The long-running Basic Reconnaissance Course is being replaced by two new programs meant to train Recon Marines.

The U.S. Marine Corps Basic Reconnaissance Course, better known as the Basic Recon Course, is where young Marines earn their place in the Marine Corps’ recon units. The course puts candidates through ...

A U.S. Marine with the Maritime Raid Force, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, jumps from a Skyvan 3A during military free fall training in Lake Elsinore, California, Feb. 12, 2026. US Marine Corps photo ...

One of the Marine Corps’ most grueling entry-level combat training pipelines has been overhauled, with two new specialized programs replacing the decades-old basic reconnaissance course. The previous ...

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Carlos A. Ruiz, the 20th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, visits Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, April 3, 2026. During Ruiz’s visit, he attended the 2-26 ...