Most Recondo schools did away with the patches and became Pre Ranger or Light Leader type of schools.  The information is still being taught so to speak.  Reminds me of my first Team Leader in a LRS unit back in the 80s, when asked when he was going to go to Ranger School he said "Never, I went to the 82d Recondo School, a much tougher school than that prissy course at Benning"  

Recondo Schools no longer exist.  The 101st School shut down upon deployment of most of the Division in 65-66 as I recall.  I graduated from Raider/LRRP School as well as MACV Recondo School in Vietnam.  Raider School was a prerequisite for attendance to Ranger School if you were assigned to the 82nd.  As of 1969, no individual that graduated from Raider School ever flunked out Ranger School.  Raider School was a three week course with an optional week for the LRRP phase.  Not many opted for the 4th week!  It was a very tough course especially in January.  MACV Recondo School was also a bi*ch and had the added bonus of real opponents.  I will never forget running through the streets of Nha Trang at 3:00AM in full combat gear with a .50 Cal ammo can in the ruck (filled w/sand and welded shut)banging me in the back and wondering if I would beat the deadline to get back to the compound (They shut the gate when time was up and you were history). Recondo School patches were only authorized for fatique wear and were generally tolerated even though there was no DA sanction for wear.  Thanks for allowing me to rant!

I still have one of my Raider patches . Went to the 25TH Division school in Cu Chi V.N. in 66. We could only have then on our BDU's only in our base camp or in the bush.

redman

Oooh! Fun memories! I went through Recondo in the early 80s(82?), when I was in the 82nd. They were talking about disolving it back then. They let us wear the patch on our cammies and our greens, but I don't think it was official. I was lucky and went through in the summer, my pity to those who went in January!  

Well, I know it still existed at Bragg in '84, when I went through it.  Had about a 40% graduation rate.  We had patches for wear on BDUs, and a pin-on enameled badge for dress wear, but could only wear it while stationed at Bragg.  In '85 was on a stop-over at Hunter AAF on my way to Honduras, and another recondo grad and I were getting stuff sewn on some jungles, and a couple of ranger NCO's walked in the shop, and asked if we were down there to give them some training.  Made us feel pretty damn good that day.