Page 31 - MERCIAN Eagle 2018

Sniper Platoon – CSgt Waters
It has been an extremely busy year for
the Company; the Sniper Platoon has faced a series of challenges. This included training soldiers on vehicles, such as quads and armoured fighting vehicles, as well as training attached Recce soldiers for the duration of Ex PRIAIRIE STORM
1. To achieve this members of the Sniper and Recce Platoons were sent on a quad operator course in Bulford in preparation
for the upcoming exercises and to develop some useful SOPs for the newly formed Platoon. They also deployed to Castlemartin to hone their shooting skills and start working together as Pairs and Sections; this would be essential in understanding how each other pair and section operated. Also, the attached Recce soldiers conducted ACMT’s with the Sniper Rifle so that they could use them in BATUS.
In late February, the Platoon conducted a CSTTX with the KRH BG – this was the first time we had come together as a BG, and to see how each other operated. The Platoon then deployed to Canada in mid- April and after three weeks of preparing the vehicles we deployed on to the Prairie. We first conducted several days of live- firing, followed by a number of days of dry training, where we conducted some low- level skills. The lack of cover on the prairie made these drills especially difficult to get into positions undetected and destroy all targets (HVT’s and C2 nodes). That said, the Platoon were outstanding throughout PS1, and always put the OPFOR on the back-foot.
After some well-earned leave, the Platoon reformed in September to conduct a Basic Sniper Operators Course. This was a very long and demanding course, conducting live and dry training over a series of
different and challenging locations within the UK. The culmination of the course was badging six new members of the Platoon after successfully passing the course.
The Platoon is now fully-manned and we are looking forward to next year where I am sure it will be busy and challenging with the upcoming shooting and sniping competitions.
The culmination of the course was badging six new members of the Platoon after successfully passing the course.
Sniper hide / Salisbury Plain / Sep 18
Pl Comd: CSgt Jay Waters Pl Sgt: Sgt Dave White
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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