United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance
Force Reconnaissance (FORECON) are United States Marine Corps deep reconnaissance companies that supply military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). Force Reconnaissance companies unlike USMC division reconnaissance report to the Marine expeditionary force (MEF) and provide direct action and deep reconnaissance during large-scale operations.
| Force Reconnaissance | |
|---|---|
Force Recon insignia | |
| Active | June 19, 1957 – present |
| Country | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Type | Deep reconnissance unit |
| Role | Direct support of Marine Air-Ground Task Force |
| Size | 835 (consisting of five 167-member companies: three active duty (one in each Marine expeditionary force) and two Marine Forces Reserve |
| Part of | Fleet Marine Force (FMF) |
| Nickname(s) | Force Recon, FORECON |
| Patron | Dion Williams James L. Jones Sr. Bruce F. Meyers Joseph Z. Taylor |
| Motto(s) | 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 Operation Inherent Resolve |
The Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) Raider Battalions were originally composed of Marine Special Operations Teams formed from Force Recon platoons (Det One) in 2006. MARSOC now has its own separate training pipeline. Force Recon companies continue to operate and focus primarily on direct action, intelligence gathering and maritime raid operations in the visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) role.
A FORECON detachment had since the mid 1980s formed part of the Maritime Special Purpose Force (MSPF) a specialized sub-unit of a Marine expeditionary unit (special operations capable) MEU(SOC). MEU(SOC) has been obsolete since 2013. A Marine expeditionary unit (MEU) now has a Maritime Raid Force (MRF) built around a FORECON detachment.