Marine Headline News
Military
police hone field sniper skills
CAMP HANSEN,
Okinawa, Japan — Military police marksman observers,
equipped with precision rifles mounted with scopes to increase
their deadly accurate shots, took their sharp-shooting skills
to the next level during sniper training here May 21.
Special Reaction
Team Marines from the Provost Marshal’s Office, Marine Corps
Base Camp Foster, are trained to handle S.W.A.T.-like
situations, but they stepped out of their urban realm and
crossed into the field side of sniper shooting.
According to SRT
leader Staff Sgt. John D. Crepeau, who is formally trained as
a scout sniper, his Marines developed skills beyond the scope
of everyday police sniper training.
“Marksman
observers typically shoot at distances of 200 yards or
closer,” said the Missoula, Mont., native. “We’re
pinpoint shooters trained to take head shots, but today
we’re shooting targets at 400 yards and beyond.”
Training well
outside their comfort zone, the Marines aimed in with the
designated marksman rifles and Army-issued M24 sniper rifles,
and practiced for a crisis situation if called upon for duty.
“They need to stay
honed because they work in life and death situations making
shots under pressure,” Crepeau said. “They have to make
one important shot count because most of the time there
isn’t a follow-on shot.”
Just like a lion
stalking its next meal, the Marines developed shooting
positions providing a full view of their targets.
“We go in and
establish a good position, allowing us to keep an eye on the
object or threat,” Cpl. Eddie L. Tesch said.
By logging
temperature, barometric pressure, altitude, shooter and target
elevation, shooting angles, and multiple shooting scenarios
the Marines sketched maps to keep this vital information at
their fingertips.
Tesch, a Seneca,
Mo., native, explained that keeping the information on a map
gives shooters the ability to calculate distances to potential
targets and allows other shooters to use the data and same
firing positions during a long-term crisis situation.
Locked and loaded,
the marksman observers worked in teams of two. Their partners
relayed vital target information to them by viewing the
objective through a spotting scope. Sometimes the
spotter’s own body was even employed as a shooting platform
when extra stability was necessary.
“The shooting
positions we practiced were just a way to add another tool to
our tool box,” Detroit native Sgt. Shannon C. Moye said.
One shot, one kill
is the calling card of a sniper, but perhaps their greatest
asset is their ability to remain undetected.
“The thing I enjoy
the most about being a sniper is nobody knows about me. I
could be set up in a building or a car and no one would know
I’m there,” Moye said.
CAMP HANSEN,
Okinawa, Japan — Cpl. Eddie L. Tesch, Special Reaction Team,
Provost Marshal’s Office, Marine Corps Base Camp Foster,
uses a spotting scope to direct the fire of Sgt. Shannon C.
Moye, SRT, during sniper shooting training here May 21. (U.S.
Marine Corps Photo by: Cpl. Ryan Walker) (Released)
(U.S.
Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Ryan Walker) (Released)
CAMP HANSEN,
Okinawa, Japan — The designated marksman rifle is one of two
weapons Special Reaction Team marksman observers use to hone
their sniper skills. The other is the Army-issued M24 sniper
rifle. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Ryan Walker)
(Released)
