War On Terror News

Chris Kyle, former Navy SEAL, killed at gun range

Various news agencies are reporting that former Navy Seal Chris Kyle has been shot and killed at a gun range at Rough Creek Lodge, in Glen Rose, Texas Saturday.  Another man also was killed, his name has not yet been released.

A suspect is in custody, Eddie Routh.  Routh who was arrested in connection with the shooting, was driving Chris Kyle’s truck at the time he was stopped and arrested by local police in Lancaster Texas.

Several news agencies are reporting that the other person who was shot was a neighbor of Chris Kyles.  They were at the gun range helping another soldier with his recovery from PTSD.  The shooting occurred around 3:30pm Saturday.

Kyle had recently been interviewed about his feelings on the call for more restrictions on gun owners.  “He told the website guns.com that he favored arming teachers who have been screened and trained and spoke against restrictions on gun owners.”

Chris Kyle served in Iraq, was awarded two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars with Valor, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals along with one Navy and Marine Corps Commendation.  He wrote a book, “American Sniper” and has a new book coming out in May called "American Gun - A History of the U.S. in Ten Firearms."

 

Editor's Note:  Statement released by Craft International regarding Chris Kyle's death can be found here....  http://www.thecraft.com/Remembering_Chris_Kyle.html

AFG: Task Force Viking hosts German shooters

Story by Army Maj. William Humes 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan (6/20/12) - Soldiers from the Michigan National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team hosted their German counterparts on a nearby range and allowed them to experience firing U.S. weapons recently.

Pfc. Ethan Bednar, left, a rifleman with Company A, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, provides assistance to a German soldier, assigned to Task Force Kunduz, firing a M249 light machine gun during range fire held on Forward Operating Base Kunduz, Kunduz, Afghanistan. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Catalin Bugan)

Army Staff Sgt. Shannon Lavada served as the non-commissioned officer in charge, for the event. Lavada has wanted to shoot with the Germans since arriving in Kunduz.

“I have been trying since January to get these guys over here,” said Lavada. “But bad weather or some other distraction would get in the way and cause us to postpone the shoot, until now.”

The first day focused on training the German soldiers on the subtleties of firing the US M4 rifle and M249 light machine gun and then giving them the opportunity to qualify on each system.

“We saw 27 soldiers in the morning and 24 in the afternoon,” said Lavada. “I was impressed with how quickly they picked up the weapons and how well the German soldiers could shoot our weapons.”

Day two on the range was a much smaller audience and involved shooting the sniper weapons from both countries. As a trained sniper, Lavada was happy to serve as the non-commissioned officer in charge for the second day of shooting.

“The sniper rifle used by the Germans is very similar to our [enhanced battle rifle],” said Lavada. “So it did not take me long to get used to it and shoot accurately.”

By the end of the shooting exchange the soldiers were engaging targets out to 900 meters. Both sides were grateful for the training opportunity and are looking forward to more events in the future.

Scout Snipers teach Afghans marksmanship

By Lance Cpl. Timothy Lenzo, 1st Marine Division

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Afghanistan (May 7, 2012) — Afghan soldiers will add a new weapon to their arsenal, when recent graduates from a marksmanship course return to their bases. The newly trained soldiers will carry a M24 sniper rifle, a weapon recently acquired by the local kandak.

Afghan National Army Sgt. Abdul Kareem, a soldier with 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, sights in with his M24 sniper rifle, during a live-fire range, May 2, 2012. The kandak will use the rifle in overwatch positions for their squads. (Photo by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo)

The weeklong marksmanship course, taught by a Marine scout sniper team, covered maintenance of the M24 sniper rifle, firing the rifle at a distance of 450 meters, memory and observation tests. The tests require soldiers to scan a field and identify as many hidden military objects as possible, in a 30-minute time limit.

“I had never used this rifle before and was excited to fire the [weapon] at the longer distances,” said Afghan National Army Gunnery Sgt. Mohammad Hasan, an academy instructor with 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps.

31st MEU snipers sharpen skills

4/20/2012  By Lance Cpl. Matthew Manning  , Marine Corps Bases Japan 

CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, Japan  — "Targets are up! Targets are moving!” Upon the commands, a volley of rifle fire is unleashed. One by one, the targets go down from the rapid and accurate fire of force reconnaissance snipers with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

For these snipers with the 31st MEU, III Marine Expeditionary Force, it is just another day in the office as they take part in the three-week maritime raid force urban sniper course offered by the Special Operations Training Group, III MEF Headquarters Group, III MEF, at the ranges on Camps Hansen and Schwab April 9-27.

“The focus of the course is the build up of what we learned at the basic snipers course,” said Sgt. Joseph M. Sousa, a reconnaissance sniper with the 31st MEU. “At the basic course, we are taught the traditional skills of a sniper.”

OK National Guard Take Out Talib Sniper

Story by PO1 Bill Steele, RC-EAST

LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The enemy sniper moved silently in the mountain darkness, snake-like, as he stalked the American and Afghan National Army soldiers, waiting for his opportunity to strike.

His prey: a platoon on a mission dubbed Aluminum Python, a three-day operation to clear insurgents from the Mayl Valley, a center of poppy production located in the mountainous Alisheng district. The platoon’s target objective: to kill or capture two Taliban operatives believed to be hiding in Pata Tili, a village suspected of providing safe haven for the Taliban.

The sniper had been trailing the soldiers, many of them with the Oklahoma National Guard’s Company A, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s Focused Targeting Force, after they landed by helicopter a few hours earlier on Jan. 28, just before midnight, on a snow-capped plateau a few kilometers east of the village. He was armed with a grenade and an Armscor semi-automatic 22-caliber rifle with suppressor, a weapon known for its quiet stealth.

2-6 Marine Snipers Teach Afghans Their Skills

Story by Cpl. Johnny Merkley
Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division

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.

Pictured: An Afghan National Army soldier with 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps, looks through binoculars to verify his shooter's accuracy with the M-24 sniper rifle during a designated marksman training 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 course was the first of its kind in southern Helmand province.

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 M-485 sniper rifle used by Marine scout snipers.

New ANA elite snipers graduate course

Written by U.S. Army Sgt. Matthew Thompson, RC-East PAO 09 January 2012

LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Twelve Afghan National Army soldiers from the 201st Afghan National Army Corps endured harsh wintery conditions for the chance to earn the elite title of sniper after a three-week training course at Forward Operating Base Gamberi.

The French Infantry Mobile Training Team, led by French army Capt. Jean Michel Filipi, trained the Afghan soldiers on the U.S. Army M24 Sniper Weapon System and the Russian SVD-137 Dragunov sniper rifle.

LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan—An Afghan National Army sniper peers through the scope of his M24 Sniper Weapon System during the sniper training course at Forward Operating Base Gamberi, Dec. 21. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Thompson, 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

“These soldiers embodied the sniper motto of ‘one shot, one kill’,” said Filipi.

The Afghan snipers learned advanced shooting techniques such as how to approximate distances, how to adjust their windage and how to report basic intelligence.

Video: Canadian Snipers in Action

The Canadians have some of the best snipers in the world.  Here's a glimpse of how good they are:

 

US Special Forces team takes top honors at international sniper competition

October 5, 2011 By Vince Little, The Bayonet

FORT BENNING, Ga., Oct. 5, 2011 -- The world's top sniper duo hails from Fort Bragg, N.C.

Master Sgt. Kevin Owens and Sgt. 1st Class Terry Gower of B Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), emerged from a field of 32 teams to capture the top spot in the 2011 International Sniper Competition. Fort Bragg wound up placing three teams in the top five at the 11th annual event, which began here Sept. 27 and wrapped up Friday.

A competitor fires on a target downrange Thursday during the 2011 International Sniper Competition at Fort Benning, Ga. This year's field included entries from Ireland, Spain, Canada, Germany, the Air Force, Marine Corps and Army National Guard. There were state police tandems from Florida and California.

The field included entries from Ireland, Spain, Canada, Germany, the Air Force, Marine Corps and Army National Guard. There were state police tandems from Florida and California.

"It gets more competitive every year," said Sgt. 1st Class Richard Vest, a U.S. Army Sniper School instructor and team sergeant. "As the technology grows, everyone seems to get better. This also gives us a chance to share ideas and spread our knowledge a little, even with other countries."

2-87 Infantry Kill Sniper, Capture 2 tons of Drugs

RC-SW: Afghan National Security Forces partnered with coalition forces, conducted a two-day air assault operation August 23 – 25, to disrupt insurgent networks in the area, while killing an insurgent believed to be a member of a marksmen’s cell operating in the area.

Upon reaching the objective near the village of Kotizi in southern Zharay district, Soldiers conducted a thorough search of several compounds, and more than 4,000 pounds of illegal narcotics, including marijuana, hashish, and opium were found and destroyed on scene.

Sniper Taylor's "Non-Combat" Combat

Soldier calls for support, disrupts enemy activity

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – To maintain the safety of fellow service members traveling through northern Iraq, U.S. soldiers conduct counter-improvised explosive device operations, ensuring the removal of roadside bombs and the apprehension of those planting them.

Spc. Patrick Taylor, assigned to the sniper section, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, was engaged by enemy fire while conducting counter-IED operations near Tikrit, Iraq, July 12.

Snipers: Feared by the Enemy

Task Force Talon snipers a valuable asset
by Spc. April York 4th ID

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, have been conducting extensive partnered security operations with Afghan National Security Forces in western Kandahar City over the past month to disrupt and destroy Taliban networks and secure the population.

A vital enabler to these missions has been Headquarters and Headquarters Company’s sniper team. These operations have included everything from human terrain mapping to large-scale clearance operations.

Dakota Meyer to Receive the Medal of Honor for Actions in Afghanistan

Contacted by President Obama on Monday, Dakota Meyer, now a civilian, found out he will be presented the Medal of Honor for his actions in Afghanistan on September 8, 2009.

"The office of the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps confirmed to Leatherneck that Sergeant Dakota L. Meyer was contacted on Monday evening by President Barack Obama who informed him that he has earned and will be presented the Medal of Honor."

On September 8th of 2009, Battalion 1-32, 10th Mountain Division along with over a dozen Marine advisors, nearly 2 dozen Border Police and 60 Afghan soldiers, walked into an ambush in Ganjigal.  Scheduled to conduct a shura, instead they were met with an ambush.

War In Afghanistan News 31 March 2011

An Haqqani and a HIG leader were sent to the Iron Bar Hotel, along with other terrorists in recent operations.  Aussie SpecOps also ventilated a pair of Talib while capturing two of their key leaders.

Several bad guys were ventilated in Kunar on 30 March 2011.

Two thousand pounds of illicit drugs were captured, and more than 3/4 tons of explosives were captured in recent operations.

Four Sniper Rifles were captured in the East.

Tailor the way you get your War in Afghanistan News 
ISAF Details follow:

War In Afghanistan News 20 Jan 2011

Our Troops captured 3 Taliban Leaders and one Haqqani Leader, along with dozens of their minions to lead the War In Afghanistan News.

At least 5 bad guys were killed while doing stupid things like shooting at the good guys or trying to plant bombs in the roads.  Previously reported the enemy killed 13 civilians and in an act of sweet justice bombmakers blew up a dozen of their own Islamist terrorists

More than a ton of drugs and a sniper rifle were captured along with a wide assortment of weaponry and explosives.  ISAF details follow.

Tailor the way you get your War In Afghanistan News

Sinclair Int'l: Christmas Deals Start at Noon

Sinclair International supplies precision shooters and hunters with the best reloading supplies and gear in the business.  Special Savings will be announced on their site at Noon:

What You Can’t See, Can Hurt You

U.S. Army Japan   

11.07.2010  Story by: Sgt. Nathan Hastings KAMI-FURANO, Japan – These men can spend an entire day moving three feet, all for one perfect shot. They are U.S. Army snipers.

A sniper with the 138th Infantry Regiment’s Sniper Team, Missouri Army National Guard, fires a Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifle at a 400-meter target. The Guard Sniper Team was demonstrating proper sniping techniques and field craft to the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces, during a field training exercise Orient Shield 11 at Camp Kami-Furano, Japan. (Photo by: Sgt. Nathan Hastings)

The Missouri National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 138th Infantry Regiment Sniper Team,

Video: Sniper Showcase

U.S. Army Snipers from the Missouri National Guard helping Japanese soldiers learn new sniping methods.

 Produced by Spc. Brian Vorce, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Sniper Bullet Didn't Put This Recon Marine Down

Recon Marine Who Survived Sniper Attack earns Purple Heart
1st Marine Division
Story by Gunnery Sgt. William Price

09.25.2010  Sgt. David Fresenius was lying on a rooftop in Helmand province’s Trek Nawa on the morning of June 21. His machine gunner and radio operator, Cpl. Greg Harris, was by his side, providing over-watch security for their unit, 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion.

Sgt. David Fresenius, an assistant team leader with 3rd Platoon, Company B, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, holds the protective Sapi plate that saved his life, in front of the 1st Marine Division (Forward) Memorial monument, Sept. 24.  Photo by Gunnery Sgt. William Price

Everything was quiet until approximately 9 a.m., when all hell broke loose.

Suddenly, the village erupted with enemy small arms fire. For Fresenius, a 22 year-old native of Westminster, Calif., the situation was about to get a lot worse. Approximately three minutes into the engagement, he saw rounds coming from a canal and brush about 300 meters from his right.

What Fresenius didn’t realize was that while he had been acquiring his target, a Taliban sniper had gotten Fresenius in his sights. The enemy sniper squeezed out a bullet. A 7.62 mm round hit Fresenius square in the back.

Marine MPs become Semi-Snipers

Military Police train to be marksmen by Pfc. J Nava III MEF

Marines from 1st Marine Aircraft Wing’s Military Police Company conducted training with the M39 Enhanced Marksmanship Rifle at Range 2 here, Sept. 10.

Two platoons participated in the training, one of which is currently attached to Combat Logistics Battalion 3, Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, for their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan.

The purpose of the training was to select six Marines from each of the platoons to serve as designated marksmen.

The designated marksmen’s role will be to carry out all duties as a field MP and also provide long-range capabilities for their respective platoons.

Natural Born Sniper

Marine lays down wrench for sniper rifle
By Cpl. Daniel A. Blatter 1st MarDiv

KAJAKI, Afghanistan – From a small town kid hunting deer, to a Marine Corps Sniper engaging the enemy at 1600 meters, one Marine has found himself holding a Barrett .50 caliber Sniper Rifle.

At the age of 9, Cpl. Jacob Hoag, a mechanic with 1st Platoon, India Battery, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Corps Regiment, Regimental Combat 2, recalls fondly hunting with his father. He remembers making his first kill on a whitetail deer at the age of 11. Since then, he has found himself successfully killing other game such as bear and elk.
Now, when looking through the scope he is searching for a quite different target: Taliban.

Carlos Hathcock Interviewed: General Shot

The most controversial story of Carlos' career involved a 3 day stalk in deep enemy territory to take a 700 yard shot, killing an enemy General.  He tells the story and follows up with tips for Quality training and other sniper qualities:

Granddaddy of Modern Sniping, Carlos Hathcock Interview

Ole Whitefeather himself in video interview!  Despite numerous acts of heroism, the Silver Star he received was not for sniping at all, but occured when the enemy attacked him as Hathcock hitched a ride with some armor elements.  In this interview, Carlos talks about two engagements, one very unconventional when a Sniper hangs around and keeps plinking bad guys and the other the famous shot through the scope when the North Vietnamese sent their best to take him out.

Mythbusters Busted Bust by Sniper

A True Sniper, SSgt Steve Reichert proves scope shots aren't just myths.  Mythbusters Busted.

Short Bio of Carlos Hathcock

All serious shooters know of White Feather, but it occurs to me that younger readers may not:

Mercenary Snipers in Afghanistan?

  A few difficult shots and rumors of highly paid foreigners are sparking debate over the potential that the Taliban is farming out what Afghans aren't good at: precision shooting at distance.  The very definition of a "Sniper" is being debated by Anglo-American allies, while the inexperienced in Afghan marksmanship point to the myths induced by a country long at war.

Supporting the American claims that an enemy sniper is at work in Helmand are recently released details that a single shot felled British Sapper Darren Foster allegedly from 600 yards away through a 9 inch gap in the protective glass of his guard post.  If those details are true, it would certainly lend credence to stories of sniping. 

Marine sniper earns award for valor

By Sgt. Juan D. Alfonso, Marine Forces Pacific

8/16/2010  CAMP H. M. SMITH, Hawaii   — The hide is a sniper’s safe haven. It’s a hole they dig, cover with camouflage and live in for days or weeks at a time. But what happens when a sniper and his team find a bomb in their hide?

For Sgt. Michael G. Dowling, it was a no-brainer.

“He made sure everyone of us got out first,” said Cpl. Daniel Hilsdorf, a scout sniper with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. “He was the last one out and refused to leave until he knew we were all safe. That’s just the kind of guy he is. He’s a good leader.

Dowling, a scout sniper

SF Soldier is First Amputee to Graduate SWCS Sniper Course

Recovery in His Sights: SF Soldier Becomes First Amputee to Graduate SWCS Sniper Course

United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School
Story by Caroline Goins

07.23.2010  FORT BRAGG, N.C. – John Wayne has toured Afghanistan and Iraq, hunted grizzly bears in Alaska and earned the Silver Star; and as of July 16, John Wayne is the first one-legged soldier to graduate the Special Forces Sniper Course.

Staff Sgt. John Wayne Walding of Groesbeck, Texas, that is.

In April 2008, Walding and nine other Special Forces soldiers from a 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) assault team were attacked by the Hezeb Islami al Gulbadin while searching for insurgents in Afghanistan's Shok Valley.

Walding, one of several team members who were injured, took a bullet through his right leg under his knee.

“I ripped off my boot lace and literally tied my leg to my thigh to keep it from flapping around,” Walding said.

Over the six-and-a-half hour firefight, more than 150 insurgents were killed. The members of the assault team were each awarded the Silver Star in December 2008 for their courageous actions in Shok Valley.

Kenya Security Forces on Alert for Snipers Along Somali Border

VOA  Alisha Ryu | Nairobi 22 July 2010

Kenyan security officials are investigating the possibility that a shooting incident near the country's border with Somalia earlier this week may have involved a sniper or a sniper team.  A Kenyan paramilitary policeman was wounded in the attack, which authorities believe was linked to Somalia's extremist al-Shabab group.  

Security forces deployed along Kenya's border with Somalia are said to be on alert, following Tuesday's attack at Liboi border check point.

Initial reports from the Kenyan police said that two paramilitary General Service Unit officers were ambushed by gunmen during a morning patrol.  The police said one officer was shot in the

Marine Recruit is Cousin to Gunnery Sgt. Carlos Hathcock

Carrying on the Family Name With Pride: a Marine Corps Legend’s Name Is Carried on the Shadow of a Legend Pushes for Excellence

Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego

Story by Lance Cpl. Sarah Candelaria

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- He is tired and feeling the slight pang of hunger set in, covered in camouflage face paint and sweat, yet Recruit Terry Hathcock, Platoon 1074, Company D, sits extremely disciplined. His back straight as a board, his eyes straight ahead.

Though his drill instructors are making him a Marine, discipline also runs in his family.

“I was about eight years old when I found out about my cousin,” said Hathcock, as a slim white smile begins to form in the midst of green and black face paint. “One of my friends read it in a book and asked me about him. I had no clue who he was so I went home and asked my grandpa.”

Hathcock found out he was related to a Marine Corps legend.

Hunters by Milo Afong (Snipers in GWOT)

If there is one specialty in the Military that earns a unique mystique, it is that of a Sniper.  Snipers strike fear in any enemy force and have oft times been disdained even among friendly forces.  Too often non-snipers are given the title by media and those ignorant of what a Sniper truly is.  But one lesson was learned well from Viet Nam, we need Snipers, regardless of public opinion, in a modern military force.  Unlike after previous wars, Snipers were kept in the inventory of Military Specialties, even if in reduced numbers.  Sometimes, political correctness forces them to take the title Counter-Sniper.

And in the Global War On Terror, Snipers have been key in eliminating the enemy, in striking fear in IED planting terrorists, in protecting the very children used by the enemy as shields against death while they planted the seeds of death.  Bullet for body bag, Snipers are very cost efficient.

Hunters, by Milo S. Afong is a book about Snipers, told by Snipers, about how they came to their deadly skills, about why they did, about what they did with their skills. Readers of Victory Point will find the common character of SSgt Evers and his team.  SSgt Evers is not the only story told, but in Hunters, his story is told from the point of view  of Marines and Colleagues, not officers and journalists.

Not only does the book tell the story of a Marine Sniper, but also of Army Snipers, SOF Snipers, SF Snipers, and SeAL Snipers.  There's no room for interservice rivalry here.  It contrasts