USMC Scout Sniper Patch - Marine Corps Infantry and Reconnaissance - Corps Scout

Description

Jungle Expert Patch
USMC SCOUT  SNIPER EMBROIDERED PATCH
5" DIAMETER HIGHLY DETAILED EMBROIDERED PATCH
BLACK MERROWED EDGE - WAX BACKING
A United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper  (MOS 0317, formerly 8541)
"WE'VE KILLED MORE PEOPLE THAN CRACK
A  United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper (MOS 0317, formerly 8541) is a  secondary MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) designator of U.S.  Marine Corps infantrymen and reconnaissance Marines that have graduated  from a U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper School.
A USMC Scout Sniper is a Marine, highly skilled in fieldcraft and  marksmanship, that will deliver long-range precision fire on selected  targets, from concealed positions, in support of combat operations.
A USMC Scout Sniper Team is a detachment of one or more sniper teams  performing an assigned task of engaging selected targets, targets of  opportunity, collecting and reporting information, or a combination of  all, contributing to the accomplishment of the supported unit's mission.
Scout Snipers provide close reconnaissance and surveillance to the  infantry battalion.[1] By doctrine, a Scout Sniper is a Marine highly  skilled in field craft and marksmanship who delivers long range  precision fire on selected targets from concealed positions in support  of combat operations.
Scout Snipers in Marine infantry battalions fell under the Surveillance  and Target Acquisition (STA) units initially, and now, more formalized,  they belong to the infantry battalion's Scout Sniper Platoon (SSP),  usually within the Headquarters and Service (H&S) Company or Weapons  Company. Marine Scout Snipers are trained at one of the four school  house locations. The motto of the Marine Scout Sniper is "One shot, one  kill."
The term "Scout Sniper" is only used officially by the Marine Corps but  it does not imply a differing mission from the U.S. Army Sniper. An Army  Sniper's primary mission is to support combat operations by delivering  precise long-range fire on selected targets. By this, the sniper creates  casualties among enemy troops, slows enemy movement, frightens enemy  soldiers, lowers morale, and adds confusion to their operations. The  sniper's secondary mission is collecting and reporting battlefield  information, Section 1.1 FM 23-10 Sniper Training.
The Marine Corps is unique in its consolidation of reconnaissance and  sniper duties for a single Marine. Most other conventional armed forces,  including the U.S. Army, separate the reconnaissance soldier or scout  from the sniper. In the U.S. Army, the term "Infantry Scout" refers to a  specially selected and trained infantrymen that functions in a  reconnaissance and surveillance capacity while "Sniper" refers to a  specially selected and trained soldier that primarily functions as a  sniper.[2] Most military forces believe that the separation of  reconnaissance and sniper capabilities allows for a higher degree of  specialization.
Scout Sniper Basic Course
The Scout Sniper Basic Course or SSBC is considered to be one of the  hardest schools in the Marine Corps.[citation needed] Attrition is  normally around 60%, but can be much higher.[citation needed] There are  currently four different school houses in the Marine Corps that offer  the Scout Sniper Basic Course.
School of Infantry (West), Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia (This is considered to be the most  difficult and challenging school.)
Marine Corps Base Hawaii
In 2009, a major change in curriculum occurred with the Scout Sniper  Basic Course (SSBC) and it was shortened from the traditional 10 week  course to a 81⁄2 week course. This was done concurrently with the  removal of the Advanced Course and the addition of the Team Leader  Course of 4 weeks. This reduction of 11⁄2 weeks is because of the  removal of the course's mission planning phase and the addition of this  curriculum to the Team Leader Course. Missions are still conducted  during the course's last week, but are now not a major part of  curriculum. In 2010, a new curriculum was introduced, with shooting as  the course's primary focus and stalking a secondary focus. The new  course is now 121⁄2 weeks long. It is no longer called the Scout Sniper  Basic Course. Because of the new and extremely difficult shooting  qualifications it is now called Scout Sniper Course, as it is no longer  considered basic. There are 9 straight weeks of shooting qualifications,  before the majority of field training.
Basic requirements
These are the basic requirements that must be met in order to attend  school, Units vary with Indocs and Pre-Reqs.
Minimum Requirements: As per HQMC School Quota Message:
Criteria: 60 days prior to a class convening, the G-3 at each division  will receive a message from HQMC stating the number of funded quotas  given to each division, the gear list, report date, and criteria for  attending.
The following prerequisites must be met by the reporting Marine or he  will be returned to his unit:
Lance Corporal through Captain.
Infantry MOS or MOS 0203.
Vision correctable to 20/20 in both eyes (this means eyeglasses and  contact lenses are authorized). Color blindness is discouraged.
Serving in or designated for assignment to a Scout Sniper billet.
Minimum of 12 months remaining on current contract upon completion of  course (Does not apply to reservist.)
Must score a First Class PFT on course convene date.
Current rifle Expert. Must have qualified in the last fiscal year.  (Reservist can have a score three years old, but must be current  Expert.)
No courts martial or NJP within the last six months.
Minimum GT of 100.
No history of mental illness.
Must be a volunteer.
It is highly recommended, but not required, for the student to have  completed the following MCI courses: Land Navigation, Patrolling,  Calling and Adjusting Supporting Arms, and Reconnaissance Marine. It is  also recommended but not required that the student have conducted basic  Scout Sniper field skills: stalks, concealment, field sketches, range  cards, range estimations, and firing of the M40 rifle prior to attending  the course. Students should also possess a high degree of maturity,  equanimity, and common sense.
Marine Corps PFT: For a perfect score: 3 mile run in 18 minutes, 20  deadhang pull-ups (no kipping), 100 sit-up/crunchs under two minutes.
Swim Qual: 500 meter swim using side or breast stroke, 50 meter swim  holding a weight out of water, tread water for 30 seconds holding a  weight out of water, no signs of panic.
Phases of training
Phase 1: Marksmanship and Basic Fields Craft Phase
During this phase Marines are trained in basic marksmanship on the Known  Distance (KD) Range and also receive classes on basic skills such as  camouflage, individual movement, weapons systems, observations, and  field sketches.
Day one begins with in processing, which includes a PFT, gear check, and  service record check for prerequisite compliance. Potential students  must also pass day and night land navigation courses. After all students  have been admitted to the course, classes and a general overview of the  course are given.
KD range includes shooting at the 300, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, and 1000  yard lines. 5 rounds are fired at each yard line. During this phase of  training, Marines must become experts at the fundamentals of  marksmanship. They must also become experts at calling wind and weather.  During this portion two students work together, one on the rifle and the  other behind the spotting scope calling wind. If a student is not  proficient at calling wind, they will cause their partner to fail, not  themselves. After the first student fires his rounds, the two switch  positions. After each yard line, the students must quickly throw on  their packs and grab all their equipment and run to the next yardline.  EVERYTHING at sniper school is a race, and it pays to be a winner. The  course of fire for qualification is as follows:
300, 500, & 600: 3 Stationary and 2 Movers
700: 3 Stationary and 2 Stop and Go Movers
800: 3 Stationary and 2 Bobbers
900 & 1000: 5 Stationary
Out of 35 Rounds, 28 rounds must be in the black to qualify on the  range.
After the range students head back to the schoolhouse and clean weapons.  After this important task they immediately do a field sketch and  observation exercises. Often a Kim's Game is conducted as well.
During an observation, students must use their M49 Spotting Scope and  binoculars to find 10 hidden items in a specifically defined area. These  observations can be done at short distances utilizing miniature items,  or at long distances with full sized items. Observations are an  essential skill that the sniper must learn to be effective. Furthermore,  for the purposes of the course it is important to learn observation  skills, particularly how to "Burn Through" bushes for the stalking  phase. Learning this skill is imperative to being able to find the  observation post from behind cover during stalking and is often the  difference between a student passing or failing. An overall average of  70% must be obtained on observations to pass the course.
During a field sketch, students are given an hour and a specific area or  building to sketch. The target must be drawn with as many details as  possible. It must include information about its surroundings and target  reference points on the sketch. Sketches are graded for neatness,  correctness, details, and usable information. An overall average of 70%  must be obtained on field sketches to pass the course.
Phase 2: Unknown Distance and Stalking
The UKD (Unknown Distance) and Stalking portion kicks off as soon as  Phase 1 is completed. During this phase students will become experts at  engaging targets at unknown distances by way of range estimation and  range cards.
During the unknown distance phase students will run 100 pound steel  targets out to ranges between 300 and 800 yards. There are 10 targets in  each course of fire and after each course of fire, the targets are  rearranged.
A student has two attempts to hit each target, a first round impact is  worth 10 points and a second is worth 8. An overall average of 80% must  be obtained during the 3 weeks of UKD to pass the course. **Furthermore,  the portion of the course with the highest attrition rate begins,  stalking. Stalking is a skill that takes long hours and dedication to  learn, and a lifetime to master.
Stalking involves moving from a distance between 1200 and 800 yards to  within 200 yards of an observation post undetected. After doing this,  the student must set up a Final Firing Position (FFP) and fire two shots  without being found by the OP within a time period of 3–4 hours.
After the first shot is fired, a walker (A neutral instructor who does  not help students or the instructors in the OP) will get close to the  snipers position to make sure he can positively ID the OP. Positive ID  is established by the observers holding up cards with 2-3 letters on  them above their binoculars. The sniper must then correctly tell the  walker what is written on them. After positive ID has been confirmed,  the walker will move within 10 yards of the shooter and inform the OP  that he is within 10. The OP will then attempt to walk the walker onto  the sniper's position by way of movement commands. The OP must get the  walker within 1 foot of the shooter. If the shooter cannot be found, the  walker will tell the shooter to fire a second shot on his command. After  the second shot has been fired, the OP will look for blast from the  rifle or movement from the shooter. If the OP cannot find the shooter  then the walker will indicate the shooters position to the OP and check  to make sure the shooter had the correct windage and elevation settings,  along with correct position and stable shooting platform.
Grading is as follows for stalking:
0: Being out of bounds on the stalk lane, not freezing on the command  freeze (When the OP believes they know the position of a student they  call freeze and all students on the stalk lane have to immediately  freeze in whatever position they are in), poor FFP.
40: Caught out of range or fired out of range (not within 200 yards).
50: Caught within range.
60: 1 shot fired but, no positive ID, incorrect windage or elevation,  unstable shooting platform.
70: 1 shot fired and positive ID, correct windage, elevation, shooting  platform but OP walked onto shooter after first shot.
80: 2 shots fired and positive ID, correct windage, elevation, shooting  platform but OP saw blast from shooter's position after second shot.
100: 2 shots fired and positive ID, correct windage, elevation, shooting  platform and shooter was never found.
Students must obtain an overall average of 70% out of 10 stalks, with a  minimum of 2 100s and no more than 1 zero in order to pass stalking.
Phase 3: Advanced Field Skills and Mission Employment
Other schools
After graduating the basic course, Marines are given the opportunity to  obtain a variety of other courses to further refine their skills.
Urban Snipers
High Angle (Mountain) Snipers
Scout Snipers Team leader course (Formerly the advanced course)
Foreign Forces Snipers Schools
British Royal Marine Snipers School
Israeli Foreign Forces Snipers School
Duties[edit]
A Marine Corps Scout Sniper is a Marine highly skilled in fieldcraft and  marksmanship who delivers long range precision fire, on select targets,  from concealed positions in support of combat operations.
Support combat operations by delivering precision fire on selected  targets.[3]
Establish concealed sniper/observation sites from which targets are  analyzed, engaged, and information gathered.[4]
Use map and compass for day or night land navigation.[5]
Operate and maintain weapons and optical equipment employed by the Scout  Sniper team.