3rd Reconnaissance Battalion | Immediate Action

Reconnaissance Marines with the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, lay down return fire during immediate action drills.

The Recon Marines are carrying out combatant diver and beach reconnaissance training at the Central Training Area, Okinawa, Japan, April 2014.

Immediate action drills are executed when an unexpected contact with the enemy (including ambush) has occurred.

Responses to such contacts can include putting in a hasty ambush or assaulting through the enemy's ambush.

For a typical 6-man Reconnaissance Team, the more likely response to an unexpected contact is try to break the contact, using fire and maneuver techniques.

With one portion of the team returning accurate fire, the other moves away from the contact.

Each portion takes it in turns to cover the other until contact has been broken.

The Marines pictured have come under fire after infiltrating ashore from the water.

They are still wearing their MK 25 rebreathers and, after breaking contact, will egress into the water.

Note the M27 IAR carried by the Marine, second from right.

Also note the KAC suppressor fitted to the right-most Marine's M4a1 carbine.