Army snipers at USMC Scout Sniper Course
Sergeant Clinton Scanlon and Sergeant Bryce Fox were offered an opportunity to attend the Marine Corps’ Scout Sniper Course, according to DVIDS, and the Army-trained snipers made an expected good showing, you know, given their level of expertise in the field;
Although the Soldiers had to adapt to the way Marine snipers operated, it didn’t stop them from being the best in the class.
“I scored the highest point average on the ten graded stalks we do,” said Fox. “Stalking is when you put grass, leaves and any natural vegetation around you on your body and then you sneak up [on a target] using individual movement techniques. You take a shot without being seen and then you shoot again. The [instructors] do a walking sequence to try and lock on you. If you don’t get found, you pass.”
Scanlon graduated the class as “high shooter” for scoring the best overall score on the rifle ranges.
“We did go through U.S. Army Sniper School so I think we definitely had a leg up on some of the fresh Marines right out of the fleet,” said Scanlon. “It was clear that everyone here knew what they were doing and the instructors were able to get the guys here shooting very well.”
Both soldiers enjoyed working alongside Marines and look forward to future opportunities to train together.
Category: Army News
Why should you take the trouble of doing the course when you can just sew a patch on your vest, make a facebook post, get a tattoo and be a hero?
– Every Poser ever –
HOOOOOAH !!!!!!!!!
Army all the way !!!!!!!
You do realize that pitting a trained sniper against an sniper candidate is like pitting a new recruit against a drill sergeant, right?
So, it’s sort of like having an Israeli commando officer (Entebbe Raid enlisted gunner) being honor graduate at RANGER School — he should not have been eligible for the honor because he had years of actual experience?
Naaahhhhhhh.
I have to have fun with it
You do realize that in every school, every where, every subject, there will be people who are more advanced than others on day 1? Just think of how you’re gonna kick ass and take initials (ain’t got time for full names) at buffer school.
Oh the buffer
I’ve had many a bad dreams about that thing
I remember using Brasso on the chrome on the buffer.
1962
I remember being forced to shine the galvanized trash cans with Brasso for “Stay Busy” work in 1991.
NOW I’m a-gonna go polish my Expert Floor Buffer Operator badge on my “I Love Me Wall”! OOH, the glassy shine we got from putting a fuzzy toilet seat cover over the brush…
We used wool blanket, OD, 1ea.
That and setting Johnsons Paste Wax on fire to melt it before putting it on the floor. Thanks for the memory of floor buffing at 0300. Asshole…;)
Nnnnnyuyukyuk… >D
Fire watch (aka buffer duty) – ahh, the memories return.. I also remember ‘accidentally’ slamming it into the platoon eff up’s bunk at night..
Reminds me of yet another Sea Story.
After a mid watch, an officer was stumbling back to his rack in the dark and he stubbed his toe on a buffer that some steward had left in the passageway. The guy exploded and found out that the Mess Steward (the officer in charge of the stewards) was on watch, he took the buffer, and with Herculean strength managed to put it in the hapless officer’s rack (second tier). Of course the buffer could not be removed by open person and none of us would help the poor guy out, we let him sleep with it for about a week. From then on his nickname was “the boofer” which is how the culprit pronounced it in his rage.
Reminds me of yet another Sea Story.
After a mid watch, an officer was stumbling back to his rack in the dark and he stubbed his toe on a buffer that some steward had left in the passageway. The guy exploded and found out that the Mess Steward (the officer in charge of the stewards) was on watch, he took the buffer, and with Herculean strength managed to put it in the hapless officer’s rack (second tier). Of course the buffer could not be removed by one person and none of us would help the poor guy out, we let him sleep with it for about a week. From then on his nickname was “the boofer” which is how the culprit pronounced it in his rage.
You liked that one so much you had to repeat it?
(^_*)
Ah, the memories of everyone’s first time using it, when you tried to manhandle it and lost badly. With time and practice came the Way of the Buffer, where the most advanced controlled it with but a single finger…
Ah yes, drunken buffer rides in the barracks.
Those wide hallways and smooth floors in our Franco-Prussian War era billets were perfect for post Fruehlingsfest (Spring Festival) buffer races.
Uh, not that I’d know anything about that….Don’t try this at home, kiddos. 😉
Don’t forget the DS stories about the private that tries to kill himself by looping the cord around his neck and throwing the buffer out the 2nd story window – only to find the cord was too long…
PVT Buffercord, the BCT Urban Legend…
Always nice to see Marines learn.
There is a reason the US Army consistently wins the International Sniper Competition every year…
Yea, its called simple math. I think the pool is a little larger in the USA to choose from verses the Marines.
Just like smokers matches on Navy ships, but we do pretty good for a small pool 😉
The Flag of the United States is incorrectly displayed in the photo. You would think someone would get that part right. The flag is ALWAYS on the viewer’s left facing it, unless draped over a casket then the blue field is on the top right.
I think the Marines are well aware of that, CM. Perhaps the pic has been reversed? Happens all the time.
Nope. I just expanded the image — it’s the right way ’round.
That’s definitely it to
What a trip
I thought I saw that!
I sent their Public Affairs Office an e-mail pointing out the URL of their press release with another photo (close up) with the same flags. Never received a reply.
Well, if their unit is willing to pay TDY for that, the more power to them.
I personally would put more value on training with an actual Marine sniper section than going through the Marine scout-sniper course. I doubt they learned anything new. Both schools use the same doctrine.
Well, the Marines do mix Sniper and Scout into one course, so if they didn’t have RSLC (US Army Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leaders Course) they might have learnt something. But on the other hand, snippers are always attached to the Battalion recon platoon, and they cross train enough to know quite a bit about recon.
Ok, is a cool training opportunity, but it ain’t that big of a deal for a trained sniper.
Snippers are damn handy if you know how to employ them correctly.
When my sniper came back from a sniper short-course, that was his main complaint.
“LT, you’re not using me properly.”
That was before the MILES system, so the CO figured there was no way to properly use them in an FTX … so the snipers just did basic grunt humping.
Their second complaint was lugging around that hard plastic sniper rifle case during FTXs (that was a command decision, not mine).
“Snippers”, I knew I should have used a smiley face when I typed that response to YEF.
(^___^)
I missed snipper school.
Talk to the Rabbi.
I could not walk for at least 6 months after that school. 🙂
Cross training on someone else’s doctrine improves your own. The whole point of OPFOR, for example.
Not to mention the learning and experience of working in a joint environment. Lots of places the army and air force work together, same for navy and Marines obviously. Getting some time for the two “sides” of the military to get together and find common ground is all good.
“Snippers are always attached to the Battalion recon platoon, ”
No, actually IME they aren’t. The Recon Platoon will inevitably have DM and Scout Sniper qualified Recon Marines in the platoon, but we don’t have Non-Recon qualified personnel attached to us. That would be wasteful dangerous and silly.
The thing to remember Yef is we are trained in Amphibious Reconnaissance missions…that requires a lot and you can’t just throw somebody into that.
Amphibious, i.e. the unforgiving deep black ocean, not just ground Reconnaissance.
..we don’t need to out-source snipers any more than GBs or SEALs need to.
Thank you Sergeant Obvious!
Some CSM somewhere is having an AR670-1 induced fit right now…..Roll those sleeves down soldier, only allowed 1-2 rolls during training!! Hahaha!
The Marines must have been having a bad day.
Well done big green machine.
We’re always at our best working together… For all the times we bust ass teasing each other, the reality is we are all family.
^^^Word^^^ I have 4 step daughters and they bust each other relentlessly but no outsider had better stick their nose in. Same same. Even Coasties.
Yep. Fighting with my brothers prepared my for a lot of things.
FYI Marines usually take it as a complement when guys fresh out of entry level training are compared to other branches’ SOF, snipers, etc. 😉
My old bunk mate was an Army sniper. We’re in our 60’s now and he still scares the bejeusus out of me.