Fourteen two-man Marine reconnaissance teams attempted Camp Pendleton’s 2nd Annual Recon Challenge, May 8, but only seven completed it.

“This is good event for the recon community,” said Sgt. Adam R. Sorensen, radio operator, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. “This is our chance to show what we do as a job, and what is expected of Recon Marines.”

Sorensen and his teammate, Sgt. Duncan G. Shuler spent over 6 months preparing for this event and took first place in this year’s challenge.

“We always push together as a team,” said Sorensen. “And it paid off in the end.”

The challenge included some of the most demanding events the Corps has to offer. It began at 4 a.m. with a 7-mile hike to the beach in full utilities and a 50 pound back pack.  After arriving to the ocean the Marines kept their packs on, but swapped their boots for fins and swam for 2 kilometers.

“The pack felt 20 pounds heavier after getting out of the water,” said Staff Sgt. Victor M. Miller, reconnaissance instructor, Reconnaissance Training Company, Infantry Training Battalion, School of Infantry West.

Next, the warriors strapped on their boots and hiked up the 1600-foot San Onofre Ridgeline.

“It is a treacherous hill,” said Gunnery Sgt. Vincent A. Marzi, instructor, Reconnaissance Team Leader Course, and staff non-commissioned officer in charge of the challenge. “Each step down has to be planned carefully to avoid injury. It’s extremely steep,” added Marzi.

Following the mountain hike, the participants were allowed to drop their back packs, but only to run through Camp Horno’s obstacle course, not once, but twice. And in the spirit of the challenge, participants were required to disassemble a machine gun at the end of the first run through the course, and reassemble it after their second pass.

Then, with little rest, the packs went back on for a short hike to weapon range 218a, where the teams participated in a live fire shoot, utilizing various weapon systems that required high levels of accuracy.

The final event was an rappelling exercise at the 53 Area rappel tower, then on to the finish line at the 52 Area landing zone.

Waiting there, were cheering family members and friends of the participants with lots of food to replenish the exhausted competitors. Once the last team finished, a ceremony was held to award the top three teams of the challenge.

Twenty-eight Marines participated in the event, but almost 200 service members and 20 vehicles were on hand to coordinate and ensure the safety of the challengers.

“The challenge was tough but anything is attainable; you just have to have the will to do it,” said Miller.