Since the movie “Sniper” the country has been in love with the mission of an American sniper…..even though most have NO idea what it takes to be a sniper…..the idea is just so romantic thanks to Hollywood……..
During my days of yore in the Vietnam War the American snipers used a variety of guns for their snipers…..there was the traditional .30-06, some used a .308 and some were given a modified M14 which in my opinion was a good weapon just a bit too heavy to lug through the jungle (or as it is called now, the rain forest)……..
I know I am rehashing the past….but for good reason….there is a story brewing that some of our present day snipers are being short changed on weapons……
US Marine snipers are known for their deadly skill. But their skill is often compensating for inferior equipment. Speaking with the Washington Post, current and former Marines say they’ve suffered in combat for 14 years with a sniper rifle that fails to perform accurately at the necessary range or hold up against weapons used by the Taliban and ISIS. While deployed in Afghanistan in 2011, Sgt. Ben McCullar says he was part of an eight-man sniper team that would exchange fire with Taliban fighters. “They’d set up at the max range of their [machine guns] and start firing at us,” he says. As the team’s sniper rifles had a range of just 1,000 yards, “we really couldn’t engage them.” The Marine Corps recently upgraded from the M40A5 to the M40A6, with a .308-caliber bullet, but the weapon still has a range of 1,000 yards, compared to 1,600 yards for the Chinese M99 and British L115A3.
“It doesn’t matter if we have the best training,” says a sniper. “If we get picked off at a thousand yards before we can shoot, then what’s the point?” McCullar says the .300 Winchester Magnum used by the US Army offers a 1,300-yard range and better accuracy in bad weather. So why aren’t they using it? Some point to Precision Weapons Section, a component of the Marine Corps contracted by Marine Corps Systems Command to build the M40. Its sole purpose is to build and repair Marine weapons, and eliminating it would mean downsizing the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps Systems Command says it has “evaluated several options for replacing the M40 series sniper rifle; however, the weapon continues to meet our operational requirements.” Without a change, however, a current instructor warns “the Marines Corps is going to learn the hard way what happens when you bring a knife to a gunfight.”
If we must have snipers then they should be given the BEST weapon possible to accomplish their mission……..
This story smacks of the early days of the Iraq war when Hummers did not have adequate shielding or the lack of body armor for the troops……if America must fight wars then they MUST provide the materials for the mission to be successful……cutting corners on equipment just so some greedy twat can show a better profit is just wrong and we should not accept short cuts of any type when dealing with our troops.
The equipment problem is scandalous but what are we going to do when we have the mess in our political system that we have? We have rules of engagement that place our troops in harms way — we have shitty supply chain corruption — we have private contractors shafting the government for millions and delivering shoddy services and equipment — There needs to be a policing system for the military supply chain and it needs to be effective and merciless. The lives of our bravest and best are worth far more than some of the efforts the government has been making supposedly on their behalf — and it extends beyond the battlefield into after care with the Veterans’ Administration Medical System too —We definitely need an administrative and logistic infrastructure overhaul for our Military.
Privatization has only accomplished one thing ….increased the greed……as long as profits are the god of choice our troops are screwed…..
That is sooo absolutely true, my friend — it is disgusting — it is sad — it is tragic and it is sooooo true! Thanks for pointing it out. 🙂
I worry about the lack of support the troops are getting……a simple thank you is not enough they deserve so much better….
Most of the “Thank You’s” they get are gotten from the same asinine idiots who send them into harm’s way in the first place and the spout all kinds of high-blown platitudes and praise about how “We will never forget your sacrifices” and then go on an forget all about their sacrifices when it comes time to add funding to Veteran’s benefits or medical care or something. I really hate it when somebody says that Vietnam is America’s “Forgotten” war but it damned well is and that speaks volumes to me about the stark hypocrisy of the right wing war mongers — and I think everyone of them should be forced into uniform and given a weapon and put on the front lines of their next contrived little military adventure in some God-forsaken little piece of real estate somewhere.
I agree……how can one understand or appreciate what the troops are doing without knowledge of their mission…..
Exactly!