As of November 2014, there were only 400 operational Scout Snipers out of the 185,000 U.S. Marines — just about 0.2 percent of the force. They are an elite group of professional, skilled warriors. But how does the job affect the men who do it?
Typically the Marine Corps has up to 300 or so trained scout snipers across the force, said Caylen Wojcik, a former Marine staff sergeant who served as a scout sniper from 1998 to 2005.
Brian Moran, one of the 11 instructors at the school. "Normally, 48 to 52 percent of the students graduate." Last fiscal year, 310 students attended sniper school and 140 graduated. "About 90 percent of the time, it's mental fortitude that determines whether a student will fail or succeed," Moran added.
Ordinarily, to become a Marine sniper you must reach at least the rank of Lance Corporal (E-3), and be no higher than the rank of Sergeant (E-5).
A Marine Corps Scout Sniper is a Marine highly skilled in fieldcraft and marksmanship who delivers long range precision fire, on select targets, from concealed positions in support of combat operations. Support combat operations by delivering precision fire on selected targets.
The USMC Scout Sniper School is widely regarded in the military as the finest sniper training program. The Marines offer a tremendous program that trains eligible sniper candidates in all branches of the armed services.
To be selected by a battalion to join the scout sniper platoon, a Marine must earn the rank of Lance Corporal and complete the 79-day scout sniper course at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. The course includes how to care for gear, field craft, stealth, concealment, and shooting accuracy.
Marine Scout Snipers
They're not super elite in that the military will use them for raids, but their expertise at recon and shooting high-valued targets in the face puts them squarely into the realm of special operations. Their 8.5 week initial training consists of: Marksmanship and field craft: Running.
And yet again, Army snipers bested their fellow sharpshooters in the Navy, Coast Guard, and, uh, Marines.
As far as the most recent standings from the 2019 USASOC International Sniper Competition, first and second place positions were held by U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) teams while third place was claimed by a Marine Scout Sniper team.
“Sniper school is one of the hardest schools in the military, not physically, but mentally,” Staff Sgt. Brian Moran, one of the 11 instructors who oversees the training, told the Army News Service.
MOA (minute of angle) is the unit of measurement that snipers use in school to measure accuracy. The greater the distance the sniper is shooting from, the lower the accuracy, as natural forces like wind resistance work on the bullet while it travels through the air.
Salary Ranges for Army Snipers
The salaries of Army Snipers in the US range from $11,011 to $294,666 , with a median salary of $53,013 . The middle 57% of Army Snipers makes between $53,016 and $133,561, with the top 86% making $294,666.
"Sniper school is one of the hardest schools in the military, not physically, but mentally," said Staff Sgt. Brian Moran, one of the 11 instructors who oversees the training. Before sunrise in early August, 46 Soldiers reported for the first day of sniper school as part of Class 10-17 at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Attain sufficient rank.
Would-be Army Snipers must be classified as Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) 11B (Infantry soldier), 19D (Calvary Scout) or 18 series (Special Forces) in the rank of E3 through E6. Additional Skill Identifier (ASI) B4 (Sniper) can only be given to those soldiers who have attained MOS 11B.
*If you wear glasses, bring 2 pair of military issue of current prescription. Contacts and civilian eyewear are authorized. *You will use sunscreen and insect repellent, bring it. *You may bring Cell phones and Laptops for use AFTER TRAINING HOURS.
Simo Häyhä (Finnish: [ˈsimo ˈhæy̯hæ] ( listen); 17 December 1905 – 1 April 2002), often referred to by his nickname, The White Death, was a Finnish military sniper in World War II during the 1939–1940 Winter War against the Soviet Union.
Known as the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history, Navy Seal Chris Kyle, who served during the Iraq War, has become renowned as the American Sniper. Chris Kyle was born in 1974 in Odessa, Texas.
Charles Benjamin "Chuck" Mawhinney (born 1949) is a United States Marine who holds the Corps' record for the most confirmed sniper kills, having recorded 103 confirmed kills and 216 probable kills in 16 months during the Vietnam War. Lakeview, Oregon, U.S.
For all intents and purposes, Marines are considered riflemen first. In basic training, they receive more marksmanship training than any other branch of service.
"The Marine Corps has the best sniper program in the world," said Gunnery Sgt. Richard Tisdale, staff noncommissioned officer in charge of the Scout Sniper School. "A sniper needs to be trained as best as possible because they must be combat ready at all times," he explained.
The US Marine Corps (USMC) has tested a new Mk22 Mod 0 advanced sniper rifle that is slated to replace the legacy M40A6 and Mk13 Mod 7 systems. The Mk22 Mod 0 rifle is a bolt action, precision rifle system supporting a ten-round detachable magazine.
Reconnaissance Marines now have a quicker path to becoming snipers than in the past, thanks to a new course meant to cut out redundant training while teaching new skills tailored for reconnaissance units.
A sniper is a specialist highly trained in fieldcraft, who carries out a range of ISTAR-specific missions independent of others, and more specialized than standard infantry tasks. In contrast, a DM is a soldier who has received additional marksmanship training.