Recondo School memories

[BushRat2/505]

I went to Recondo School very early in my military career and it really had a positive effect on my impressionable, young mind (..aka "meat-head", among other, more colorful terms..)
Here are a few memories that bubble to the surface often for me from the 18th ABN Corps school in 1986:

The "intercom system" at Recondo base camp, I.E.: echoing what the instructor was yelling from the HQ shed.."Roster number 22, get up here, right now!!" repeated in parts, verbatum after each pause of the instructor during his message.

Going after a racoon that was spotted going under one of the buildings, one of my fellow students stuck it with his K-Bar.. The real kicker was that an instructor took it home, cooked and BBQ'd it, and brought some back to us the next day to let us sample.

Struggling to keep up with the lead instructor on a forced march and noticing that he was smoking a cigarette, puffing in and out as he hauled us up and down the firebreaks..

Watching a very large instructor reach up into the 3rd row of the bleachers and pull a "volunteer" down by the collar to illustrate interrogation methods during the classroom portion of E&E training.

I remember not being cold for the rest of the course after doing the slide for life, 40 foot rope drop and poncho raft portion (affectionately called "water sports" by the cadre..), all with a few snow flurries falling and a little ice on the banks of the river. It was like my furnace just kicked up a few notches once I was in dry clothes again.

One last one.. I remember looking at my notes from the advanced commo class and wondering "What the heck did I mean to write down?" as the words sort of sloppily blurred together and then ended in a line halfway down the page.. (I'm glad my eyes were open while I was sleeping, otherwise I would have had to hold my ruck over my head at the back of the classroom..)

I look forward to hearing from everyone else's accounts of their respective courses.

[Kilted Heathen]

Great fucking post!

I remember pissing down both legs in Mountain Phase just to feel some fucking warmth.

I remember SFC Grenier literally carrying me by my balls to Malvesti Field.

I remember CSM Purdy...that crazy fucker defies description.

Good times.

[BushRat2/505]

Great fucking post!

I remember pissing down both legs in Mountain Phase just to feel some fucking warmth.

I remember SFC Grenier literally carrying me by my balls to Malvesti Field.

I remember CSM Purdy...that crazy fucker defies description.

Good times.

Thanks! Good times for sure. Some worth re-living, some good just the one time for having done it.

[_Ro_]

I can't believe I came across something from the old 18th ABN Corp Recondo school and what is more unbelievable is the fact i think we were in the same class BushRat! Recondo class 7-86, 20Feb - 6 March?

I was the one that jumped on the racoon with a trash can lid and and told the cadre to stick it in the head with the knife. I do remember it was a treat to get some of that BBQ'ed meat.

I still remember first arriving the first morning with all our gear rucks, rifle, duffle bag and having to sprint from the 80packs that stopped on Manchester rd to the base camp. People were tripping left and right over the sappling stumps. I was laughing the whole way to the base camp.
!
ooooo- and those nasty sandbag runs. Don't be the last 20 into camp!

I remember being cold as hell the whole time out there, it took me awhile to be able to really like the cold.

I don't know if you were in my fire team on the last phase but i remember on the very last day when we were humping back to the base camp and the black guy popped a cap. It was all over for him i remember walking back into base camp and he was sitting on his gear crying waiting to be picked up by his unit.

Anyway, good stuff man. I'm curious to know if you were infact in my class. The statement about the racoon really made me join this site and respond.

[yrualeg]

I can't believe I came across something from the old 18th ABN Corp Recondo school and what is more unbelievable is the fact i think we were in the same class BushRat! Recondo class 7-86, 20Feb - 6 March?

I was the one that jumped on the racoon with a trash can lid and and told the cadre to stick it in the head with the knife. I do remember it was a treat to get some of that BBQ'ed meat.

I still remember first arriving the first morning with all our gear rucks, rifle, duffle bag and having to sprint from the 80packs that stopped on Manchester rd to the base camp. People were tripping left and right over the sappling stumps. I was laughing the whole way to the base camp.
!
ooooo- and those nasty sandbag runs. Don't be the last 20 into camp!

I remember being cold as hell the whole time out there, it took me awhile to be able to really like the cold.

I don't know if you were in my fire team on the last phase but i remember on the very last day when we were humping back to the base camp and the black guy popped a cap. It was all over for him i remember walking back into base camp and he was sitting on his gear crying waiting to be picked up by his unit.

Anyway, good stuff man. I'm curious to know if you were infact in my class. The statement about the racoon really made me join this site and respond.

Okay Hero, this is your 1st NO-GO, apparently when you joined, you missed the part in the SOP where before you make your 1st post you go to the appropriate thread and make a proper fucking Introduction so we know who the hell you are. I see that you became over excited about the raccoon to bother with reading the SOP that you acknowledged when you registered.

Do not post again until you make an intro...clear.

[Brasso]

YRUALEG....MY man was on him like flies on horse shit...GOOD JOB! Bush Rat, before I even have to think about the shit let alone write it down...I have a question since I was an Instructor at the XVIII ABN CORPS Recondo Course in 84-85.

Then they starte PUKE PLDC and the PUKE CSM wanted to take all the Recondo Instructors and move them into PLDC since we were all certified Instructors plus a couple of us were already DI's.

Then the PUKES called for each Bde to send down their best NCO to take our place...Yeah right SGM...he's on his way...NOT... so they had a rough transition. however they left the Senior Instructor SFC EDYBURN and the 1SG Pretty Boy with dogs DAM I can't remember his name. He used to say Joey you should be the 1SG you know that right....I was prior service and an E-6 (P) I think.

1SG ROREHM or it sounded like that. Any way 5 of us went to PLDC, 1 went to the RGR comittee and 1 PCS'd to HI.

So I put in for a special assignment, which takes a while to process, IF you get it. I was jumping with the 82nd club and ran across a guy I knew from going to SERE Instructor course with him who worked up at Corps and he told me....the XVIII AC CSM wants SFC (P) Edyburn to take over HHC at Corps and the CSM said who would you recommend to take your place....and he said SSG Joey Welsh is the man you need out here CSM, he's at PLDC right now....(not bragging at all) I said your BS me ...NO I would never tell you this kind of shit...Don't you want to go??

Hell no I said, after the way they blind sided us to move to PLDC..I'm not going to be his dam puppet ...I've got to call DA about this asg?? I went directly to the phone on Monday and pleaded with them. Well it worked out that they had a slot in Turkey with a 15 month tour but my reporting date was Feb 86, and this was like 10 months almost so I said if I accept will I get orders...sure
will...so I accepted the asg.

Now they are going to lay the HUM job on me...little did they know...I was 10 steps ahead of them. About a week later I was told to report to the Commandant at some date & time. And the COM, Asst COM, CORPS CSM & Recondo 1SG were all in there.

So they had my reords out, etc, tec and the 1Sg started saying how much he missed having me out there, tec, then the CSM asked the Commadant if he would release me to go be the Senior Instructor....nobody asked me shit...so the Com say's Would you like to back out there and run that course and I said No SGM........SILENCE.....The CSM said what? I said No SGM... who the hell are you to Blah, blah blah. It was so cool...so I guess he thought he was going to make me go....Finally I said ...I can not go out there because I have been selected for a special Asg and I will be going on leave in DEC, that's all I can tell you SGM. Except that my orders should be here within a week.

I have served faithfully and soldiered my ass off the entire time I have been here and it's time for me to move on so I would appreciate this oppurtunity to take this asg and would think all of you as Senior Nco's would never try and stop me from advancing in my career....

I got the assignment....DID you rember EDYBURN AND ROHERM. My hooror story next time.

"SALSA' excuse SP gotta run

[BushRat2/505]

YRUALEG....MY man was on him like flies on horse shit...GOOD JOB! Bush Rat, before I even have to think about the shit let alone write it down...I have a question since I was an Instructor at the XVIII ABN CORPS Recondo Course in 84-85.

Then they starte PUKE PLDC and the PUKE CSM wanted to take all the Recondo Instructors and move them into PLDC since we were all certified Instructors plus a couple of us were already DI's.

Then the PUKES called for each Bde to send down their best NCO to take our place...Yeah right SGM...he's on his way...NOT... so they had a rough transition. however they left the Senior Instructor SFC EDYBURN and the 1SG Pretty Boy with dogs DAM I can't remember his name. He used to say Joey you should be the 1SG you know that right....I was prior service and an E-6 (P) I think.

1SG ROREHM or it sounded like that. Any way 5 of us went to PLDC, 1 went to the RGR comittee and 1 PCS'd to HI.

So I put in for a special assignment, which takes a while to process, IF you get it. I was jumping with the 82nd club and ran across a guy I knew from going to SERE Instructor course with him who worked up at Corps and he told me....the XVIII AC CSM wants SFC (P) Edyburn to take over HHC at Corps and the CSM said who would you recommend to take your place....and he said SSG Joey Welsh is the man you need out here CSM, he's at PLDC right now....(not bragging at all) I said your BS me ...NO I would never tell you this kind of shit...Don't you want to go??

Hell no I said, after the way they blind sided us to move to PLDC..I'm not going to be his dam puppet ...I've got to call DA about this asg?? I went directly to the phone on Monday and pleaded with them. Well it worked out that they had a slot in Turkey with a 15 month tour but my reporting date was Feb 86, and this was like 10 months almost so I said if I accept will I get orders...sure
will...so I accepted the asg.

Now they are going to lay the HUM job on me...little did they know...I was 10 steps ahead of them. About a week later I was told to report to the Commandant at some date & time. And the COM, Asst COM, CORPS CSM & Recondo 1SG were all in there.

So they had my reords out, etc, tec and the 1Sg started saying how much he missed having me out there, tec, then the CSM asked the Commadant if he would release me to go be the Senior Instructor....nobody asked me shit...so the Com say's Would you like to back out there and run that course and I said No SGM........SILENCE.....The CSM said what? I said No SGM... who the hell are you to Blah, blah blah. It was so cool...so I guess he thought he was going to make me go....Finally I said ...I can not go out there because I have been selected for a special Asg and I will be going on leave in DEC, that's all I can tell you SGM. Except that my orders should be here within a week.

I have served faithfully and soldiered my ass off the entire time I have been here and it's time for me to move on so I would appreciate this oppurtunity to take this asg and would think all of you as Senior Nco's would never try and stop me from advancing in my career....

I got the assignment....DID you rember EDYBURN AND ROHERM. My hooror story next time.

"SALSA' excuse SP gotta run

Sure enough.. I could never forget (then) SFC Eddyburn. I remember the 1SG having a big dog that he'd bring out to base camp with him but I don't remember the 1SG's name.. I also cannot forget SGT Merchant, he was a trip!!
Oh yeah, the famous SFC Eddyburn saying "It's just a switch in the back of your mind, Recondo, you just gotta flip it on!"

Good training!

[BushRat2/505]

I can't believe I came across something from the old 18th ABN Corp Recondo school and what is more unbelievable is the fact i think we were in the same class BushRat! Recondo class 7-86, 20Feb - 6 March?

I was the one that jumped on the racoon with a trash can lid and and told the cadre to stick it in the head with the knife. I do remember it was a treat to get some of that BBQ'ed meat.

I still remember first arriving the first morning with all our gear rucks, rifle, duffle bag and having to sprint from the 80packs that stopped on Manchester rd to the base camp. People were tripping left and right over the sappling stumps. I was laughing the whole way to the base camp.
!
ooooo- and those nasty sandbag runs. Don't be the last 20 into camp!

I remember being cold as hell the whole time out there, it took me awhile to be able to really like the cold.

I don't know if you were in my fire team on the last phase but i remember on the very last day when we were humping back to the base camp and the black guy popped a cap. It was all over for him i remember walking back into base camp and he was sitting on his gear crying waiting to be picked up by his unit.

Anyway, good stuff man. I'm curious to know if you were infact in my class. The statement about the racoon really made me join this site and respond.

Yep, that's the class alright!!! I was moving too fast into base camp on the Duffel Bag Drag to be laughing though. I was one scared PFC.. I made it into camp 2nd and I remember that they did the roster numbers backwards after the first guy in, I became roster number 79. That racoon meat was the best!!

[T10]

I am not a Recondo but I was researching Ft Campbell in the years I was there,58-60. I stumbled upon the history of the Recondo school. I was there a year when it started. I'll delete this if you have already seen it.
http://www.lcompanyranger.com/101rec...959History.htm

[BushRat2/505]

I am not a Recondo but I was researching Ft Campbell in the years I was there,58-60. I stumbled upon the history of the Recondo school. I was there a year when it started. I'll delete this if you have already seen it.
http://www.lcompanyranger.com/101rec...959History.htm

T10, I'd seen some of the info detailed in a few books but that's a great account of the beginnings of the course. Leave it up for all to read and enjoy!

AATW!

[brothers all]

Came across this late. T-10. Gen Westmoreland started the Recondo School program at Ft. Campbell. Maj Millette- the MOH- was the head man at the school. Maj Millette led the last bayonet charge in the Army in Korea. I wasn't a Recondo but heard some horror stories from guys that went thru.
A photographer for Time,Life one of those magazines, jumps off a 60' foot rappeling cliff to show the Recondo Class it was nothing-Maj Millette lined up the whole class and ran each and everyone of 'em off the cliff en masse.
Rangers taught the classes. Rough stuff. But the guys that finished that course were as proud as could be.

[T10]

Came across this late. T-10. Gen Westmoreland started the Recondo School program at Ft. Campbell. Maj Millette- the MOH- was the head man at the school. Maj Millette led the last bayonet charge in the Army in Korea. I wasn't a Recondo but heard some horror stories from guys that went thru.
A photographer for Time,Life one of those magazines, jumps off a 60' foot rappeling cliff to show the Recondo Class it was nothing-Maj Millette lined up the whole class and ran each and everyone of 'em off the cliff en masse.
Rangers taught the classes. Rough stuff. But the guys that finished that course were as proud as could be.

I bumped into an old school mate of mine during the time I was at Campbell He had just finished one of the first Recondo classes. I believe he was in 327th at the time. The 101 on the front right pocket of his field jacket really stood out and he of course was super proud. I heard he is teaching or has taught at the University of Hawaii. Tony Williams was the name.

[Rock]

Hi Guys, Rock here,

Read this post and I remember this as well.

The first day when we were being dogged in the tan bark and an instructor yelled "DUCK!". The lack of response got us dogged even more.

The "survival" phase where they instructor strokes the bunny rabbit to calm it down and then swiftly strikes it's head against a tree and drinks it's blood as it pours from the nostrils. Some guys went hungry but my team chowed on the dead rabbit. 15 guys, one rabbit, some carrots and potatoes. It didn't go far.

SFC Eddyburns speed marching while chatting and chain smoking- That was awesome.

Rorem and that dog scout running us up hither and yon through the woods. Oy.

The 100 "motivation" points that you started with but were taken away at the drop of a hat for any reason. Earning them back was optional but many guys were near the bubble and had to run laps around the compound at night. When I was docked motivation points I earned them back because I was near the top of the class academically. I finished second or third but finishing was good with me.

The non-infantry types struggling with the patrol phase due to lack of experience with Troop Leading Procedures. The instructors realigned the pairs so that the strong infantry types could assist the non-infantry types. I initially thought the weak should be dropped but now I believe in the wisdom of this decision. Guys that got that far in the school could not possibly learn patrolling overnight and should be given the benefit of their buddy's experience. I didn't get a good score for my recon patrol but my 18th Corps buddy got one of the higher scores ever given in the Recondo School for the raid that I basically planned for him. I was the APL but I made it look like he was making all the command decisions. I guess that's why he passed and I ended up third in the class instead of first. The biggest compliment I could be given is that my experience taught him and helped him pass the course.

Oh yeah, SFC Eddyburns and his freakin' rifle PT!

Brasso was an instructor at this school just before I went.

Nice to meet you guys and see posts of stuff I remember. Brings me back.

Rock

[recondo82]

I went through the 18th Airborne Corps Recondo School class 6-85 (28 February-14 March). Wrong time to go through Recondo school because that water was frigid, and the instructors seemed to love having us march along the river bank and then saying "Column right." Dropping from the rope was infinitely easier than walking into the river for some reason. And I wonder if anyone ever found the "Rolex" that one of the instructors said he dropped in the river and we could have if we found it lol.

Brasso would not remember my name, I am sure. But I bet he remembers one of the other guys in that class. Guy's name was, no lie, Clint Eastwood. Every morning we would form up in front of the flag, and we would all wait for one of the instructors to say "Clint, Go ahead and make my day." That guy had to have done 10 times as many pushups as the rest of us.

Also, the day we started hand to hand training in the pit and learned such wonderful moves as the "football kick," the guy next to me was snickering as one of the instructors was explaining the basics of hand to hand. The instructor asked him if he thought he didn't need to learn hand to hand techniques, to which the IDIOT replied "I'm a black belt in karate." Instructor had him come to the middle of the pit and said "Okay black belt, kick my ass." Sadly, it did not go well for the "black belt."

It really wasn't cool (LOL) that during the survival phase, the instructors would stand in front of the bleachers and eat donuts, Doritos and all that while we had nothing until the infamous rabbit. At least we had a great steak and eggs breakfast right before graduation when we came in from the patrol phase.

Oh, the other good thing for me at least was during the survival phase, when we had to build a hooch and keep a fire going, the guy I was buddied with was a combat engineer. Our hooch was so good (thanks to him, not me), the instructors said they were going to leave it up for the next class as an example of how to build one.

And can't forget the KGB truck, which was so called because if it came around and picked up someone, you never saw that person again.

Great school and phenomenal cadre.

[kenlavine1]

I was in 5-85. I went to BAC with Clint Eastwood.

That was one yummy bunny. Good times.