United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Not to be confused with United State

United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Not to be confused with United States Marine Corps Reconnaissance Battalions.
Main article: United States Marine Air-Ground Task Force Reconnaissance
Marine Force Reconnaissance
FORECON.png
The blazon of 'Force Recon'.
Active June 19, 1957– present
Country United States United States of America
Branch Marine corps flag.svg United States Marine Corps
Type Special Operations Capable
Role Supported arms for Marine Air-Ground Task Force

* Deep reconnaissance
* Direct action

Part of Fleet Marine Force (FMF)

* FMFLANT.png Atlantic (FMFLant)
* FMFPAC.png Pacific (FMFPac)

Nickname Force Recon, FORECON
Patron Dion Williams
James L. Jones, Sr.
Bruce F. Meyers
Motto Celer, Silens, Mortalis
("Swift, Silent, Deadly")
Engagements Vietnam War
Operation Urgent Fury
Operation Just Cause
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Restore Hope
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom

The Force Reconnaissance Companies (abbreviated as either 'Force Recon' or FORECON), are one of the United States Marine Corps's special operations "capable" forces that provide pertinent military intelligence to the combined combat elements of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF); either supporting the subordinate infantry units of the Fleet Marine Force (FMF), on the west coast, Pacific (FMFPac) and east coast, Atlantic (FMFLant).[1]

They are fully capable of operating independently behind enemy lines conducting deep reconnaissance, direct action (DA), and other supportive arms deemed necessary to the Fleet Marine Force. Using combined methods of heliborne and waterborne insertions and extractions in cohesion of conventional warfare, they are capable of performing unconventional special operations similar, or to the extent, to those of the United States special operations forces of USSOCOM (e.g. Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces and Rangers, or Air Force Combat Controllers), although Force Recon's missions and tasks do differ by a margin.[2]

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) often looks to MARSOC and specifically Force Reconnaissance to recruit operators into their elite Special Activities Division (SAD). SAD is the home of the storied Special Operations Group (SOG) which conducts covert action paramilitary operations.[3] The history of joint Force Recon and CIA operations is substantial and long standing. It includes a unique lashup with the highly secretive Military Assistance Command, Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) during the Vietnam War.[4][5]