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How US Snipers, Tankers, Navy Sailors And More Are Trained | Boot Camp | Insider Business

Business Insider・99 minutes read

U.S. Army snipers undergo intense training involving field craft, marksmanship, and ghillie suit construction to become more lethal and accurate in combat situations. The rigorous course includes various exercises like range estimation, moving target firing, and stock training before graduates deploy as snipers or instructors, with an emphasis on teamwork and discipline throughout the training.

Insights

  • U.S. Army snipers undergo a rigorous seven-week training course at Fort Benning, focusing on Sniper field craft and Marksmanship, with students familiarizing themselves with various rifles and honing their shooting accuracy through data collection and adjustment.
  • Ghillie suits play a crucial role in combat camouflage for snipers, with students constructing and maintaining these suits during the course, emphasizing durability and blending into the environment to avoid detection.
  • Dogs trained in odor detection using classical conditioning are crucial assets for the military, learning to locate specific odors in various environments and signaling their findings to handlers, showcasing the importance of animal-assisted capabilities in military operations.

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Recent questions

  • What is the focus of the U.S. Army sniper training course?

    The U.S. Army sniper training course focuses on essential skills in Sniper field craft and Marksmanship, making soldiers more lethal. Prospective students must meet prerequisites like passing a psychological evaluation, achieving expert qualification with specific rifles, and receiving a recommendation letter. Training is split into field craft and Marksmanship, with students familiarizing themselves with three different rifles and hitting targets from 600 to 1100 meters away. Students gather data on temperature, altitude, humidity, and ammunition weight and velocity to adjust their rifles for accurate shooting.

  • How are ghillie suits used in the U.S. Army sniper course?

    Snipers rely on ghillie suits for combat camouflage, using natural vegetation to blend in with the environment. Constructing and using ghillie suits is a key part of the US Army sniper course at Fort Benning. Commercial ghillie suits can cost $200 to $400, but many students make their own using old uniforms or purchased ones for around $100. Netting is used to break up the sniper silhouette and attach natural and artificial camouflage to the ghillie suit. Instructors inspect and reinforce high wear areas of students' ghillie suits during the sniper course.

  • What is the training process for tank operators in the U.S. Army?

    Soldiers in the armor school are trained to operate tanks, which are likened to video game controllers, making it easier for the younger generation to adapt. The M1 Abrams battle tank is the focus of training, with soldiers learning about its features, weapons, and crew roles. Training involves understanding the tank's evolution, its capabilities, and the importance of safety due to the inherent dangers of operating a tank. Soldiers are trained to drive the tank, fire its weapons, and maintain its components, including loading and unloading the 120mm cannon.

  • How are dogs trained for detection purposes in the U.S. Army?

    Dogs are trained to detect an array of odors using classical conditioning. Pairing an odor with a reward system is crucial for training the dogs. Dogs search for the source of odor to receive a reward. Dogs are trained to give a final response when they find the source of the odor. Dogs move on to larger environments like vehicle parking lots and warehouses for training.

  • What is the culminating test for students in the U.S. Army sniper course?

    The culminating test involves students navigating wooded terrain without being spotted, swapping out natural vegetation on their suits as needed. A well-constructed ghillie suit can last a sniper's entire career, with regular maintenance and replacement of natural materials like jute. Students crawl on various terrains, do exercises, and crawl through wet trenches during the Gilly wash to test the suit's durability. After the Gilly wash, students hang their suits to dry, ensuring they are properly maintained for longevity.

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Summary

00:00

Intense Sniper Training at Fort Benning

  • U.S. Army snipers undergo a rigorous seven-week training course, with more than half of the recruits being dropped from training.
  • The course at Fort Benning focuses on essential skills in Sniper field craft and Marksmanship, making soldiers more lethal.
  • Prospective students must meet prerequisites like passing a psychological evaluation, achieving expert qualification with specific rifles, and receiving a recommendation letter.
  • Training is split into field craft and Marksmanship, with students familiarizing themselves with three different rifles and hitting targets from 600 to 1100 meters away.
  • Students gather data on temperature, altitude, humidity, and ammunition weight and velocity to adjust their rifles for accurate shooting.
  • Students practice reading wind and using Miller radians to determine the wind's effect on their shots.
  • The course involves firing at moving targets, with students measuring target speed in Mills and factoring in movement when aiming.
  • Field craft skills like constructing ghillie suits are crucial, with students using natural vegetation and artificial camouflage to blend into their environment.
  • Ghillie suits are inspected and tested for durability during events like the Gilly wash, where students crawl through various terrains and trenches.
  • Range estimation exercises require students to determine distances to targets using their eyes and rifle scopes, with accurate recording and passing grades essential for success.

16:35

"Students train in stock exercises for sniping"

  • Students perform four practical stock training exercises before graded events.
  • In the first practical exercise, students prepare in 10 minutes, covering themselves in natural vegetation.
  • They blend in with their environment by tying vegetation to their ghillie suits.
  • Students have two hours to reach an area to observe their target, a truck, using movement techniques.
  • Rushing to the objective results in a 10-point deduction and moving back 100 meters.
  • Observers with binoculars direct instructors to student locations for errors.
  • Students set up a final firing position to observe and record a scenario, including a mortar round firing.
  • They must identify two letters held up by observers to pass the exercise.
  • Majority of students did not pass graded stock events, leading to course dropouts.
  • Successful graduates teach skills to junior soldiers or deploy as snipers immediately.

32:48

Tank training for soldiers emphasizes teamwork and safety.

  • Soldiers in the armor school are trained to operate tanks, which are likened to video game controllers, making it easier for the younger generation to adapt.
  • The M1 Abrams battle tank is the focus of training, with soldiers learning about its features, weapons, and crew roles.
  • Training involves understanding the tank's evolution, its capabilities, and the importance of safety due to the inherent dangers of operating a tank.
  • Soldiers are trained to drive the tank, fire its weapons, and maintain its components, including loading and unloading the 120mm cannon.
  • The tank's main gun can fire various rounds, with the ability to destroy other tanks up to 3,000 meters away.
  • Female soldiers are now eligible to train for combat arms positions, with a small percentage participating in the armor school.
  • Cavalry Scouts, responsible for reconnaissance, are trained to use powerful weapons like the M320 grenade launcher and AT4 rocket launcher.
  • There is a competitive dynamic between tankers and Cavalry Scouts, with each group valuing the other's role in combat.
  • Live fire exercises simulate combat scenarios, with instructors overseeing and guiding soldiers in engaging targets accurately.
  • The importance of teamwork, discipline, and camaraderie is emphasized throughout the training, preparing soldiers for deployment and service to the country.

49:47

Ghillie Suits: Essential Camouflage for Snipers

  • Snipers rely on ghillie suits for combat camouflage, using natural vegetation to blend in with the environment.
  • Constructing and using ghillie suits is a key part of the US Army sniper course at Fort Benning.
  • Commercial ghillie suits can cost $200 to $400, but many students make their own using old uniforms or purchased ones for around $100.
  • Netting is used to break up the sniper silhouette and attach natural and artificial camouflage to the ghillie suit.
  • Instructors inspect and reinforce high wear areas of students' ghillie suits during the sniper course.
  • The durability of ghillie suits is tested during the Gilly wash event in week two of the sniper course.
  • Students crawl on various terrains, do exercises, and crawl through wet trenches during the Gilly wash to test the suit's durability.
  • After the Gilly wash, students hang their suits to dry, ensuring they are properly maintained for longevity.
  • The culminating test involves students navigating wooded terrain without being spotted, swapping out natural vegetation on their suits as needed.
  • A well-constructed ghillie suit can last a sniper's entire career, with regular maintenance and replacement of natural materials like jute.

01:08:18

Training Dogs to Detect Odors Efficiently

  • Dogs are trained to detect an array of odors using classical conditioning.
  • Dogs observed were between one and two years old.
  • Pairing an odor with a reward system is crucial for training the dogs.
  • Dogs search for the source of odor to receive a reward.
  • Dogs are trained to give a final response when they find the source of the odor.
  • Dogs move on to larger environments like vehicle parking lots and warehouses for training.
  • Different voices are used to communicate with the dogs during training.
  • Handlers look for behavioral changes in dogs to indicate they've picked up on a scent.
  • Each dog learns differently based on their personality.
  • Dogs completing training are evaluated in detection and patrol capabilities before deployment.

01:24:51

"Intense Training at Syracuse Vision 205"

  • Capsules released gas when heated on a hot plate, causing discomfort upon mask removal.
  • Foreign individuals seemed unaffected by the gas, while others struggled.
  • Cupping hands under chins to prevent bodily fluids from leaking onto the floor was necessary.
  • Exposure to the gas lasted about 15 seconds before exiting the chamber was allowed.
  • Recruits in Syracuse Vision 205 identified themselves with names and division numbers, followed by a cheer.
  • Training to fight fires involved simulating ship fires fueled by propane tanks.
  • Pressure from firefighting hoses pushed individuals backward, emphasizing teamwork.
  • Recruits were trained to handle the M9 Beretta pistol safely, with a focus on mental preparedness.
  • Battle Stations event simulated various ship emergencies, including firefighting and first aid scenarios.
  • Sniper course students engaged in a stalk mission to navigate wooded terrain stealthily, facing challenges in camouflage and movement techniques.

01:43:29

"Sniper Training: Skills, Teamwork, and Techniques"

  • The schoolhouse requires thinking outside the box for a passing score, especially on the first exercise.
  • The class will have three more practical stock exercises before moving on to their great admissions.
  • Training for buddy team stocks on an objective is challenging but achievable.
  • Skills learned during stalk missions are directly applicable to future careers as snipers.
  • The focus is on collecting and reporting battlefield information rather than firing rounds.
  • The course aims to build techniques, boost confidence, and enhance abilities for snipers.
  • New Army infantry soldiers undergo a 22-week training starting with the "first 100 yards" event.
  • The event emphasizes teamwork, winning, and sets the tone for the training cycle.
  • The event replaces the previous tradition of the "shark attack" and focuses on teamwork.
  • The event includes tasks like memorizing supply configurations, quizzes, and building bunkers.

02:05:02

"Intense Combat Training Prepares Soldiers for Victory"

  • Trainees in basic combat training engage in various combat techniques to prepare for close-range encounters with the enemy, learning strikes, takedowns, and submissions in the modern Army combatives program.
  • Apart from hand-to-hand combat, trainees also practice fighting with bugle sticks to simulate using a bayonet, culminating in a company-wide pugle stick competition where disabling blows determine the winner.
  • The focus during combat training is on maintaining a fighter stance to control situations and dominate opponents, with the winning platoon receiving a reward based on the number of successful fights.
  • Private Garcia emerges as the overall winner in the pugle stick competition, surpassing the record set by Trainee Ruiz, leading his platoon to victory and earning the honor of having a streamer placed on their flag during the turning green ceremony at the end of basic training.
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