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Lethal Snipers Lead the Way
MOSUL, Iraq -- Lurking in the shadows of infantry patrols, security perimeters and raids, Army snipers are becoming the worst enemy for terrorists in northern Iraq. These highly skilled Soldiers are stealthy, disciplined and precise."In this type of a conflict, enemies use guerilla-warfare tactics because thereâs no way they can engage us head on. They hide in crowds and fire at you, hoping youâll return fire into the direction of civilians," said Sgt. Joseph Danier, a sniper for 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team). "We are here to avoid that. Itâs not like I want to shoot people. But if I have to, I will be 100 percent positive that Iâm shooting a bad guy." Snipers are split up into two- or three-man teams at the company and battalion levels. One Soldier mans the weapon while the others spot and provide rear security. The spotter acquires the target, calculates wind and gives it to the gunner, who adjusts his data on the scope. The gunner squeezes the trigger and the spotter can see the bullet trace - a disturbance of air pressure that causes light to be refracted differently - through his gunâs scope. "Itâs like on the movie âThe Matrix,â where you can see the bullet before it impacts. As a spotter, I can see the bullet and where it hits," said Sgt. Chris Lumadue, the sniper-section leader for 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment. "If the shooter misses, I can tell him exactly how far off he was, and heâll make the corrections off the information I give him and shoot again." Itâs very rare that one of the Stryker Brigadeâs 40 snipers misses. In the skirmishes at Samarra, snipers were used extensively. "In Samarra, our snipers were on rooftops providing overwatch for the platoon and could see and eliminate the enemy before we were even the ground," said 1st Lt. William Baynes, the 1st platoon leader for Company B, 5-20 Infantry. "Their urban tactics far exceed the enemyâs ability to pop up and fire an RPG." Todayâs snipers are prepared for these types of situations. The five-week U.S. Army Sniper School has begun to emphasize the importance of urban warfare, which helps Soldiers be ready for the settings in Iraq. "In war, the urban environment is absolutely the most dangerous place for any Soldier," said Lt. Col. Karl Reed, the commander of 5-20 Infantry Regiment. "The buildings in Iraq are so different than in the states. The windows and doors are a different size in each house; there are more rooms than what weâre used to, and there are a lot of the little mud houses everywhere." Danier said that itâs imperative he receives concrete intelligence on the buildings in the area of engagement before going on an urban mission. "If I can get the measurements of a window, then I can calculate and visualize the trajectory of the round and how it will enter the target area," he said. "People never believe that thereâs so much math applied to being a sniper." Another technicality for Danier to explain is that he can see a mile away through the scope of his .50-caliber sniper rifle, one of four sniper rifles in use by the Army. "Depending on the weather, which can affect my sight picture, I should be able to see an expression on a manâs face from very far away," Danier said of the 20-plus pound weapon. Other sniper rifles include the M-4, M-24 and M-14. "My favorite weapon to carry is the M-24, because itâs so light," said Sgt. Randal Davis, the sniper team leader for Company B, 5-20 Infantry. "It has a day and night scope and a realistic effective firing range of 1,000 meters." Itâs quite common for snipers to start quoting numbers about their weapons or tell you the year they were manufactured. "Weâre trained to know everything about our weapon and what to do with it in any given situation," Lumadue said. "I guess thatâs why weâre such an intimidating, lethal force: because weâre always ready and accurate." Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2004-03-16 |
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