Marines Eliminate Elite Scout Sniper Platoons

[Bravo 4]

So where does all that leave this push for a new sniper rifle?

We (schoolhouse) got them 8 months back, it may take a matter of years before all units have them. The current problem is ammo for the .300 & .338 Norma. We turned in our M2010 .300 WinMags and M107 .50 cals.

 

[1mechanic]

Not a Marine, have heard that military brass are figuring that going forward, fighting will be electronic, non personnel, soldiers and Marines not required.
Mike
as a old soldier I think this is a huge mistake.

This is like when they built the f4 without guns because they thought the rockets would be all they needed, wrong!

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

Snipers are labeled "The most deadly men on the battlefield" for a reason. However the Army has been slowly drifting the way the Marines just went for a while. You would be surprised as to how even my command has treated us at the sniper school (and of the two Army sniper schools, we are the highest producer of graduates). I have been laughed at and told at least twice in the past year that nobody cares and the sniper school is not a priority to anyone. People look at me funny when I tell them our budget is so bad that we sometimes cannot support even daily operations. The last class I was in charge I spent my own money buying paint for targets, toilet paper, and get a box of fuses for our government truck that we use for range operations. I actually feel bad about retiring, they finally broke me after 20+ years of service. This is my last week before I go on terminal leave.

Good for you putting the 20 in. I could not last. To much politics in it for me. I never liked the dog & pony shows. When in the field. It was a great time. But we rarely spent much time there. We spent more time doing guard duty on empty complexes. In Germany when the EG wall came down it was a easy out. And I took it.

 

[dfanonymous]

I don't like to hear this is happening on your court. USMC had an issue with graduation rates... like you just order one off amazon... if the USMC thinks MARSOC or Recon is just going to loan them out with probably less than 300 combined they are mistaken.

The shift "on paper" is to eliminate inefficiency. I'm just explaining big Marine Corps logic, not defending it. I've seen the infantry launch counter sniper operations as well as assist in surveillance and reconnaissance, so I'm well aware of the potential. I'm just quoting you, since you might be more aware of what I'm talking about.

The fact is, STA platoon just chill at the battalion H&S, and does random trainings not related to the job, maybe schedules ranges every so often with the exception of predeployment reqs for a rotation cycle…which has stopped. SS at the division level, really don't shoot much. I don't reckon that was ever a secret.

This, coupled with battalions not effectively using these skills, they decided to just replace this with infantry marines trained essentially as DMRs to fill long range requirements in combat.

The 0317 will move to a recon mos 0322 as the training (school house) will continue to be under RTC (and its SOCOM equivalents). That usually means seat space will be lower, and boots will have to go through BRC like real men.


Added clarification: battalion meaning Div batt. Not recon batt. Recon and Force will keep on keeping on.

 

[Recon$$]

I'm not going to argue with you, your not wrong. But... it also depends on leadership ALOT. I don't have any time in a STA platoon, I got plenty of time in two different Force Bn's. Two totally different experiences.. one great, one meh.... A DM can do alot of the job, but when you need an actual sniper they just won't get it done imo. I just think it's a huge disservice to the line companies. Don't always need one, nice when you do and have the asset. Snipers just don't pull triggers. There's just plenty of other bs they could cut, I wouldn't start there. I think that's alot of the anger, rightfully so....

 

[dfanonymous]

I'm not going to argue with you, you're not wrong. But... it also depends on leadership ALOT. I don't have any time in a STA platoon, I got plenty of time in two different Force Bn's. Two totally different experiences.. one great, one meh.... A DM can do alot of the job, but when you need an actual sniper they just won't get it done imo. I just think it's a huge disservice to the line companies. Don't always need one, nice when you do and have the asset. Snipers just don't pull triggers. There's just plenty of other bs they could cut, I wouldn't start there. I think that's alot of the anger, rightfully so....

Nothing to argue brother. I agree. It's a huge mistake, and they'll be brought back when the next big conflict happens, however soon that is.

Like I said, I've seen line company snipers do good work. Specifically, non-razorbacks conducting counter sniper and surveillance operations.
I'm just paraphrasing what big Marine Corps put out without all the O-6 bureaucratic words.

 

[Recon$$]

I know we are on the same page. Sounds like you have an in into the politics, I avoid. I agree, they will be back, but like previously mentioned, at a cost. It's just garbage.

 

[436]

Sounds like someone in the mothership has a bad case of bovine anal seepage theory and a very bad case of cranialrectalmias. I'm sure the brass feels like... when they need one they'll just add water. Yeah, the Corp leadership is thinking out of the box all right, the cereal box, have they learned nothing over the years? Just my 0.2 Cheers.

 

[Marine sniper]

Nice to hear some Marine Brother here talking about this topic.