Sniper Training

[Little John]

Am putting  a training package together which covers the sneaky art of the sniper.
as you can imagine this subject is vast, therefore the training day / weekend will be some what diluted, focusing on areas that are more inline with the airsoft enviroment.
however on that note, as this is for the benefit of you ( the Team) i would like to know, what kind of things you would like to see included within this package.

please find below a list of subjects that i feel need to be included.

1.INTRODUCTION
•   OPERATIONAL CONCEPT
•   ORGANIZATION
•   SNIPER / SPOTTER RESPONSIBILITIES
•   TEAM FIRING TECHNIQUES

2. MAP READING & AIR PHOTOGRAPHY
•   GRID REFERENCES
•   NAVIGATION
•   ROUTE PLANNING
•   IDENTIFIYING FEATURES

3. OBSERVATION
   JUDGING DISTANCE
•   FACTORS EFFECTING RANGE ESTIMATION
•   RANGE ESTIMATION METHODS
•   ESTIMATION GUIDELINES
•   RANGEING AIDS
SPOTTING
•   HASTY & DETAILED SEARCHES
•   ELEMENTS OF OBSERVATION
•   TWILIGHT TECHNIQUES
•   FIELD SKETCHING
•   ILLUMINATION AIDS
•   TARGET DETECTION & SELECTION
•   TARGET INDEXING
•   KEY TARGETS
•   COUNTER SNIPER TECHNIQUES

4. CONCEALMENT
•   TARGET INDICATION
•   BASIC METHODS
•   TYPES OF CAMOUFLAGE
•   THE GHILLIE SUIT
•   COVER & CONCEALMENT
•   SELECTION, OCCUPATION & CONTRUCTION OF SNIPER POSITIONS
•   POSITIONS IN URBAN TERRAIN

5. MOVEMENT
•   RULES OF MOVEMENT
•   MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES
•   SNIPER TEAM MOVEMENT & NAVIGATION
•   HAND & ARM SIGNALS
•   TRACKING & COUNTER TRACKING TECHNIQUES


6. MARKMANSHIP
   FUNDAMENTALS
•   FIRING POSITIONS
•   AIMING
•   ZEROING
•   BREATH & TRIGGER CONTROL
•   FOLLOW-THROUGH
•   MISS DRILLS
•   GROUPINGS
•   SHOOTING IMPROVEMENT OPTIONS
•   SNIPER SHOT PLACEMENT
BALLISTICS
•   TERMINOLOGY ?
•   EFFECTS OF TRAGECTORY?
•   ANGLE FIRING
•   EFFECTS OF WEATHER
•   WIND CLASSIFICATION
•   CONVERSION OF WIND VELOCITY TO M.O.A
•   EFEECTS OF TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY?
ENGAGEMENTS OF MOVING TARGETS
•   TECHNIQIUES
•   COMMON ERRORS
•   CALCULATION OF LEADS

7. COMMUNICATION
 
   REPORTS
•   SPOT REPORTS
•   SITUATION REPORTS
•   RECONNAISSANCE REPORTS
•   MEANCONING,INTRUSION,JAMMING&INTERFERRENCE REPORTS
•   ENEMY PRISONER OF WAR / MATERIEL REPORT
•   MEDICAL EVACUATION REQUEST

8. OPERATION PLANNING
   INSERTION
•   PLANNING
•   AIR,LAND,VECHICLE & AMPHIBIOUS INSERSIONS
EXECUTION
•   MOVEMENT TO TARGET AREA
•   OCCUPATION OF POSITION
•   SITE SELECTION
•   REPORTS
EXTRACTION
•   PLANNING
•   EVASION & ESCAPE PLAN
•   AIR,LAND,VECHICLE & AMPHIBIOUS EXTRACTIONS
•   RECOVERY

remember that this is for an airsoft enviroment, as i mentioned earlier this subject is huge, i feel there is no need to go right into the nitty gritty stuff if its not relevant , i would rather spend longer on the subjects that will be used, rather on subjects that won't.

i would very much like to hear your views and ideas on the matter

cheers
LJ

[Bruce]

Sounds excellent...count me in

Bruce

[Labyrinth]

Ditto. 

It'd be nice to see some attention given to concealment and the use of ghillie suits etc, and sniper movement techniques, as having spent 3 weeks on "sniper" training with the RAF Regiment, I actually never had any instruction in that area (it was mostly range training and one long sleep deprivation exercise!). 

Target aquisition and tracking, and application of sniper teams in hostile environments I would deem to be essential information, although bear in mind that the majority of the team can already navigate and communicate reasonably effectively, so while it wouldn't hurt to include these topics, you might want to spend more time on the other subject areas.

I for one am really keen to learn more on this subject.

[Little John]

i agree
the more important subjects like the ones you mentioned, more time will have to be spent on those.
some areas on nav & comms will still need to be covered, but not so that were wasting time on something un-important.
i've started to plan my lessons & Excerises, to be able to cram everything in it will have to be over 2 days.
but..if required some subjects can be done seperately, to make up a training day.

one thing i will mention...to get the full benefit from this training,some people may  have to make or buy various bits of  kit beforehand, as some of the lessons & Excerises will require them.
i will post later, the bits of kit i mean.

LJ

[slowjoe]

Perhaps you need to add something about radio discipline?

Anyway, have you got to the point of planning a date/location?

[Labyrinth]

And do I need to buy a ghillie suit? 

[Little John]

i have completed most of the lesson plans, these could can be swapped around depending wether it well be for a training day, or a weekend?
to be honest a 2 day training event would be better.
the final contents on the course still needs to be confirmed, and there is some prep work required around the area of deployment.
it will prob be held down in coventry in and around the business park.
Matt will need to add his input to it as well, as he knows the best way to organize these things.
when i see him next i will see about maybe getting a date in for early next year....

LJ

[slowjoe]

You probably know the following, but just in case...

The US army sniper field manual is available online:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/23-10/ is a copy in multiple pages, and http://www.zeroriflescope.co.uk/Sniper%20Guide%20Table%20of%20Contents.pdf is a single pdf file which can be searched.

[Little John]

cheers Slowjoe

i do have a hard copy of that manual, i has been one of the tools used in developing the course.
the sniper course is mainly focused on the airsoft sniper, for use on stirling combat missions etc.
however, for those few who would be intrested covering other subjests at a more advanced level, am sure we could arrange that as well.
the main focus is just getting the basic cadre started first, the advance course to follow later, if there is intrest.

LJ