The U.S. Army Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leaders Course (formerly Long Range Surveillance Leaders Course, or LRSLC) is an elite five week school offered by 4th Ranger Training Battalion to soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen to train them to expert levels in reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, battle damage assessment, foreign vehicle identification, and other skills. The school was originally created to serve leaders from Long Range Surveillance units (LRSU's), but is commonly attended by soldiers from U.S. Army Special Forces, Ranger Reconnaissance Detachment, Navy SEALs, Marine Recon, RSTA, and Cavalry Scouts.

The Long Range Surveillance Leaders Course was developed in 1986 to fill a void that existed in Ranger training when long-range surveillance units were reactivated that same year.  To fulfill this requirement, the course was initially designed to emphasize the mission essential tasks drawn from lessons learned from previous long-range reconnaissance patrol operations in the jungles of Southeast Asia.

In July 2002, the Long Range Surveillance Leaders Course was renamed the Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leader Course. Today, its mission is to further develop the combat arms related functional skills of officer and non-commissioned officer volunteers eligible for assignments to those units whose primary mission is to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance, target acquisition and combat assessment operations.

The cadre is currently playing a very important role in the development of the future Airborne, Air Assault, Light, and Special Reconnaissance Force. The course continues to evolve in order meet the Force’s ever-changing reconnaissance and collection requirements.  

This is accomplished by focusing on basic skills that include: reporting procedures, high frequency radio communications, acquiring a target, discrimination of vehicle, weapons, and equipment identification features, and small unit infiltration and exfiltration.  The course also teaches operational techniques, tactics and procedures that enhance team battle drills, hide and surveillance site selection and construction, urban reconnaissance, tactical survival, evasion & recovery, detailed mission planning, airborne operations and, FRIES and SPIES methods of insertion and extraction. 

The Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leader Course produces leaders who are skilled, adaptive, and competent.  They are able to train and lead their units, enhancing their unit capabilities and ultimately developing a force multiplier on the battlefield.