Life as a Sniper by LCpl Geo Maas (LCpl Maas starts officer training at RMAS in January 2011)
the shot, he then needs the courage to be able to pull the trigger. Engaging the enemy for a sniper is a lot more personal than it is for a normal rifleman. A sniper sees his target in full, sees his movement and, at times, would even be able to tell you if he had a shave that morning or not. But life on an operational tour is not just one big fire fight. The average operational tour consists of about 80% boredom and 20% everything. When there is nothing to do, the sniper can be a big asset in the protection of the Patrol Base or even Forward Operating Base by using his skills and knowledge to advise on counter-sniping inside the base location or even to the patrols going out. Snipers are also a big asset for collecting information on the local area. Information such as who lives where, the normal pattern of life or even likely firing positions onto the base location.
LCpl Maas in The Falklands
Being a sniper always carried the enigma of lone wolf missions and always pulling off the impossible one shot, one kill. But what is it really like being a sniper? Is the Hollywood version of a sniper true or is it very distorted and very focused on the glamorous parts of being a sniper? Although Hollywood might have had some parts correct, most of it is to sell movies. So what does it take to become a sniper and what is being a sniper about in today’s army?
Soldiers selected to go away and become snipers are normally Grade A soldiers with experience, good at the basics of being a rifleman, free thinking and good at shooting. Sniper training is split into two parts. Part one consists of four weeks of intensive range work, starting on the L96 rifle then progressing on to the new L115A3 sniper rifle. At the end of the four weeks, the potential snipers will be expected to achieve a first round hit at 900 metres. After passing the shooting test at the end of week four on the part one course, the potential snipers will move onto part two of the course - four weeks of intensive fieldcraft and lectures where they will learn everything from map reading, camouflage and concealment, judging distances, intelligence preparation of the battlefield to the bread and butter of the trade, stalking the enemy. Those who pass the tests at the end of week four will be a badged sniper.
Sniper training does not end once the sniper receives his badge. Low-key training continues when the newly qualified sniper returns to his Battalion. A sniper team should be self-sufficient so the newly badged
22 October 2010 LCpls White and Smith 64
sniper might find himself going away and doing more courses like signals, team medic or any other course that might be of use to the team. Newly badged snipers might even find themselves helping to prepare potential snipers to go away and do the sniper course. This is also where the new snipers learn how to deploy as a sniper as a member of a team and this is where Hollywood gets it so wrong. Snipers do not deploy out on their own or even just as a two man team. The smallest team will be four - two spotters and two shooters. The most experienced and senior person in the pair is the spotter and the inexperienced sniper is the shooter. This becomes paramount on operational tours when targets tend to be more opportunistic rather than deliberate. This is when experience and good training counts, being able to use the old school shooting techniques like holding off and judging the wind and range without any aids to engage the targets effectively.
Different units deploy their snipers in different roles and ways, however, some of the basics still stay the same. Life on an operational tour requires nerves of steel to remain in position when on the receiving end of enemy fire in order to locate the enemy and neutralise him before anyone in the patrol becomes seriously wounded. Once the enemy is located, the sniper then needs to start to control his breathing to increase his chances of hitting with the first round. This is made somewhat harder by the adrenaline pumping through his veins and causing him not to be as steady as he would have been on the ranges in UK. Once he is ready to take
Being a sniper in today’s army is very rewarding although it is hard work. The additional experiences you will gain, the amount of bonding in a sniper team and getting the opportunity to do your job on operational tour without interference makes all the hard work you have to put in a minor inconvenience.
LCpl Maas providing flank protection in Upper Gereshk Valley
Cpl Gordon and LCpl Brierley
Sniper firing in Kenya The Mercian Eagle
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164