Photo By Sgt. 1st Class William Howard | Sgt. Justin Strickland, infantry senior sniper, Headquarters and Headquarters Company,...... read more read more
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FORT CARSON, Colo.— A Soldier squeezed the trigger and the percussive blast of a Barrett M107 .50-caliber sniper rifle disrupted the momentary silence by hurling a round at a target more than 1,000 meters away.
Snipers of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, engaged targets during a sniper familiarization range, Sept. 10 at range 105.
The Soldiers took turns firing the M110 Semi Automatic Sniper System and Barrett M107 .50-caliber sniper rifle under the guidance of an experienced spotter.
Spotters use a Shooter Objective Ranging Device to calculate distance, elevation and weather conditions to adjust the shooters aim before each round is fired.
“The spotter is the brain behind the operation,” said Pvt. Jesse Smith, infantryman, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 38th Inf. Reg., 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div. “As long as my scope is where they tell me it needs to be I squeeze the trigger and let it go.”
Smith is a new infantryman and said that the mentorship he’s receiving from the senior snipers will help prepare him for sniper school in the future.
“The learning experience is pretty easy and you catch on fast,” said Smith, a native of Surprise, Ariz. “If you’ve ever shot hunting rifles before it’s pretty much the exact same thing.”
Sgt. Justin Strickland, infantry senior sniper, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 38th Inf. Reg., 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div., said that marksmanship is important for a sniper but their main mission is reconnaissance.
“We’re there to tactically disrupt and recon the enemy,” said Strickland, a native of Dallas. “People think we’re there to make a shot but our main goal is to recon and provide intelligence.”
Spc. Alberto Ciccone, infantry senior sniper, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 38th Inf. Reg., 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div., said he deployed as a sniper to Afghanistan and mainly provided support while perched up in high places.
“Overall it’s been a good time and I love being a sniper,” said Ciccone, a native of Howland Center, Ohio. “If I could I would stay a sniper for my entire career in the Army.”
| Date Taken: | 09.10.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.22.2014 16:36 |
| Story ID: | 142883 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, CO, US |
| Hometown: | DALLAS, TX, US |
| Hometown: | HOWLAND CENTER, OH, US |
| Hometown: | SURPRISE, AZ, US |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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