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The Texas A&M Recon participates in a usual squad based tactical maneuver. These field-training exercises incorporate tactics such as weapons handling.

Dedication: rain or shine

Recon is at the top of the class when it comes to physical fitness

By: Steve Humeniuk

Posted: 11/5/08

The cowards never started, and the weak died along the way. That is the slogan worn proudly by the Texas A&M Recon.

Recon, short for reconnaissance, is an entity of the U.S. Marine Corps that specializes in intelligence, complicated land and marine maneuvers and efficient tactical missions on domestic targets.

"They can move faster and quieter than a conventional unit," said Dan Lane, senior ocean engineering major and the company's commanding officer. "No air support. No back up. You have to be at a high level of fitness to survive."

The purpose of the A&M Recon is to emulate Marine Recon in every way.

"The daily things we do are to prepare us for the actual role of a Recon Marine, a mission profile," Lane said.

Lane said those daily activities are not easy by any standard.

"My alarm goes off at 5:12 a.m. every morning," he said. "There is never a good reason to take the day off. We wake up every morning because we have an innate drive to be the best at what we do."

The company meets for a rigorous daily workout of swimming, calisthenics, running events and upper body exercises, such as pull-ups and push-ups.

"We worked out when it was snowing last year," said Robert Litvin, sophomore history major and Recon's Guidon Bearer. "We work out in the rain. It doesn't matter what's going on. We're training."

Litvin said the company trains in all of the elements because the military does the same.

"Our military trains in any environment," he said. "It doesn't matter what's going on. It will help you out in the fleet."

The Marine Corps measures physical prowess through a physical fitness test, which measures the ability to do 20 consecutive pull-ups and 100 sit-ups in less than two minutes and run three miles in less than 18 minutes.

The test is evaluated on a 300-point scale, with a score of 285 or higher considered exemplary.

"Half of us are running a perfect score," Lane said. "By the end of the semester, we will all be over 290."

The members of Recon take pride in their physical prowess.

"It's been difficult, but it's been good because it's made me a stronger person," Recon Company 1st Sgt. Daniel Joseph Allen, a junior general studies major, said. "I take pride in being here in an outfit that most students can't do, or they think they can't do it."

Recon finds time to enter various competitions across the country to test physical stamina against the likes of prestigious Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps schools such as the Naval Academy.

"We blow people away with our physical abilities," Lane said. "Competition proves what we can do."

In the spring 2006 the company entered A&M's SEAL Platoon's Commando Endurance Skills Competition and secured a first place finish. The same day, the company loaded into minivans and made the trek to White Sands, N.M.

The following day, the company competed in the Bataan Death March, a 26.2 mile marathon event made especially difficult by the 50-pound rucksacks members had to carry on their backs through treacherous terrain.

The weekend ended with two first place finishes.

Allen said he attributes Recon's success to motivating already motivated people.

When they are not training or competing, Recon engages in the more sophisticated aspects of reconnaissance, including several field-training exercises that incorporate squad tactics such as water survival, weapons handling, day and night land navigation, six-man fire team tactics and observation exercises.

Recon is a separate entity from the Corps of Cadets, and membership is open at the beginning of each semester to any student interested.

"Recon is for anyone who wants to push themselves, compete and win," Litvin said.