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i was wondering what you would have to do to become an army or a marine sniper? Im thinking about joining the military after college of course and when i do i would like to become a sniper. thanks for your replies. 
become a sniper
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Well, we can search the forums.
That little hyperlink to the immediate right of FAQ, up in that top menu.
It's generally agreed that you have to go Army or USMC, become either 11-Bravo or 0311, then be good enough to be selected for either ScoutSniper or Sniper school, and then pass that.
That little hyperlink to the immediate right of FAQ, up in that top menu.
It's generally agreed that you have to go Army or USMC, become either 11-Bravo or 0311, then be good enough to be selected for either ScoutSniper or Sniper school, and then pass that.
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994 Posts
You can't be a sniper if you're an officer, and so if you join the military, you'll have to enlist (as opposed to commission). Pride and principle aside, the quality of living for an officer is SO much better than that of an enlisted soldier, so it's going to be a decision you have to weigh.supermagnum said:i was wondering what you would have to do to become an army or a marine sniper? Im thinking about joining the military after college of course and when i do i would like to become a sniper. thanks for your replies.
Scatch Maroo
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That might be the case--if I spent four-six years earning my degree, and spent up to 100K doing it, I wouldn't join the military unless they guaranteed me a commission. When you've got student loans equitable to a mortgage, I'll be damned if anyone's going to take a 50% cut in pay.Jeff_850 said:
Scatch Maroo
And yet, the Canadian Forces has a system where they take in Officers, train them up, give them their University Degree (Oh yes they earn it. They earn it in amongst small-unit infantry warfare training as well.), and then those officers owe the Canadian Forces (It used to be Canadian Armed Forces but that sounded too aggressive...) I think four or six years of service.
I am truely surprised that:
1) There are no sniper officers, that all snipers are enlisted men.
2) That there is no similar program in the States.
I am truely surprised that:
1) There are no sniper officers, that all snipers are enlisted men.
2) That there is no similar program in the States.
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994 Posts
The reasoning for # 1 has already been discussed: officers are leaders and need to be put into leadership positions, something the sniper slot is not.AK said:
You can join ROTC if you get into college, and they will cover all of your expenses in exchange for a certain number of years. However, you'd be quite surprised at the compensation rates between the Royal Marines and U.S. Marines, too...
Scatch Maroo
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18 Posts
Not easy but very rewarding...
I'm an Army National Guard Sniper currently serving in Iraq. To answer your question as best I can. Here's the path you'll need to take, at least as far as the Army goes.
Be in the Army, (11)Infantry Series MOS (SF 18 series are also allowed but don't even think about it for now). Score 210 or better on the PT test, 100 or better on you ASVAB GT score, and have a clean record for discipline. Shoot expert consistently on the range, and be in damn good shape for the school.
After basic and some time in a line unit, start pushing for Sniper school. Be patient and persistent, since everybody wants that school and they're only so many slots to send people.
In the meantime, get yourself a decent, but not overly expensive scoped rifle, preferably in .308. I would reccomend a Remington 700, with a Bushnell Elite 3200 mil-dot 10x scope, that's damn close to the issued M-24 for a lot less cash.
Then get to the range every chance you can. Don't shoot a 1000 rounds OK, shoot 100 rounds DEAD ON. Get a copy of the 23-10 Snipers manual and the Ultimate Sniper ($40 but it's worth it) and STUDY the art.
Once at the school, bust your tail, never let up, and remember every shot and every point counts if your going to graduate. My class (NG 69-04) had a 60% dropout rate, and that's fairly typical. It's not easy, but it can be done.
After school get ready for the real challenge, working as a Sniper is nothing but hard work and hardship. Don't think for one second it's all about a Hollywood movie. Nobody ever filmed a Sniper laying in a shallow ditch all night shivering their tails off, just hoping for a chance to kill the enemy. But that's the REAL job, all work, very little glory.
And last but not least, know that being a Sniper is not for everyone, but if you've got the heart and the guts, welcome to the best job on the block.
I'm an Army National Guard Sniper currently serving in Iraq. To answer your question as best I can. Here's the path you'll need to take, at least as far as the Army goes.
Be in the Army, (11)Infantry Series MOS (SF 18 series are also allowed but don't even think about it for now). Score 210 or better on the PT test, 100 or better on you ASVAB GT score, and have a clean record for discipline. Shoot expert consistently on the range, and be in damn good shape for the school.
After basic and some time in a line unit, start pushing for Sniper school. Be patient and persistent, since everybody wants that school and they're only so many slots to send people.
In the meantime, get yourself a decent, but not overly expensive scoped rifle, preferably in .308. I would reccomend a Remington 700, with a Bushnell Elite 3200 mil-dot 10x scope, that's damn close to the issued M-24 for a lot less cash.
Then get to the range every chance you can. Don't shoot a 1000 rounds OK, shoot 100 rounds DEAD ON. Get a copy of the 23-10 Snipers manual and the Ultimate Sniper ($40 but it's worth it) and STUDY the art.
Once at the school, bust your tail, never let up, and remember every shot and every point counts if your going to graduate. My class (NG 69-04) had a 60% dropout rate, and that's fairly typical. It's not easy, but it can be done.
After school get ready for the real challenge, working as a Sniper is nothing but hard work and hardship. Don't think for one second it's all about a Hollywood movie. Nobody ever filmed a Sniper laying in a shallow ditch all night shivering their tails off, just hoping for a chance to kill the enemy. But that's the REAL job, all work, very little glory.
And last but not least, know that being a Sniper is not for everyone, but if you've got the heart and the guts, welcome to the best job on the block.
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18 Posts
Class NG 69-04
Mel,
I went to the National Guard school, Little Rock Ark. Camp Robinson for the first phase (two weeks) then second phase in Fort Chaffee Ark. The class number was picked by the students, the head instructor (SFC Barnett) asked what number we wanted and 69 seemed the coolest. Doesn't have anything to do with my being in the 1/69th Inf. for my deployment, which is a New York unit. I'm a Florida Guardsman (3/124th Inf.) normally, just attached to New York.
As for the National Guard school, the standards, the format, and even most of the instructors are straight from the school at Fort Benning. Of the 61 students who started only 25 of us graduated and were awarded the B4 designator.
I've been deployed in Iraq since November and have a long ways to go. I've been operating in the farmlands North of Baghdad and East of Fallujah. It's not been a picnic. In less than three months, my Battalion has lost 12 men, and several more disabled for life. With the election just around the corner things are likely to get worse.
Well take care and know that we're going to do our best.
Spc. Roger B. Rees
A CO. 1/69th Inf.
256th BCT
Taji, Iraq
Mel,
I went to the National Guard school, Little Rock Ark. Camp Robinson for the first phase (two weeks) then second phase in Fort Chaffee Ark. The class number was picked by the students, the head instructor (SFC Barnett) asked what number we wanted and 69 seemed the coolest. Doesn't have anything to do with my being in the 1/69th Inf. for my deployment, which is a New York unit. I'm a Florida Guardsman (3/124th Inf.) normally, just attached to New York.
As for the National Guard school, the standards, the format, and even most of the instructors are straight from the school at Fort Benning. Of the 61 students who started only 25 of us graduated and were awarded the B4 designator.
I've been deployed in Iraq since November and have a long ways to go. I've been operating in the farmlands North of Baghdad and East of Fallujah. It's not been a picnic. In less than three months, my Battalion has lost 12 men, and several more disabled for life. With the election just around the corner things are likely to get worse.
Well take care and know that we're going to do our best.
Spc. Roger B. Rees
A CO. 1/69th Inf.
256th BCT
Taji, Iraq
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994 Posts
Call me unpatriotic, but I wouldn't trust the government to be so easy-going about throwing down 20 grand a year to pay me to go whereever I want, to study whatever I want. I've heard you can have difficulties going to the school you want, and studying what you want--if you join ROTC, however, you can get the SAME scholarship but you have complete control over what you study.Jeff_850 said:
In addition, if they tell you that you don't 'qualify' for certain benefits/sponsorships through ROTC, you can negotiate much better because you haven't commited yourself via contract yet. Once you enlist, and THEN they tell you you won't get X, Y and Z, you're screwed 'cause you have no room for negotiation.
Scatch Maroo
Re: Class NG 69-04
MEL
Spc. Hey that sounds cool. I went through the Benning school as a MT Guardsman. I was the only NG guy there out of 25 studs. There were 2 other guys in my unit that went through the NG school, but it was back when it was just a 2 or 3 week school. I was NOT impressed with what they were taught (This is not a slight against the CURRENT NG school, as I know it has completely changed). But anyway, stay safe over there!Spc. R. B. Rees said:
MEL
Joined
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18 Posts
Correction
Correction, The NCOIC for the NG Sniper School is SFC Boatright (not SFC Barnett). I am the world's worst at remembering names, I'm glad I didn't make that mistake while in school, or I would have sniper low crawled accross half the base. Better bone up on my KIMS games
By the way, it was the outstanding Sergeants who instructed us and ran the school that made all the difference. They were professionals, the best I've ever seen..
Correction, The NCOIC for the NG Sniper School is SFC Boatright (not SFC Barnett). I am the world's worst at remembering names, I'm glad I didn't make that mistake while in school, or I would have sniper low crawled accross half the base. Better bone up on my KIMS games
By the way, it was the outstanding Sergeants who instructed us and ran the school that made all the difference. They were professionals, the best I've ever seen..
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93 Posts
All I can say is the guys who actually go through everything required deserve all the respect we can give them. I almost joined up when I graduated high school. I took the ASVAB, scored a 99 (top 1%). I could do 29 pullups, no idea how many push ups or sit ups, but I was in darn good shape, and could run 3 miles (on a track) in 15 minutes 42 seconds. I can shoot pretty good , and have lived most of my life in the back woods. So I probably had what it took. But when it came down to signing my life away for the next few years I backed out. I still wanted to do it, still do for that matter, but I want to do other things first.
I found out later that I might not have even been able to get in at all, and definitely would not be considered for sniper school. I have horrible allergies. I start sneezing and my eyes puff up and it gets hard to breathe (sometimes) as soon as I step into grass or weeds if I haven't taken any medication.
Anyway, to you who have actually signed your life away for your country, you have my respect and I salute you. :!:
I found out later that I might not have even been able to get in at all, and definitely would not be considered for sniper school. I have horrible allergies. I start sneezing and my eyes puff up and it gets hard to breathe (sometimes) as soon as I step into grass or weeds if I haven't taken any medication.
Anyway, to you who have actually signed your life away for your country, you have my respect and I salute you. :!:
the 29 pullups, 3 miles in 15:42 is pritty good but its not what you can do on a well rested day where you ate food its what you can do after a month of no food and no sleep, carrying 100 lbs and all that fun stuff
ASVAB score was well... perfect
its not how much you know its how much pain your willing to take to get to get the job done from what ive herd
hopefully ill get a slot though even though i know its hard its what i want to do even though i could very well be miserable doing it
ASVAB score was well... perfect
its not how much you know its how much pain your willing to take to get to get the job done from what ive herd
hopefully ill get a slot though even though i know its hard its what i want to do even though i could very well be miserable doing it
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