MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, held a ceremony here Dec. 19 to activate Force Reconnaissance Company.
“Because Marine Special Operations Command doesn't actually work for the Marine Corps, two platoons from MARSOC formed Delta Company to maintain a deep reconnaissance asset in the Marine Expeditionary Force,” said 1st Sgt. Daniel Brown, company first sergeant.
In 2007, 2nd Recon Battalion Companies B and C supported Operation Iraqi Freedom. One platoon from Company D went to Company B and the other platoon went to Company C. This marked the unofficial deactivation of Company D.
When Force Company activated, they did so mostly with Marines who at one point belonged to Company D and have done OIF deployments in support of the battalion or a Marine Expeditionary Unit. Brown said there are also a handful of Marines who are new.
“When Force Recon was removed to make MARSOC, the MEF lost its deep recon asset,” said Capt. Anthony Mercado, company commander. “Re-activating the company today brings this asset, along with battlespace shaping, special insertion capability, jump, dive free-fall, high-glide, etc., to the MEF.”
The majority of the Marines in Force Recon are combat veterans who provide a wealth of deep reconnaissance assets. Bronze Star Medal recipients, sniper school and diving school honor graduates and combat meritoriously promoted men make up this elite company that lives up to the battalion’s motto of being ‘Swift, Silent and Deadly.’
“The talent we have is awesome, from the platoon leadership down to the team leaders,” Mercado said.
The Force Recon Marines have gone through most of the same training that other reconnaissance units specialize in, but these Marines also specialize in unique combat insertion methods, such as those with diver propulsion devices.
The company is also the only company capable of using high-glide insertion methods, which allow Marines to parachute into a drop zone from outward of 40 kilometers at 25,000 feet.
Mercado said that on the newly activated company’s training events, the Marines have hit beyond their mark every time.
“Thus far the Marines have done an outstanding job. Anything we’ve thrown at them they have been able to accomplish it higher than our expectations,” Mercado said. “I couldn’t be more proud to be a plank holder in this unit.”
“I feel the same way,” Brown added.
In the immediate future, Force Recon will conduct extensive training evolutions, to include convoy operations training at Fort Bliss, Texas, and they will be standing up a new platoon. The company is scheduled to deploy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.