United States Marine Air-Ground Task Force Reconnaissance - MAGTF Reconnaissance Assets - Command Element - Force Reconnaissance

Force Reconnaissance

The Force Reconnaissance companies report to the Command Element of the MAGTF. They are used for retaining any information that are held in deep operations under conventional warfare. They are very proficient in various entry and recovery methods in heliborne and waterborne techniques to insert behind enemy lines either by High-Altitude/Low (or High) Opening parachute landings; or combatant diving in submarine surface and subsurface methods. This ensures they achieve and maintain stealth in order to avoid compromising their mission. The Fleet Marine Force's detachable force reconnaissance platoons can operate independently from the support Marine Expeditionary Units if needed, making them special operations "capable" in forward-operated areas.

Because the division reconnaissance assets are heavily tasked in providing regiment commanders vital information; the force commander's intelligence staff are able to make the necessary preparations or changes in the future, shaping the battlespace. It is mainly due because the division-level intelligence may not be retrieved at a fast pace for adjusting the needs of the force commander. Also, force-level reconnaissance is retained under the direct control of the force commander, enabling him to send his force recon assets at his will. This may include non-reconnaissance avenues, such as direct action operations under the commander's proposal; the same methods performed by the more-'unconventional' special operations forces of USSOCOM.

NOTE: Both 1st and 2nd Force Reconnaissance companies have been deactivated since c. 2006. However the Marine Corps is in the process of standing up these units in the near future. 'Force Recon' companies were re-established, starting on December 19, 2008, within the 1st and 2nd Marine Division's reconnaissance battalions to maintain expedient deep recon capabilities within the II Marine Expeditionary Force.