Date: Aug 19 - 21, 2011
Price: $185
A discount price of $150 will be offered the first week of registration.
TO REGISTER: Registration opens June 20th at 1800 PDT. We will take registrations for the first 18 slots based on timestamp of the enrollee. Once we hit 18, registration closes and those who didn't make it will go on a standby list. To register, send email to sjohnston@thewardept.org. Include the following:
* full name
* email address
* contact phone number
* PayPal info
We will send you details including PayPal instructions. You will have 7 days to make full payment.
RECONDO Courses were grueling, intense and dangerous events held during and shortly after the Vietnam War. The Vietnam Course, held at Nha Trang was known as the only class where the final could get you killed, since students went on a live action patrol, deep in enemy territory. There wasn’t much that was fun about the three week course but in hindsight while you couldn’t pay me a million dollars to take it again it was a million dollar experience.
We’ve taken what we could of the "fun" and exciting stuff from Recondo school and distilled the 3 week course down to an exhilarating and enjoyable 3 day experience! Essentially we take out the verbal abuse, sleep deprivation, grueling PT and imminent actual danger and leave our participants with a taste of all the cool stuff!
The School will be broken down into approximately 1/3rd "classroom" time and 2/3rds tactical "field" time. While airsoft is used, Recondo School is first and foremost a living history, immersive event that takes the participants to another time and place for an escapist weekend. You can think of it as a sort of dude ranch experience for Nam history buffs. Like an intense war movie, or novel, except you’re in it.
The event is directed by Recondo qualified Capt. John 'REMF' Robison. (US Army Ret.) He was a graduate of two RECONDO courses. (The 101st, which was the original and the 1st Brigade 9th ID Course) In addition he was the training officer and an instructor at the 1st Brigade course. Other key cadre members and guests include Staff Sgt Cal “preacher” Rollins (US Army ret.) who is a current board member for the Special Operations Association and a former instructor at the actual Nha Trang Recondo School (confirmed!). During multiple tours in Vietnam he participated in numerous “over the fence” incursions into Laos and Cambodia and was a Special Forces NCO with SOG. Other special guests will include former NCO's and officers well qualified to provide insightful, entertaining and helpful tips that will not only inform you about the time but also provide vital skills useful for your living history and Airsoft endeavors.
John "REMF" Robison
Cal "Preacher" Rollins
The teams will be broken down into 4 to 6-man patrols. These patrols will learn and drill on patrolling techniques, stealth and camouflage, danger zone crossing, breaking contact, react to ambush, deliberate and hasty daylight and night time ambushes and much more. Teams will plan and execute their own missions. What teams learn will be put to the test in the field by a dedicated, fully uniformed, hardcore NVA/VC OPFOR. During the event flexibility is key as patrol teams may be linked together to become rescue teams, ambush teams, pull POW snatches and possibly even conduct a platoon raid.
In order to provide all participants a shot at demonstrating what they have learned, command on the teams and through positions such as lead scout and RTO will be rotated. This means everyone gets a shot. In order to graduate, each student must successfully demonstrate their ability to lead and perform as a competent patrol member and successful patrol leader on a simulated combat mission. While most complete the course, few graduate on their first try.
Check in will begin Friday afternoon at 1300 (1 PM for you civilians) and will consist of billeting, patrol assignments and in country orientation which will help set the stage for the weekend’s events. The first night is relatively relaxed and primarily social but everyone including cadre and staff will be in role from the time you arrive until you leave Sunday afternoon. Enrolled students must arrive with a copy of their orders as well as the signed waiver.
Great emphasis will be placed on field crafts such as field movement, stealth and individual skills. Subjects such as map reading, RTO procedures and hand an arm signals will be assumed and quickly reviewed since there are so many returning students. Every student however must test out on those subjects. Pre-work will be part of the enrollment and will help bring new students up to speed and refresh those returning from previous classes. We are here to teach so don't let this intimidate you.
Participants are required to wear Vietnam era US gear and uniforms. A good faith effort here is all that is required as the RECONDO school special operators consisted of a wide latitude of uniforms and gear. Period Woodland ERDL “jungles” work great as do either OD sateen cotton pants and trousers or Jungle Fatigues. These uniforms can normally be acquired very inexpensively. Tiger strip uniforms are encouraged and should be viable facsimiles for the time and even Duck hunter cotton uniforms were worn on rare occasions. Navy Seals actually fielded blue jeans! Web gear should be M56 although WW2 web gear was still worn and later era nylon suspenders and pouches are acceptable. Tac vests, thigh holsters and “high speed” modern gear and contemporary camouflage patterns will not be allowed. Camping gear, sleeping bags and comfort items that are not period are allowed but must be kept inside the tents and we ask that they be kept as discrete as possible. You must pack such that you are able to transport your gear, weapons and uniforms in a ruck and duffle bag. Throughout the event you must be self contained. A full packing list with required and recommended items can be found in the Recondo 2011 section of the forums at The War Department website. http://www.thewardept.org
A limited number of full uniforms and weapons packages will be available for those who need them at a nominal additional cost with pre-arrangements. Full seal goggles are required and mesh lenses are acceptable if ballistically sound. Head gear like uniforms varied greatly but RECONDO soldiers generally wore boonie hats, patrol caps or shortened brim headgear, Duck hunter patterns, berets and dew rags were also worn. During the event, Black berets may only be worn by past RECONDO graduates returning to the course or the cadre. The cadre will be readily identifiable with their Black RECONDO and RANGER ball caps.
The OPFOR will be outfitted as NVA Regulars and hardcore VC. They will field appropriate Communist block weapons for the era or in the case of the VC surplus WW2 era weapons. Their tactics and actions will accurately reflect the doctrine of the time and they will provide the kind of intensity and adrenaline pumping challenges that are unique to LRP operations. If you’ve read the books by the likes of Kregg Jorgensen, Ken Miller, John Burford, Larry Chambers and others, you’ll get a small taste of the experiences contained in those exploits.
As with the uniforms we do have reasonable weapons restrictions. We ask that people stay as "period" as possible and bring appropriate weapons. The ideal weapons for the period are of course the M16A1 and XM177. We do of course allow some flexibility, but ideally folks will be armed with weapons and equipment that was available back in the day and this includes WW2 era weapons, M16 variants, M79s and M203s, AKs with wood hardware and a wide latitude of other weapons. Nothing contemporary will be allowed such as P90s, G36s, M249s or SCARs. Of note, modern M4s are allowed provided they do not have attached modern accessories (optics, lasers, forward grips, etc…) and they have the carry handle attached.
An absolute maximum FPS of 400 FPS will be adhered to and due to the very close proximity of most LRP type engagements a one joule 300 FPS weapon will prove more than adequate. To approximate authentic conditions, Low cap and Real cap magazines are required for this event and spares are available for issue for M16s, AKs, Thompsons and M14s with prior arrangement. Tracer units and tracer magazines are strongly encouraged as night operations are a key aspect of this event. M60s and other authorized crew served weapons may use box type magazines to represent their increased firepower capability.
So, are you ready for the challenge? Registration opens soon! Register early because spots are limited to 18!
TO REGISTER: Registration opens June 20th at 1800 PDT. We will take registrations for the first 18 slots based on timestamp of the enrollee. Once we hit 18, registration closes and those who didn't make it will go on a standby list.
