Page 62 - Light Dragoons 2022 CREST

The Light Dragoons Snipers have come on leaps and bounds in the last year.
Our sniper teams have been involved in deployments and exercises all over the world including Mali and Egypt. All the while adding newly badged snipers to the teams and developing potential future snipers.
The year started out with some obstacles to overcome. Not only Covid but the quar- antine of the L115A3 Sniper Rifle. This meant that we had to make the interim sniper rifle, the L129A1 sharpshooter with the Schmidt and Bender scope fitted, worked for our requirements.
To apply this rifle to the role, the teams had to gather data and make sure they could
uphold the standard with the adapted L129A1. This led to a sniper range package put together in March resulting in a very positive outcome.
Soon after, the Regiment ran their first sniper aptitude cadre in house. LCpl Hall (Sniper Commander) as OIC and Cpl Hampson as 2IC accepted only the best and highest of standards for those hopeful candidates to get selected for the 4X course later in the year.
Following the aptitude, the DS selected two potential candidates to attend the 4X course that commenced in May, LCpl Harrold and Tpr Wilcox-Smith. Both can- didates did very well, with one first time pass and one deferral which resulted in a pass a couple of weeks later.
Cpl Dabs and Wilkinson on the range in Egypt
Cpl Dabs and LCpl Wilkinson represented the Regiment in Egypt where they took part in a multinational exercise and STTT taskings. Teaching, observer mentoring and training alongside Sniper teams from across the world. Seal teams, Green berets, SOF sniper teams from Egypt, Greece, Cyprus and Jordan to name a few.
After this past year the Light Dragoons now hold more snipers and Sniper com- manders than it has done in many years. Boasting ten badged snipers and two sniper commanders.
Thanks to last year’s success, the Regiment holds a very capable and strong sniper capability. We look forward to developing this further next year.
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The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
Light Dragoon Snipers
Data collection is key
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Cpls Hampson, Burnett and Harrold on the range in Castlemartin