Snipers improve skills in seventeen-event exercise
Monday, September 13, 2004
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A 4th Commando, Royal Australian Regiment sniper/observer/spotter engages targets using a laser aiming device.
AREA SUPPORT UNIT GAGETOWN, New Brunswick – Snipers from around the world gathered for the 8th annual Canadian International Sniper Concentration hosted by the Infantry School at the Combat Training Centre , from September 13 to 22.
Twenty-four teams, consisting of both military and civilian law enforcement snipers from Canada, France, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Australia, Belgium, the United States and the United Kingdom participated in a gruelling ten-day, seventeen-event exercise designed to develop sniper skills and to maintain the proficiency of Canadian Army snipers.
 A 4th Commando, Royal Australian Regiment sniper checks data to apply to his telescopic sight during the stress shot event. |
The teams were tested on advanced shooting techniques, communication skills, field firing, navigation, and stalking the enemy. Overall, this international event enabled teams to exchange ideas and techniques, share lessons learned and discuss new technology and equipment.
"My job is to ensure that all my team leaders set up and run challenging and realistic training," said Warrant Officer George Williams, the Canadian Army 's subject matter expert on sniper training.
WO Williams was successful in judging obstacles negotiated by the competitors. Sniper teams crawled through swamps and simulated minefields, climbed a tower, slithered down a rope, and crept through a culvert, while battle-simulated explosives went off around them.
Various training aids were also used to add realism to the event – rounds from a C6 machine gun cracked overhead; smoke grenades and trip flares constantly went off in an attempt to distract the competitors; targets popped up to test the snipers' speed; and battle-simulated
 A 4th Commando, Royal Australian Regiment sniper runs through a minefield safe lane. |
Other roles for snipers
When asked to comment about his role as a sniper, one Canadian soldier (identity protected for security reasons) stated that his trade has been misunderstood. "Snipers have been stereotyped for years," he said. "We are not just used to take out bad guys."
WO Williams went on to explain the other roles that snipers perform.
"Snipers can be employed in several different ways," said WO Williams. "In the front lines amongst friendly troops, as part of the attack; flank security; early warning; cut-off missions; information gathering; and calling in indirect fire."
"They do these tasks quite well," WO Williams pointed out.
And the winners are....
When all the targets and points were tallied, the top team overall for the second consecutive year was from the Dwyer Hill Training Centre (DHTC). The DHTC team also won the top sniper trophy.
The Ireland Defence Forces representatives took the prizes awarded to the top observer and pistol teams.
The team from the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), captured the long-range award as well as a new award created this year – the top indirect fire team.
A soldier from the 1st Battalion, PPCLI won the Sergeant Robert Short trophy for sniper professionalism.
Article and photos by Sgt Todd Berry