scout sniper advice

[HopefulGrunt2Be]

FIRST AND FOREMOST.... i dont want anyone to think i'm some recon ron/ rambo sniper / whatever wannabe or anything along those lines... I've been in the reserves for about a year and for some reason or another i want to go active duty and i want to be a sniper. SSgt Rogers, section head of the STA plt. attached to my company, asked me if i wanted to try out a mock indoc.. (shot 3rd out of 150, behind 2 SS's (138), 186 pft, 2nd class swim (havent tried 1st class yet), 115 gt, cert of commendation, 70 asvab) i wouldnt want to do it as a reservist ( i dont think once a month is sufficient training for a sniper), but the thought of being a Marine Corps Scout Sniper puts chills down my spine. i've given it about a month of serious thought and am sure this is what i want to do. any suggestions/ advice / critisism would be greatly appreciated. thanks Marines
LCpl Kiparski

[thewookie]

So the first real question you have to answer is do you really want to be on active duty? Forget for one second the guts and glory of being a Marine Sniper. Once you get over that question then the only question left is do you have what it takes? Sure some SSgt., can offer you a shot at a mock indoc but are you prepared to pass it? I mean really, do you have what it takes to be that 1 in 5 guys that makes it? (it's probably more like 1 and 10) but it really depends on how many spots they have to fill. They could bring in 20 guys to try out for 2 spots.

Your basic stats are good but can you land nav with with best if them? Apparently you can shoot well on a static line but can you deliver the goods when you're under pressure in the field to take a well placed shot? Do you have the mental wherewithal to overcome even the worst situations, and excel?

You just have to sit back and figure out how much you want it, and then how much your willing to give up in order to get it. Everything comes with a price...

But many others have done it before you so it's not like you're the first one, there's a path to follow. You just have to decide if you REALLY want to be active and want to make that lifestyle change. Next question would be can you learn the skills nessacary when taught. I'm sure the SSgt. tells 10 guys a week to come and try out. It's not that he's lying or BSing you guys, he just knows what he's looking for on the surface and tries to recruit as many guys as possible for the indoc becuase he knows only so many are going to make it. Will it be you?

[Brewer0311]

I'm just going to touch on the subject briefly. The way that the Corps is going right now a 186 pft is frowned upon. Imagine if it were up to STA standards. To go to scout sniper school you must be able to run at least a first class PFT. Thats 225 and it isn't exactly like a regular PFT. Not all the crunches and pull ups you do are going to count like they would any other time. I'll give these examples: Shoulders don't completely touch the ground on a crunch. No good. And Arms didn't fully lock and come to a complete dead hang on the pull up. No good. I had a friend that ran it out at the school that did 28 pull ups just so he could have credit for 20. That is just the one aspect of it. If your platoon thinks they can work with you though they'll still take you even if you don't have a first class PFT. The actual school won't though. And as far as being a reservist scout sniper. I'd say go for it. There were 3 reservists out there last cycle doing the scout sniper school. Only one made it though. You can be a scout sniper and be a reservist and be just as well trained as a scout sniper on active duty. It's just like anything else in the Corps. You have to want it and better yourself in it so that you can get something out of it. That means PT on your own time, study your knowledge of the MOS, ask questions from Marines that know, and so on. I hope this helps you out.

P.S. You have to have a 100 GT score to get into the school and I don't think swim qual matters. Hope that helps out too.

[HopefulGrunt2Be]

i didnt mean to say 186. my fault... meant 286***

[Accord]

Just because you're in STA doesn't mean you're going to be a school trained sniper. Getting into STA Plt is only half the battle, in our STA plt they send 3 guys to school each year out of a platoon with 45 guys and there are only 6 real 8541 snipers in the whole battalion. Just passing the indoc gets you into the platoon, where you'll most likely be a SAW gunner or something of that sort on your first deployment with STA. It is a 24/7 competition within the platoon for a school seat and if you're not the most **** hot Marine out of a platoon of already exceptionally **** hot Marines, then you'll never go to school.

The STA guys make Recon look like a bunch of Air Force pogues, if your only desire to go active duty is to become a scout sniper then don't even bother.

[Finger]

Keep your PFT scores high, land nav is a biggy as the Wookie said, also learn all you can about comm proceedures and supporting arms. Stalks used to be the killer. Shoot every chance you get in different conditions. Learn all you can from the Hawgs and you won't be a Pig forever.

Good luck on your decision.

S/F
Finger

[USMC8541Sgt]

What everyone else said.

Plus become the BEST Advanced Infantry Marine you can! PT your ass off and learn your land nav. After that, shut your man pleaser and open your eyes, ears and learn!