.RECON questions i have not seen answered and a personal question

Art Vandelay

Art Vandelay

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Aug 28, 2018
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After debating between which SOF i wanted to get a contract for i finally settled on RECON. I have been contemplating this decision for a while and finally decided there's no time like the present to go for it. I ship out in December with a decent chance that my ship date is moved to October. After rifting through this forum for the past couple of months i thought it appropriate that i finally make an account and ask you all some questions i either couldn't find an answer to or just ask you for your various takes on my situation and my level of readiness for the ensuing challenge i have ahead of me. If some of the questions i pose to you seem trivial or stupid i apologize.

General Questions i haven't seen answered
  1. From all of the research i have done shooting expert at bootcamp appears to be mandatory for going to BRC. Is this true and if so is this an easy task to accomplish?
  2. On the chance i make it all the way through the RECON training pipeline what level security clearance will i need? I have an interim secret clearance at the moment but will that have to be upgraded to TS?
In regards to my level of readiness for this challenge i am currently putting out 17 pullups, 88 crunches, and a 20 minute mile run. My GT score is 118. I have been working on stepping up my PFT numbers and i still have a few months to go before i ship to continue to get those numbers boosted unless i ship out in October which then gives me roughly 1.5 months. Am i under prepared? If so will Boot Camp at Parris Island help me bump these numbers up?
 
Please capitalize your I's. Attention to detail is a hallmark of a professional.

Continue to work out, both body and mind. Best of luck!
 
Keep at it. 17 pull ups isn’t bad for someone who is just starting their career. Expert marksmanship is not required for recon training but you will almost certainly qualify expert after some recon training.

You will get a clearance when you get to your battalion. Don’t worry about it.
 
I'm not sure about everyone else, but one of the things that I looked forward to the most in boot was finally shooting my M16. I had never fired a gun before bootcamp. Just listen to your coach and do what they teach you. If you do that, you'll do just fine. Your range book is there to help you. Use it. Take notes on good shots and bad shots. What did your trigger pull and release sound like, how was your breathing, wind conditions, check weld, etc. I shot Expert and ended up a Third Award Expert, missed a year on the range due to duty location not having a range.
 
M16s are tinker toys. You'll do fine, very little recoil from those 223s.

Good luck
 
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Going to give away my age but when I went through PI we were qualifying with M-1s. Later on a firing team we used M-14s and fired at 1000 yards with open sites. Last year had the opportunity to go to the automatic range while attending 2d Recon Association get together. Could not believe all weapons, to include the machineguns, had scopes. While firing the machinegun I told the advisor that by using a scope that one was not seeing what was going on around them and they were forgetting the 25meter target. He agreed but said they were now using scopes in basic. What has become with shooting with open sites.
 
There is no iron sites knowledge being taugh in recruit training as of now. Iron sites are given a whole 30 minute class in ITB that is not tested on. If you are an 0331 you will utilize iron sites for some of the weapon systems. That is pretty much it I believe at least in regards to bootcamp/ITBs teaching of iron sites.
 
Art Vandelay said:
After debating between which SOF i wanted to get a contract for i finally settled on RECON. I have been contemplating this decision for a while and finally decided there's no time like the present to go for it. I ship out in December with a decent chance that my ship date is moved to October. After rifting through this forum for the past couple of months i thought it appropriate that i finally make an account and ask you all some questions i either couldn't find an answer to or just ask you for your various takes on my situation and my level of readiness for the ensuing challenge i have ahead of me. If some of the questions i pose to you seem trivial or stupid i apologize.

General Questions i haven't seen answered
  1. From all of the research i have done shooting expert at bootcamp appears to be mandatory for going to BRC. Is this true and if so is this an easy task to accomplish?
  2. On the chance i make it all the way through the RECON training pipeline what level security clearance will i need? I have an interim secret clearance at the moment but will that have to be upgraded to TS?
In regards to my level of readiness for this challenge i am currently putting out 17 pullups, 88 crunches, and a 20 minute mile run. My GT score is 118. I have been working on stepping up my PFT numbers and i still have a few months to go before i ship to continue to get those numbers boosted unless i ship out in October which then gives me roughly 1.5 months. Am i under prepared? If so will Boot Camp at Parris Island help me bump these numbers up?
Click to expand...

Art,
How did you do at PI and are you in the Recon pipeline?
 
You can follow my progress on the SITREP thread, but I did well at Parris Island and am currently in the Recon pipeline. I just finished the first week of BRPC.
 
If you go to 2d Recon BN I may see you one of these years (I'll be there the end of June). I served also with 3rd but don't have much to do with them.
 
Preferably 2nd as I'm from the east coast but I'd be happy with any of them. Trying not to think that far ahead though and focus on the 25m target which is graduating BRPC.
 
Art Vandelay said:
Preferably 2nd as I'm from the east coast but I'd be happy with any of them. Trying not to think that far ahead though and focus on the 25m target which is graduating BRPC.
Click to expand...

Concentrate on your swimming and you will do great. Never quit on any phase.
 
Teufel said:
Keep at it. 17 pull ups isn’t bad for someone who is just starting their career. Expert marksmanship is not required for recon training but you will almost certainly qualify expert after some recon training.

You will get a clearance when you get to your battalion. Don’t worry about it.
Click to expand...
Just a few questions, after boot camp, at SOI-W is anyone allowed to Volunteer for BRPC? Also what will disqualify new Marines from not being able to volunteer for BRPC? Does the GT score still play a major role while at SOI trying to volunteer? Thank you, sorry for asking so many questions, but very curious!
 
I believe you can still volunteer at SOI. You will need to meet minimum GT score requirements, which I think is still 105.
 
Teufel said:
I believe you can still volunteer at SOI. You will need to meet minimum GT score requirements, which I think is still 105.
Click to expand...
Alright, as of right now I’m at a 100 GT score, but my RSS SNCO said I would still be able to volunteer at SOI. I have a lot of time though, so if not I will most likely do another ASVAB and shoot for a higher score.
 

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