The Elite Mountain Leaders to be Opened Up - the most junior Royal Marines for the first time joined the demanding course for mountain leaders - the leaders who are not just experts in Arctic Warfare and Mountaineering, which includes covert surveillance and reconnaissance.   Traditionally the leaders have been drawn from Corporals and above, but the branch is now available to all marine level ranks.    The Patrol Troop - part of the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron, based at Stonehouse (Plymouth) has seen action in every major Royal Marines operation from the first Gulf War to Afghanistan.