Sniping Question

[daniel_hutsell]

Just a curious question I've been searching the inter webs for, can one go to sniper school just because they want to learn how to work a long gun but go back to their unit and not be a designated sniper? Is it possible to be a jack of all trades basically?

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

Yes its possible, and common in some units. It was a issue in my old unit, guys in the section not getting school slots, while the btn leadership used it as a reenlistment insensitive for soldiers who were not in the section and had no interest in coming to the section.

If you are looking to just learn long range precision rifle marksmanship, the Army has a few courses. If you are actually wanting to be in a section than go full in, but IMO slots in conventional units shouldn't be wasted on troops who are not going to go to or stay in a section.

$.02 from a guy who spent almost 3 yrs in a section and never got a slot, while watching countless guys go, who knew they were either taking a squad or platoon in a line unit. Pissed me off.

 

[AKkeith]

I see your profile says you are interested in the Army but in case you are looking at the Marine Corps or anyone else looks at this thread, it is Very different in the Marine Corps.
In the Marine Corps only Infantry guys in an Infantry Battalion, can try out for the Scout Sniper Platoon. Then once you are selected into the platoon and become a PIG, it could be a couple months, or could be years, before you go to the Scout Sniper Course and become a HOG. We do not have "jacks of all trades" in the Marine Corps like the Army does. It is a select honor to be a HOG, and once you are a scout sniper 0317, that will be your only infantry job. You wouldn't go back to being an 0311 or anything else after.

 

[digrar]

One of the last courses we've got that doesn't pass most of the people that show up, with most washed out before it's even time to go to the range.
Most people passing it will serve in the sniper cell, even those that show aptitude and get close will serve before getting reassessed for competency.

 

[pardus]

Just a curious question I've been searching the inter webs for, can one go to sniper school just because they want to learn how to work a long gun but go back to their unit and not be a designated sniper? Is it possible to be a jack of all trades basically?

Good luck finding a unit with spare money to send you to a school that you have no intention of following as a job.
The last Infantry unit I was in wouldn't send you to school unless you were filling a Sniper slot.

 

[AWP]

Good luck finding a unit with spare money to send you to a school that you have no intention of following as a job.
The last Infantry unit I was in wouldn't send you to school unless you were filling a Sniper slot.

I think we have at least one member who is in a slot and can't get a school date. Supply (school) isn't as strong as the demand (unqualified guys who need it).

 

[Red Flag 1]

Just a curious question I've been searching the inter webs for, can one go to sniper school just because they want to learn how to work a long gun but go back to their unit and not be a designated sniper? Is it possible to be a jack of all trades basically?

This just sounds way too selfish, at the expense of others who need the training to do the job. Sorta like going to medical school while your plans are to work @ Jiffy Lube.:-/

On the serious side, there are many alternate pathways you can choose to follow once you are on active duty. When I finished my residency, I never thought I'd wind up on an Inspector General Team. Be very good at what you do, and other things will open up for you.

 

[daniel_hutsell]

This is only a hypothetical situation. I'm not in the military yet just curious how that would work.

 

[Devildoc]

This just sounds way too selfish, at the expense of others who need the training to do the job. Sorta like going to medical school while your plans are to work @ Jiffy Lube.:-/

On the serious side, there are many alternate pathways you can choose to follow once you are on active duty. When I finished my residency, I never thought I'd wind up on an Inspector General Team. Be very good at what you do, and other things will open up for you.

I know a couple "docs" who after med school did not go to residency but either business school for MBA or law school. No intention to ever touch a patient.

My anecdote: I wanted to learn how to work a precision rifle. Of course, as a corpsman, they weren't going to send me so Scout/Sniper school. One of our Marines had been a S/S, so he took me aside and taught me, to the point that I could have stepped up to be a designated marksman. Just because you don't get the diploma doesn't mean there aren't ways to get the knowledge.

 

[Etype]

This is only a hypothetical situation. I'm not in the military yet just curious how that would work.

This thread = time wasted by all parties involved.

 

[Red Flag 1]

This thread = time wasted by all parties involved.

Concur. It's pretty much looking that way, and it is closing in on thread bed time, me thinks.

 

[TLDR20]

Lol want to learn to use a long gun... A whole bunch of faggotry went into writing that.