As far back as World War 1, the United States Marine Corps has always been around to protect
the troops and the defenseless. But it wasn't until recent years that incredibly specialized
Scout Snipers started being rigorously trained to address the threats overseas.
As such, the Scout Sniper Course School has been busy training the most stealthy
Marines in the most discreet and subtle art of warfare: sniping.
In 2017, the training facility released a thorough
video explaining the basics of Cover and Concealment.
But as millions of viewers discovered, there is always something new to learn about this practice…
A Necessary Role
Organic sniping capabilities have proven critical during the last century.
When the Marine Corps first came into existence in 1918, the service lacked the
sniping knowledge to operate in World War 1. Thus, the well-trained German snipers inflicted great
costs on the Marines early in the conflict, emphasizing the need for counter-sniping.
At the onset of World War 2, the Marines again faced two enemies with capable snipers.
However, the Senior Marine leaders assumed that Marines didn’t need much training to
replicate strong sniper abilities. Fortunately, they weren't wrong,
and the service instructed competitive marksmanship on top of advanced training.
The program provided the necessary training and equipment for regular infantry that
then evolved to provide precision fire and counter-sniper abilities.
In addition, they could target key leaders and elements.
During the Korean War not long after, the Marines faced experienced sharpshooters,
and it became evident that snipers were essential in complementing ground forces.
Soon, the Marine Corps Scout Sniper role was forged.
The Scout Snipers eventually grew beyond their traditional tasks and were deployed past the
forward line. As such, they could provide in-depth observations while becoming more independent,
creating a standoff for their commander and offering insights about enemy composition,
disposition, and perceived intentions.
As the hostilities ended in Korea, it led to the disestablishment of formal sniping.
It was then resurrected in the advent of the Vietnam War,
and the sniping programs were reinstated due to the demands of the jungle and urban environments.
Once there, the snipers were employed according to the Area of Operation, or AO, requirements.
Adaptable as they were, the Scout Snipers readjusted their mission
profile from hunter-killer missions to overwatch,
adding a psychological effect in the environment that constricted the enemy's freedom of movement.
They also evidenced the need for marksmen who could operate independently from mass formations.
Skill Set
After the Vietnam War, the service attempted to sustain a relevant force
while suffering resource drawdowns. Fortunately, the Scout Snipers had
already consolidated their Reconnaissance and Surveillance skill set for future missions.
In the meantime, the United States pulled out of counterinsurgency efforts in the
jungle and instead focused on the friction with the Soviet Union.
As a natural consequence of the peer-on-peer conflict, the Marine Corps understood the value
of Scout Snipers and soon formalized training programs, giving way to the official scout
sniper concept known as the Surveillance and Target Acquisition Platoon, or STA.
In recent years, the program has proven successful in providing reliable assets
for the Marine Corps in Lebanon, Operation Desert Storm, and the Global War on Terror.
The modest standing force has barely grown in size, but it has evolved immensely in capability.
Nowadays, Scout Snipers are highly specialized Marines with
extraordinary fieldcraft and marksmanship skills.
Not only can they engage long-range targets, but they can do so from concealed positions,
a crucial capability in modern warfare.
Effective Teamwork
A detachment of one or more sniper teams is designated a USMC Scout Sniper Team.
Such groups are tasked with engaging determined targets, targets of opportunity, or collecting and
reporting information. Overall, they contribute to the accomplishment of the unit as a whole.
Incidentally, some teams are thoroughly prepared for night operations and are equipped with night
vision scopes and infrared lasers, therefore capable of operating in almost complete darkness.
In turn, a Scout Sniper Platoon is composed of 8 to 10 Scout Sniper teams. Usually, each team
includes two members: one sniper and one spotter. While the sniper is provided with a special rifle,
such as the M40 or the M9 9-millimeter pistol, the spotter is usually armed with an M4 carbine fitted
with a high-power spotting scope to discern targets and also follow-up strikes for the
shooter. Likewise, each platoon has four Special Application Scoped Rifles, such as the M82.
Notably, Scout Sniper teams are trained to engage targets at up to a thousand yards with the M40,
but in the right conditions, they can cover a range of up to 1.25 miles with an M82.
Cover Is Protection
In 2017, the Scout Sniper Course School in North
Carolina shared tips and tricks on Cover and Concealment techniques in a YouTube video.
In less than ten minutes, Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Rollie Pennington summarized the most
vital basics of camouflage for Marine Scout Snipers out there in the wild.
As the official training manual reads: (QUOTE) "Cover is protection from the
fire of hostile weapons. Concealment is protection from observation or
surveillance from hostile air and ground observation, but not from hostile fire."
Cover and Concealment comprise two main categories: natural,
including small hills, rocks, and vegetation, and artificial, like bunkers and brick walls.
On the other hand, the manual describes camouflage as:
(QUOTE) "The use of concealment and disguise to minimize the possibility of
detection and/or identification of troops, material, equipment, and installations."
According to Sergeant Pennington, the first step is to understand how to camouflage an
individual by understanding the operating environment, choosing an adequate uniform
and camouflage pattern that varies from the woodlands to the desert.
He explained: (QUOTE) "The first thing the individual is going to do is he's
gonna apply kami paint to the exposed surfaces of his skin. This is going to eliminate shine
and it's also going to break up these sharp angles and patterns of his facial structure."
To effectively conceal one's face, light colors should be applied to the shaded parts
and vice versa, as darker colors minimize the appearance of protruding features.
Moreover, kami paint is divided into three basic techniques:
stripes, blotches, and a combination, and they can be mixed depending on the conditions. Pennington
emphasizes: (QUOTE) "The ultimate goal is you want to blend in with your natural surroundings."
Still, the Sergeant warns that camouflage is a continuous process and should not be
taken for granted, including rearranging the paint as one moves from one place to another.
Keep In Note
Once an individual is camouflaged, the next step is to conceal the position.
As the video shows, a well-hidden Marine cannot be distinguished from as close as ten feet away.
And while the expert stresses the importance of choosing the right
foliage, he cautions that one must not take vegetation from the immediate surroundings,
as it could hamper the organic outline. Therefore,
he advises pulling plants from a different location than the one you have to conceal.
Next, it is vital to also camouflage one's equipment. Pennington sustains both the
weapon system and the shooting platform should be covered from sight in position.
He also adds: (QUOTE) "A key thing to keep in note the equipment still has to operate once you put
the vegetation on it [...] to effectively be able to utilize his rifle from a concealed location."
Standard Marine equipment can also be concealed with natural and artificial means, and the video
shows how an M4 carbine can be wrapped up in a burlap sandbag and remain operational.
Similarly, a Kevlar has cuts in the helmet to add vegetation and break its characteristic profile.
As for urban environments, simple solutions like kami netting can create patterns,
and shades on a building can successfully conceal personnel and equipment.
Ultimately, there are three vital giveaways: shine, outline,
and contrast with the background, and they should all be taken into account.
As Pennington concludes: (QUOTE) "If the enemy can see you, he can shoot you."
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