Sniping and Sniper Training
The term sniper is attested from 1824 in the sense of “sharpshooter.” The verb to snipe originated in the 1770s among soldiers in British India-in the sense of: “to shoot from a hidden place,” in allusion to snipe hunting, a game bird known for being extremely difficult to locate, approach, or shoot. Those who were skilled at the hunting of this bird were thus dubbed “snipers.”
In the last few decades, the term “sniper” has been used rather loosely, especially by media in association with police precision riflemen, those responsible for assassination, any shooting from all but the shortest range in war, and any criminal equipped with a rifle in a civil context.
In the Bosnian War, and for much of the Siege of Beirut, the term “sniper” was used to refer to what were generally ill-trained soldiers who terrorized civilians, mainly by firing at them from hi-rise windows and rooftops.
During the Siege of Sarajevo, the main street of the city became known as “Sniper Alley”.
These military issued handbooks provide the doctrine for the training of accurate, efficient and observant snipers. This knowledge is not limited to the act of pulling the trigger, but camouflage, stealth movement, selecting firing position and much much more.
The primary mission of the SEAL scout/sniper in combat is to support combat operations by delivering prevision fire on selected targets from concealed positions. This manual contains a basic sniper training syllabus for Naval Special Warfare units which, taken over the course of the 9 week period of suggested instruction, will mold SEAL cadets into skilled snipers capable of operating independently in a field environment.
The Marine Corps sniper is a Marine who has been carefully screened, selected, and has undergone comprehensive training in advanced infantry and marksmanship techniques. The sniper’s training, combined with the inherent accuracy of his rifle, firmly establishes him as a valuable addition to the supporting arms available to the infantry commander.
The scout sniper is a Marine highly skilled in fieldcraft and marksmanship who delivers long range, precision fire at selected targets from concealed positions.
_-_fm_1-3b.jpg "US Marine Corps: Sniping")