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Recon is at the top of the class when it comes to physical fitness
By: Steve Humeniuk
Issue date: 11/5/08 Section: News
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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.
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