U.S. Marine Corps (Recon Battalion; Force Recon; ANGLICO; Security Force Battalion; FAST Companies)


U.S. MARINE CORPS
Recon Battalion

Each Marine Division has a Recon battalion of approximately 500 men (including HQ and support services). They are trained to operate just forward of the frontlines or directly in front of/alongside conventional Marine units. (These are the Marines in the movie Heartbreak Ridge.) These are different from the Force Recon Marines, below. Their training is still fierce and many later move into FR. Not all members are SCUBA and/or Airborne qualified.


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Force Recon

ORGANIZATION

There has been considerable reorganization of the Force Recon Marine structure recently. In the 2nd Division, both 2nd Force Recon and 2nd Recon Battalion have been merged. They have developed a structure in which one moves through a series of platoons based on experience and training. These platoons are gathered into three companies. The first company (A Company) is for Marines in various stages of training. The next company (B Company) is for Marines who deploy for tactical recon (just beyond the frontlines). The final company (C Company) specializes in Deep/Strategic recon. The 2nd Division is based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The other Force Recon companies are organized as follows:
1st Force Recon: assigned to 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendelton, California
3rd Force Recon: assigned to 3rd Marine Division, Camp S.D. Butler, Okinawa, Japan
4th Force Recon: assigned to 4th Marine Division (Reserve), New Orleans, Louisiana
5th Force Recon: assigned to III MEF (Marine Expeditionary Force), Camp S.D. Butler, Okinawa, Japan
Each FR Company consists of:
Headquarters (5 officers and 26 enlisted men)
Supply Services Platoon (1 officer and 35 enlisted men)
6 Recon Platoons (1 officer and 14 enlisted men)
Recon teams operate usually in teams of 4 men (there is some experimentation with six man teams)
MISSIONS

Primarily Deep/Strategic Recon
Despite many years of resisting (often unsuccessfully) being used for other SpecOps missions (Direct Action and so on), FR has been incorporating training for these missions. They now have a counterterror and direct action capability. The 5th also specializes in these sorts of ops.)
TRAINING


All Recon:
RIP (Recon Indoctrination Phase) -- Selection and Assessment
Amphibious Recon School (9 1/2 Weeks)
Force Recon:
US Army Basic Airborne
SCUBA School
NOTES

Until 1997, Recon/FR were considered Secondary MOS (specialized training, essentially). This meant you could not spend your entire career with the unit, instead serving 2-3 year tours. This has been changed, however, allowing continual service and a primary MOS.
Several times I have noticed that a reference to Marine special operations forces being gathered into a unit known as 2nd Recon. I find no backing for this. This may be a misrepresentation of the fact that the various SpecOps units assigned to the Fleet Marine Forces are placed under an administrative umbrella in each division known as SRIG (Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Intelligence Group). This provides headquarters and logistical functions to units such as Force Recon, Scout-Snipers, and so on. Each division has a SRIG, not just 2nd Division.


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ANGLICO (Air-Naval Gun Liaison Company)

ORGANIZATION


ANGLICO companies function much as Force Recon Marines above, receiving very similar training, with the key difference being their mission. FR is there to gather data, sometimes staying in place for weeks. ANGLICO gets into position and, once targets have been observed, begins directing aerial and naval gunfire onto targets. There is an ANGLICO unit with every SRIG.
TRAINING

US Army Basic Airborne
SCUBA
Ranger
ANGLICO in-house tactical training (ongoing)


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Security Force Battalion

ORGANIZATION

Atlantic Battalion - based at Norfolk, Virginia
Pacific Battalion - based at Mare Island, California
59 Officers and 2004 Marines
Commanding Officer - Major
Each battalion has six companies and various Mobile Training Teams (MTTs) and sub-units.
TRAINING

All members must have completed SOI (School of Infantry).
Security Force School (22 Days-Longer for NCOs and officers) - Teaches Combat Marksmanship (shotgun and pistol - all Security Forces are dual armed), Room Clearing, etc.
MISSIONS

Counterterrorist and Security for US Navy and Marine Corps ships and bases.
NOTES

Security Force Battalion should not be confused with the Marine Security Guard Battalion, which provides embassy security.


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FAST (Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team) Companies

ORGANIZATION

There is one FAST Company per Security Battalion.
Each includes 321 Marines, task-organized based upon mission:
Headquarters element.
Four or five "guard" platoons (one officer and 49+ enlisted men).
Weapons platoon (29-man MG section, 7-man 60mm Mortar section and 13 man SMAW section).
Each platoon has 2-man HQ and 3 16+ man squads (divided into Team Leader and two guard teams).
Each company has Designated Marksmen (DM) with sniper training.
TRAINING

All members must have completed SOI (School of Infantry).
Security Force School (22 Days-Longer for NCOs and officers) - Teaches Combat Marksmanship (shotgun and pistol - all Security Forces are dual armed), Room Clearing, etc.
FAST Training (5 weeks) - Additional training in Close Quarters Battle, submachine gun employment (MP-5), etc.
MISSION

Various tasks concerning security and antiterrorism missions directed at the United States Navy, USMC and sensitive facilities and persons (recently deployed to Saudi Arabia to test security in the wake of the bombings there and to provide security for the US ambassador to Somalia during the intervention there).
Counterterrorist response force for the Navy/Marine Corps.
Nuclear safe-guarding for the United States Navy.
NOTE

Security Forces/FAST is a Secondary MOS. Essentially, this means specialized training. Members do not spend their entire careers in the unit, instead doing 2-3 year tours before returning to other units. Reapplication to the unit after a "normal" tour often happens. Recently, several more FAST Companies have been brought online from reassigned Security Force Detachments, each beginning to practice further specialization.


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Note: Scouts/Snipers

These are small, two man teams organized and placed into the SRIGs of various units. They are used to interdict key personnel and materials during wartime/operations. There are several teams attached at both the battalion and regimental level. Training includes a several-week selection and training process that develop additional marksmanship and advanced fieldcraft.


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