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HOHENFELS, Germany— 7th Army Training Command kicks off this years’ European Best Sniper Team Competition at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, Aug. 5-14, with competitors from around the European theater.
Twenty-seven sniper teams will compete against each other in a grueling test of sniper skill, speed, and knowledge. Competition lanes are purposefully unknown to the competitors to increase the challenge. Nations who are competing this year are Bulgaria, Canada, Czech, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States.
For the first time since its inception, the competition is being held at Hohenfels Training Area and is also the first sniper competition to allow multinational participation since the pandemic started. All appropriate COVID-mitigation measures are in place according to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center’s Observers/Coach-Trainers, responsible for hosting the competition.
2nd Cavalry Regiment, among other units sending teams, prepared snipers in Grafenwoehr Training Area for the competition.
“We trained on sniper tactics and engaged targets on the range with 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment,” said Sgt. John Visco, a 3rd Squadron, 2CR sniper participating in the competition.
“We crisscrossed with 4-2’s snipers to exchange information and training because the lanes are unknown so we can be ready for anything,” said Sgt. Gerald Bistine, Visco’s teammate and another sniper of 3-2CR.
7th ATC modeled the competition’s lanes to represent a period of time in history where snipers were a key role, honoring events from World War I to more recent conflicts.
“Without revealing the lanes, so as to keep the integrity of the competition, it will be by far one of the best competitions I’ve ever been a part of in my 26 years of service,” said Sergeant Major Michael Sanchez, the Match President of the competition and senior O/C-T at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center.
“The teams have already arrived here, and we’re giving them a chance to zero their weapons, check their optics and make sure they’re ready to go before the competition,” said Sanchez.
With the details of the competition under close hold, the competitors know they’ll have to rely on their experience and skill as a sniper team to be named this year’s winner.
“The competitors can expect to use their abilities to utilize maps, conduct reconnaissance, use their weapons systems, conduct physical fitness, have knowledge on sniper tasks, adapt to new situations, (their) mental and emotional toughness will be put to the test each day, all the time,” said Sanchez.
| Date Taken: | 08.05.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.05.2021 12:06 |
| Story ID: | 402487 |
| Location: | HOHENFELS, BAYERN, DE |
| Web Views: | 334 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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