Scout snipers learn science behind one shot, one kill
A study in geometry
Story and photos by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald //
Marine Combat Correspondent
MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER BRIDGEPORT, Calif. - For some,
there remains a misconception that Marine Corps infantryman, affectionately
known as grunts, aren't intelligent. However, spend some time with any infantryman
serving as a scout sniper, and he'll dispel that erroneous belief in a heartbeat.
"Many people want to be scout snipers because it's challenging,"
explained Staff Sgt. Brannon Westall, platoon sergeant for Scout Sniper Platoon,
1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. "A Marine must be in an infantry
MOS (military occupational specialty), be an expert rifleman, have a first
class PFT (physical fitness test) and have a working grasp of geometry."
During the Winter Mountain Operations Course here, the Scout Sniper Platoon
recently learned how to fire an M-40A1 rifle at varying angles, both up and
own mountain slopes.
"Any time you shoot at an up or down angle, the trajectory of the round
will be affected," said Westall, of Green Cove Springs, Fla.
Scout snipers use basic geometry, such as the Pythagorean theorem and the
cosine of an angle, calculators, pencils and notebooks to figure the adjustments
needed to accurately hit a target. The targets range from 600 to 1000 yards
away.
"If you don't use the math, then there will be no way you're going to
hit a target. A sniper can't just estimate where a round must go; he must
know exactly to be precise," explained Pvt. Joseph M. Sinks, an infantryman
with the platoon.
Sinks, a Newark, Calif., native, joined the platoon before going to scout
sniper school. He said he wanted to be a sniper because he was bored of being
a "regular rifleman." He needed a challenge and believed the scout
sniper platoon was his best bet.
"There's a lot to learn to be a sniper. And we are constantly doing
things like missions instead of firing on a range all the time," stated
Sinks.
During missions, a sniper and an observer travel together. The observer watches
where a round strikes and tells the sniper how to adjust the rifle for accuracy.
"Snipers in movies tend to travel alone, but it's easier and better
to have both a sniper and observer," said Pfc. Nick C. Laffranchi, an
infantryman from Quincy, Wash.
The platoon is training for joint/combined NATO exercise Battle Griffin in
Norway later this year.
Marines from Scout Sniper Platoon, 1st Battalion, 8th
Marine Regiment practice angle shooting. Shooting at an up or down angle
affects the trajectory of a round. The Marines use basic geometry during
angle shooting. If the appropriate calculations are not made, rounds will
not strike the intended targets.
Photo by: Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald
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