Rules of recon

1.        ALWAYS LOOK COOL (IF YOU DON’T KNOW YOUR JOB YOU DON’T LOOK COOL).

 2.        NEVER GET LOST; HOWEVER, IT IS OK TO BE A LITTLE CONFUSED FROM TIME TO TIME AS LONG AS YOU GAIN YOUR BEARINGS (ASK A DAMN QUESTION).

 3.        SWIFT SILENT DEADLY ISN’T JUST A COOL SLOGAN.  IT IS OUR MANTRA TO BE PRACTICED IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE.

 4.        TOMORROW STARTS TODAY.

5.        KEEP YOUR WEAPONS & EQUIPMENT CLEAN, YOUR KIT LOADED AND YOUR RUCK PACKED.

 6.        LOGISTICS CARRY THE DAY: BRING ONLY WHAT IS NEEDED AND HAVE REDUNDANT MATERIAL BACKUPS.

 7.        TWO IS ONE, ONE IS NONE, AND THREE IS A CROWD.

 8.        IF IT ONLY HAS ONE USE AND DOESN’T SHOOT, TRANSMIT, OR STOP BLEEDING: YOU PROBABLY DON’T NEED IT.

 9.        BE IN A HURRY, NOT A RUSH.

 10.     YOUR RADIO IS YOUR MOST POWERFUL WEAPON; KNOW IT, USE IT.

 11.     MINDSET, MARKSMANSHIP AND MANUAL OF ARMS: THE GUNFIGHTER’S TRIFECTA.

 12.     REMEMBER EVERYTHING YOU SEE.  BUT IN CASE YOU FORGET, WRITE IT DOWN, TAKE PICTURES AND DISSEMINATE.

 13.     MISSION HAS PRIORITY.  ALWAYS.

 14.     IF IT FEELS WRONG, IT IS WRONG: MOVE.

 15.     KEEP TO HIGH GROUND AS OFTEN AS ABLE, GO LOW WHEN THE SITUATION WARRANTS.

 16.     ALWAYS BRING A KNIFE TO A GUNFIGHT, BUT ALSO BRING YOUR GUN.

 17.     SHOOT, MOVE, COMMUNICATE, REPEAT.

 18.     IF IT’S WORTH SHOOTING ONCE, IT’S WORTH SHOOTING TWICE.

 19.     ONLY SHOOT AS FAST AS YOU CAN DO SO ACCURATELY AND MOVE AS FAST AS YOU CAN PROCESS.

 20.     FIRE WITHOUT MOVEMENT IS A WASTE OF AMMO, AND MOVEMENT WITHOUT FIRE IS SUICIDE.

 21.     NEVER PUT A MARINE WHERE YOU CAN PUT A BULLET, AND NEVER PUT A BULLET WHERE YOU CAN PUT A BOMB.

 22.     THE BEST BATTLEFIELD MEDICINE IS FIRE SUPERIORITY.

 23.     GET YOUR BUDDY OF THE “X”, THEN STOP THE RED STUFF FROM COMIN’ OUT. IF HE CAN GET SHOT THERE, SO CAN YOU.

 24.     THE WELFARE OF THE TEAM COMES BEFORE THE WELFARE OF THE INDIVIDUAL, SUCK IT UP.

 25.     IF YOU’RE HIT, YOU’RE NOT DEAD, AND IF YOU’RE DEAD YOU DON’T KNOW IT SO KEEP FIGHTING.

 26.     MEDICAL SUPPLIES ARE MORE FINITE THAN BULLETS. SHOOT STRAIGHT AND MOVE WELL SO WE DON’T NEED THE FORMER.

 27.     YOU’RE A GROWN ASS MAN, YOU SHOULD NEVER ASK FOR PERMISSION TO KILL SOMEONE IF YOU FEEL THREATENED, OR YOU FEEL IT THREATENS THE TEAM.

 28.     ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN AND PLAN FOR CONTINGENCIES, BUT NOTHING BEATS BEING ABLE TO THINK ON YOUR FEET.

 29.     NEVER ASK A MARINE IN YOUR CHARGE TO DO SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULDN’T OR HAVN’T ALREADY DONE YOURSELF.

 30.     WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, GAIN FIRE SUPERIORITY, MOVE TOWARDS THE SOUND OF ENEMY GUNS AND DESTROY EVERYTHING IN YOUR PATH.