Recon Marines prepare for a conflict with Russia

The responsibilities of a superpower are many, as are the potential hotspots where American war-fighters might need to fight in the future. Consequently, in the modern multi-domain battlefield, allies and partners are essential to achieve mission success. Be it in the mountains of Afghanistan, the deserts of the Sahel, or the fjords of Scandinavia, American […]

The Pic of the Day: Recon Marines and their Commando friends

A U.S. Marine with 1st Platoon, Force Reconnaissance Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force, patrols during exercise Platinum Ren at an undisclosed location in Norway on May 13, 2019. The evening patrol was conducted to acclimatize the team to the harsh Arctic climate and mountainous terrain, increase interoperability within the allies and partners of the North […]

Special Reconnaissance: The Air Force releases information on its new Special Operations job

A few months ago, the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) announced its intent to establish a new Special Operations career field. Special Reconnaissance (SR) would replace the existing Special Operations Weather Technician (SOWT) military occupation specialty. The rationale behind the decision to renovate the SOWT career field stemmed from the advanced meteorological systems the […]