The M40A3 and M40A5 Sniper Rifle in Thailand

  Video  


2.16.2012 - Amphibious Reconnaissance and Scout Sniper Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit train combat marksmanship with Marines and Navy SEALS from the Republic of Korea and Royal Thai Marine special forces. Marines of the MEU's scout sniper platoon led a brief period of instruction before all parties fired at multiple targets ranging from 100 to 400 meters. All three nations fired the Marine Corps' M40A3 and M40A5 sniper rifles. 



  Photos  

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Bradley Blankenship, a scout sniper assigned to the Battalion Landing Team Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), sights in his rifle during scout sniper training with Royal Thai Marines and Republic of Korea Marines and Navy SEAL's at Recon Camp, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 16, 2012.. The training was part of Cobra Gold 2012, a multilateral training exercise. CG 2012 demonstrates the resolve of the U.S. and participating nations to increase interoperability and promote security and peace throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The 31st MEU is the U.S.'s expeditionary force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine  Corps photo by LCpl. Patrick J. McMahon/Released) 

















Republic of Korea Marine Corps GySgt. Jung Chan Uk, sits behind a U.S. Marine Corps M40A5 sniper rifle during sniper training led by U.S. Marines Scout Snipers.
(U.S. Marine  Corps photo by LCpl. Patrick J. McMahon/Released)

Royal Thai Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Praman Keawsajunnee part of the Royal Thai King's Guard, works with U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Bradley Blankenship a scout sniper assigned to the Battalion Landing Team Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) on the proper shooting method during scout sniper training 

(U.S. Marine  Corps photo by LCpl. Patrick J. McMahon/Released)

 

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Bradley Blankenship, a scout sniper assigned to Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) uses Corporal Emmanuel Velayo, a fellow scout sniper, as a makeshift support during scout sniper training.
(U.S. Marine  Corps photo by LCpl. Patrick J. McMahon/Released)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl.l Micah Crowell, a scout sniper assigned to the Battalion Landing Team Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), sights in his rifle during scout sniper training.  
(U.S. Marine  Corps photo by LCpl. Patrick J. McMahon/Released)

Afghan soldiers train with the best: Marine Scout Snipers

Afghan National Army Soldiers with 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, pose for a class photo after completing the ANA designated marksman course here, Jan. 25. U.S. Marine Corps scout snipers with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment conducted the course to share their marksmanship expertise with their ANA counterparts. The course was the first of its kind in southern Helmand province.

Story & photos by Cpl. Johnny Merkley  -  FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Afghan National Army soldiers with 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps participated in a designated marksman course here, Jan. 21-25.

U.S. Marine Corps scout snipers with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, conducted the course to share their marksmanship expertise with their ANA counterparts.

“The purpose of the training was to familiarize the ANA with the weapons systems they had in their inventory,” said Master Sgt. Joe Caspole, the 2/6 assistant operations chief and lead instructor for the designated marksman course. “Overall we trained the soldiers in the basic fundamentals and the application of the M-24 weapon system so they can use it in the future when they have a need for designated marksman.

The weapons systems used by the ANA marksmen are U.S. Army M-24 sniper rifles with tactical Leupold scope attachments. The Afghan designated marksmen use this Army sniper rifle in place of the custom M40A5 sniper rifle used by Marine scout snipers.





The 1st Kandak leadership requested a select number of their soldiers receive training on the M-24 sniper rifles after seeing the marksmanship expertise of Marine scout snipers with 2/6.

“After the request came down I developed a five day course to give them the basic fundamentals,” said Caspole, a native of Columbus, Ohio. “Other than this class of ANA students, I haven’t heard of this kind of training being offered to any other ANA units.”
During the course, the ANA students learned skills such as land navigation, basic marksmanship techniques, familiarization and utilization of the Leupold scope and many other aspects key to designated marksman training.

“I learned a lot from this course, it was challenging but rewarding in the end,” said Amirkhan Mir, an ANA soldier with 3rd Tolay (company), 1/1/215. “I’ve loved weapons since I was a little boy, being able to train with the Marines and do what I loved was an experience I will never forget.”

With the training these ANA students received during the course, they can utilize and pass the knowledge on to other soldiers within their unit. Although 2/6 will be unable to offer the designated marksman training in the near future, the battalion’s leadership strongly encouraged the soldiers who completed the course to maintain their newly acquired skills and techniques.

“We’ve advised them to go back to their units and continue to maintain the skills they’ve learned during the course,” said Caspole. “This training can be very useful to them if they continue to practice and become more proficient.”

While the five-day training course may seem brief when compared to the three week school of Marine Corps designated marksmen, the ANA students were still appreciative of the training opportunity and are anxious to  utilize their new skill sets.

“I am very thankful for this opportunity to train alongside the U.S. Marines,” said Mir. “I am extremely confident in my abilities and I believe I can be very useful to my unit with the new skills they have taught me.”


Editor’s note: Second Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, is currently assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, 2nd Marine Division (Forward),  which heads Task Force Leatherneck. The task force serves as the ground combat element of Regional Command (Southwest) and works in partnership with the Afghanistan National Security Forces and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to conduct counterinsurgency operations. The unit is dedicated to securing the Afghan people, defeating insurgent forces, and enabling the ANSF assumption of security responsibilities within its operations in order to support the expansion of stability, development and legitimate governance.

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Marine Scout Snipers Basic Course - "Stalking"

A Marine enrolled in the Scout Sniper Basic Course, uses vegetation to blend in with the environment during a stalk exercise, Oct. 15, at Camp Barrett. Marines must inch their way across 600 yards using a technique called “skull dragging.”  Also, notice MultiCam camo rather than the traditional MARPAT.

(Story and photos by Lcpl. Emmanuel Ramos)  QUANTICO, Va.  Earning the title of Marine Scout Sniper is one of the toughest challenges the Marine Corps has to offer. If a Marine is successful, he will become a hunter or gatherer of intelligence that can be used to win battles and save lives.

Twenty-six Marines and foreign military officers enrolled in the Scout Sniper Basic Course began their second day of stalking exercises, Oct.18, at Camp Barrett.

When a Marine first checks in to Scout Sniper School he is referred to as a PIG, or professionally instructed gunman. If successful, he will graduate in nine-weeks and will earn the title HOG, or hunter of gunmen.

The first few weeks of the course are spent on long-range, known-distance shooting.

“We want to make sure they have the fundamentals of shooting before we move on in training,” said a scout sniper basic course instructor.

If successful in the long-range, known-distance shooting, Marines begin the stalk and unknown-distance shooting portions of training.

During this stalk exercise, Marines had to move from 800 yards to within 200 yards of an observation post undetected within a three-hour time frame.


            (click to enlarge)
Before they begin, Marines camouflage their entire bodies by cutting vegetation from their surrounding and attach it to their ghillie suit, which is a specially designed, camouflaged clothing designed to resemble heavy foliage.

“It’s all about attention to detail,” said a Marine in the course. “You really have to look like a part of the terrain or you’ll get spotted a mile away.”

Throughout the course, Marines will be graded on 15 separate stalks and must maintain a 70 percent average, including two perfect stalks, to pass the course.

In order to cover the ground without being seen, Marines use surrounding vegetation to blend in, and inch across the ground using a technique called “skull dragging.” When skull dragging, Marines have their head on the ground as they inch forward.

“This is the most physically challenging part,” said a Marine in the course. “You push through it though, because keeping low is the difference between life and death in combat.”

Throughout the entire stalk, an instructor, called a walker, is guided by other instructors, called observers, who are tasked with spotting Marines.

Getting within 200 yards isn’t enough, though. The Marine then sets up his final firing position and fires a shot. An observer then has three chances to find the shooter. If the observer can’t spot the shooter, he holds up identification cards. Marines then have to identify two letters being held up at the observation post. Walkers nearby then radio to confirm. Identifying the cards lets the instructors know that the Marine has a clear shot on the target.

If the observer doesn’t spot the shooter, the Marine then takes a second shot. This time the observers are looking for the blast caused by the barrel of the gun.

Observers then have three more chances to spot the shooter. If they can’t locate the exact position, then the shooter has to stalk his way out of the firing position to earn a perfect score.

“This is one of the most difficult aspects of the course,” said an instructor. “If the Marine fails here, he gets a zero for a grade and gets to try again tomorrow. In combat, if they are spotted it means the mission is compromised, which could cost Marine lives.”





(Additional Notes: Photos of Marines in MultiCam during the "Stalking" phase)



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Marine Scout Sniper Basic Course - Known Distance Course

A Marine prepares to fire his M40 sniper rifle during the Known Distance Course portion of the Scout Sniper Basic Course on Oct. 5. Students in the course fire at targets ranging from 300 to 1,000 yards away, developing the skills needed to become Marine Scout Snipers.

(Story and photos by Sgt. Christopher Zahn)  QUANTICO, Va. - It takes a highly refined sense of skill to put a round in the center of the target every time. There are a countless number of small details that must be executed perfectly, breathing cheek weld, trigger control, eye relief and shooting position are just a few of the factors that can make the difference between hitting the target, or a miss.

From 1,000 yards away, those details are even more critical. A small error from the 300-yard line will usually still hit the target, at 1,000 yards that same error can throw the round off by several inches.

For the students of the Scout Sniper Basic Course, honing these skills is an extremely important test in the early stages of their journey to be a Marine Scout Sniper.

For 15 days, the students shoot the Known Distance Course, which requires them to hit targets from 300 to 1,000 yards with their M40 sniper rifles. They have to pass this qualification to move to the next phase in the course and become HOGs, or hunters of gunmen.

“Before we get them into more realistic shooting, we need to make sure that they can at least grasp the basic fundamentals of marksmanship, which is really all the KD range is about,” said an instructor for the course.

The shooters have more factors under their control on the KD range than just the distance.

“[The KD course] provides the ‘crawl, walk, run’ mentality of instructing and teaching shooting,” said an instructor for the course. “They are shooting from the prone position, they have ample time to identify the target. We account for all the atmospheric conditions and there is a shot spotter that shows them exactly where they hit, so they can make adjustments if needed.”

          (click to enlarge)
Because while the lessons instilled on the KD course of fire are important in their own right, they really serve as the foundation for the more advanced skills the students will learn on their journey to wear the coveted hog’s tooth, the 7.62 mm round given to all Marines upon graduation from the course.

“[Shooting] under stress, in combat gear, where there is no shot spotter to show you how far away you missed the target, with limited visibility and limited engagement time to get that target down,” added the instructor. “It’s all about building from the ground up and working slow.”

The instructors throw as much variety as they can over the course of the 15-day evolution. Some days they will shoot in the morning into the afternoon or the afternoon into the evening. Other days the shooters will start from the 300-yard line and work their way back. On especially challenging days they will start at the 1,000-yard line and move forward. When a student’s first shot of the day comes from that far away, it really tests the knowledge they should have learned by that point.

“Mainly, its ensuring that they make a good, solid, wind call,” said the chief instructor for the course. “That they are able to read the winds, judge the atmospherics with the temperature and barometric pressure and then feed all that data in to make the calculations to get that first round in the black.”

Once these students pass the KD course of fire, they have the basic foundation of skills need to move onto the more advanced shooting techniques such as unknown distance target engagement and the all-important stalk.





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