3rd Reconnaissance Battalion | Heavy Weapons

Marines with 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion fire M2HB .50 cal heavy machine guns mounted on M3 tripods during a weapons training package, March 2014.

While Recon Marines may more commonly operate in 6-man teams and attempt to avoid direct contact with the enemy, they still train to operate at the platoon or larger level, and maintain the full range of traditional infantry skills.

Such training stood 1st Recon in good stead for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, during which they operated at the Battalion level, sweeping through the country in large formations of HMMWVs.

The M2 heavy machine gun can be mounted on aircraft, boats and vehicles or on tripods and employed by foot soldiers, as shown here.