United States Army Sniper School

U.S. Army Sniper Course
An instructor observes a student at M110 SASS qualifications during the Sniper Course's Mobile Training Team (MTT) event in Alaska (circa 2013)
Active 1986—present
Country  United States of America
Branch  United States Army
Type Military training
Role Special skills training
Part of 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment,
U.S. Army Armor School
Garrison/HQ Fort Benning, Georgia
Website Official website
Insignia
Shoulder sleeve insignia of the 316th Cavalry Brigade who oversee training
Sniper students add natural camouflage to their ghillie suits during one of the Sniper Course's MTT events in Baumholder, Germany (circa 2012)

The U.S. Army Sniper Course trains selected military members assigned to sniper positions in the skills necessary to deliver long-range precision fire and the collection of battlefield information. Students will receive training in fieldcraft skills, advanced camouflage techniques, concealed movement, target detection, range estimation, terrain utilization, intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB), relevant reporting procedures, sniper tactics, advanced marksmanship, and staff subjects (intelligence, mission, training, combat orders, command and control, and training management).[1]

History

The first U.S. Army Sniper School was short lived, being established in 1955, but disbanded in 1956 at Camp Perry, Ohio. The U.S. Army's first permanent school was established in 1987 at Fort Benning, Georgia.[2][3]

Purpose

The course trains sniper students in marksmanship, sniper equipment and tactics, collection of battlefield intelligence, stalking and other sniper-related skills. The primary mission of the sniper is to deliver long-range, precision fire. Their secondary mission is the collecting and reporting of battlefield information. Students are taught how to blend in with the surrounding environment by wearing a ghillie suit. They must go through a course where they come within approximately 300-800 meters of spotters in the back of an LMTV and take a shot at either the driver or passenger without being noticed. They must also identify a 12" letter held up by the instructor they fired upon. Students are no longer trained on the M24 Sniper Weapon System. They are trained on the M107 rifle, and the M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (M110 SASS).[4] The U.S. Army issued three XM2010s to snipers at the United States Army Sniper School 18 January 2011.[5]

The school is seven weeks long and is open to Active Duty, Reserves, and National Guard. Students must be in MOS series of 11 (Infantry), 18 (Special Forces), or 19D (Cav Scout).[6]

The US Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence has released an updated Training Circular 3-22.10, Sniper, dated December 2017. The sniper training circular has been completely revised and updated in various topics to include; sniper planning, employment, field craft, marksmanship, ballistic programs, and complex engagements. The intent of this training circular was to create uniformity within the sniper community, and to align sniper training and employment with current U.S. Army doctrine. [7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ United States Army Sniper Course, Course Description, benning.army.mil, dated 4 May 2016, last accessed 4 May 2018
  2. ↑ History, Army Sniper, armysniper.org, last accessed 4 May 2018
  3. ↑ An Overview of Army Sniper School, by Rod Powers, last updated 1 April 2018, last accessed 4 May 2018
  4. ↑ https://www.benning.army.mil/197th/courses/sniper/Basic%20Sniper%20Course%20Introduction.doc+DOC
  5. ↑ Dan Lamothe (17 January 2011). "Corps fielding new semi-automatic sniper rifle". Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  6. ↑ U.S. Army Field Manual FM 3-22.10, Sniper Training and Employment, scribd.com, uploaded by raiderkilo, document date unknown, last accessed 4 May 2018
  7. ↑ [http://soldiersystems.net/2017/12/20/us-army-sniper-training-circular-3-22-10-officially-released-on-army-publishing-directorate/
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