REDCON – Readiness Condition

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Military Readiness Conditions and Civilian Preparedness Implications REDCON (Readiness Condition) is a U.S. military readiness framework used to describe how quickly a specific unit or formation can respond to a threat or mission. Unlike strategic alert systems such as DEFCON, which address national-level defense posture, REDCON is tactical and unit-specific, focusing on ground forces, vehicles, weapons, and personnel readiness for immediate action. Primarily used by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, REDCON emphasizes time-to-action—how fast a unit can mount vehicles, arm personnel, and move or fight. The system was formalized in the 1960s during the Vietnam era and codified in Army and Marine Corps doctrine (formerly FM 71-1, now reflected in FM 3-90–series publications). In modern operations, REDCON remains a core tool for commanders to rapidly scale readiness in response to intelligence, emerging threats, or higher-level alerts issued by organizations such as USNORTHCOM. What Makes REDCON Different Scope: Tactical (company, battalion, brigade), not national Focus: Practical readiness—minutes, not days Audience: Commanders and operators, not the public Flexibility: Can change rapidly and locally A commander might issue an order such as “REDCON 1 in five mikes”, meaning the unit must be fully combat-ready within five minutes. REDCON Levels Breakdown REDCON...