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I've always been enamored with the role of the Squad Sharpshooter, known in modern terms as a Designated Marksman. In the current generation, many think that this is a new concept, at least for the US Army, but it actually dates back to at least the Great War of 1914-1918 with other armies, and WWII for the US.
The term "Sniper" gets thrown around a lot, and many confuse the two. Generally speaking, the duties of a sniper or sniper team involve being detached and attached from your unit to another, or operating with more autonomy than a Squad Sharpshooter, who is an integral part of his squad.
As you can see, the Germans fielded self-loading DM Rifles even as early as the Great War, but this example is rare. Interesting profile of the optic, wouldn't you say?
US Self-loaders from 1944-1955
In WWII, the US had the 1903-A4, and went to the M1C and M1D in 1944, but too late to see much of any service, until the Korean War of 1950-
The Sniper variants of the Garand were designated as such, while many post-war European armies still used accurized bolt-action battle rifles.
Soviet Self-Loaders
The Soviets introduced the SVT-38 as an intended replacement for service rifles, but it failed miserably due to reliability issues when it was baptized by fire and ice in the Winter War of 1939, where my grandfather and great uncles fought against Stalin's unprovoked and failed attempt at invading and capturing Finland. They immediately made improvements to the SVT-38, and issued the SVT-40. There were sniper variants of the SVT, but it isn't an inherently-accurate rifle.
Then came the SVD in 1963, but really was intended as a squad sharpshooter weapon to cover more distance than the riflemen could, often working in conjunction with the machine gunners and RPG gunners.
US Army Training & Doctrine in the Nuclear Era
In this same period from the 1950's into the 1960's, the US Army got rid of its rather excellent marksmanship training program, and adopted "Train Fire", which was meant for conscripts shooting at Soviet motorized infantry dismounts in the Fulda Gap, with minimal training. Along with ditching a true rifleman's training regimen, the Squad Sharpshooter was lost as well.
This was done right before entering the Vietnam War, where a lot of light infantry engagements were the norm, but typically at closer ranges unless you were in the Central Highlands and other areas that presented open terrain. Rifles were valued more for firepower in chance-contact scenarios, so not much focus was placed on addressing the failures of Train Fire.
1990's
Desert Storm was a mechanized war, of very limited duration, so nothing popped up on the radar to address the marksmanship training or Infantry Squad TO&E.
It wasn't until Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan that conventional units reacted, and realized a need for a Squad sharpshooter again. Rudimentary programs were dusted off, with mainly an equipment-focused half-baked solution, involving existing M14's to be drawn from storage and fielded with optics, while other units looked at accurized M16 variants with heavy barrels, target triggers, free-float handguards, and optics.
SOCOM had its own Special Purpose Rifle program, and an 18" SPR variant emerged, along with specific DM loads with the Mk.262 77gr SMK, which is a beautiful loading for this purpose.
The trend now is going more and more towards shorter guns, since the 18" and 20" versions are more difficult to shoot positions with, and units within SOCOM really preferred to use the Mk.262 Mod 1 77gr in M4A1's that were free-floated, rather than pack the 18" SPR.
Despite attempts by some very good leaders, an institutionalized Squad DM training program never gained much traction, although it is a TO&E slot in the Infantry Rifle Squad now. The AMU worked hard to help support the Army, but nobody with enough rank was able to take it to where it really needs to go.
The AMU still provides a 10-day DM Course at Fort Benning, and it is on their training schedule, but there really needs to be a system where there are Division-level courses run at each of the combat Divisions across the Army. The AMU Course should be a train-the-trainer course where cadre go, then go back to their units. There are mobile teams that have been sourced by good units within the Army, to help come train their DM's, but the skill set needs to be internalized at a permanent training detachment at each Division, just like we did with Pre-Ranger Course and Machine-Gunner's Leader Course.
There simply is no way that every Infantry Squad can send their guys to Benning for this course. With more and more asymmetric conflicts on the horizon, well-aimed fire from tailored expeditionary units will be as relevant as it ever has been.
The term "Sniper" gets thrown around a lot, and many confuse the two. Generally speaking, the duties of a sniper or sniper team involve being detached and attached from your unit to another, or operating with more autonomy than a Squad Sharpshooter, who is an integral part of his squad.
As you can see, the Germans fielded self-loading DM Rifles even as early as the Great War, but this example is rare. Interesting profile of the optic, wouldn't you say?
US Self-loaders from 1944-1955
In WWII, the US had the 1903-A4, and went to the M1C and M1D in 1944, but too late to see much of any service, until the Korean War of 1950-
The Sniper variants of the Garand were designated as such, while many post-war European armies still used accurized bolt-action battle rifles.
Soviet Self-Loaders
The Soviets introduced the SVT-38 as an intended replacement for service rifles, but it failed miserably due to reliability issues when it was baptized by fire and ice in the Winter War of 1939, where my grandfather and great uncles fought against Stalin's unprovoked and failed attempt at invading and capturing Finland. They immediately made improvements to the SVT-38, and issued the SVT-40. There were sniper variants of the SVT, but it isn't an inherently-accurate rifle.
Then came the SVD in 1963, but really was intended as a squad sharpshooter weapon to cover more distance than the riflemen could, often working in conjunction with the machine gunners and RPG gunners.
US Army Training & Doctrine in the Nuclear Era
In this same period from the 1950's into the 1960's, the US Army got rid of its rather excellent marksmanship training program, and adopted "Train Fire", which was meant for conscripts shooting at Soviet motorized infantry dismounts in the Fulda Gap, with minimal training. Along with ditching a true rifleman's training regimen, the Squad Sharpshooter was lost as well.
This was done right before entering the Vietnam War, where a lot of light infantry engagements were the norm, but typically at closer ranges unless you were in the Central Highlands and other areas that presented open terrain. Rifles were valued more for firepower in chance-contact scenarios, so not much focus was placed on addressing the failures of Train Fire.
1990's
Desert Storm was a mechanized war, of very limited duration, so nothing popped up on the radar to address the marksmanship training or Infantry Squad TO&E.
It wasn't until Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan that conventional units reacted, and realized a need for a Squad sharpshooter again. Rudimentary programs were dusted off, with mainly an equipment-focused half-baked solution, involving existing M14's to be drawn from storage and fielded with optics, while other units looked at accurized M16 variants with heavy barrels, target triggers, free-float handguards, and optics.
SOCOM had its own Special Purpose Rifle program, and an 18" SPR variant emerged, along with specific DM loads with the Mk.262 77gr SMK, which is a beautiful loading for this purpose.
The trend now is going more and more towards shorter guns, since the 18" and 20" versions are more difficult to shoot positions with, and units within SOCOM really preferred to use the Mk.262 Mod 1 77gr in M4A1's that were free-floated, rather than pack the 18" SPR.
Despite attempts by some very good leaders, an institutionalized Squad DM training program never gained much traction, although it is a TO&E slot in the Infantry Rifle Squad now. The AMU worked hard to help support the Army, but nobody with enough rank was able to take it to where it really needs to go.
The AMU still provides a 10-day DM Course at Fort Benning, and it is on their training schedule, but there really needs to be a system where there are Division-level courses run at each of the combat Divisions across the Army. The AMU Course should be a train-the-trainer course where cadre go, then go back to their units. There are mobile teams that have been sourced by good units within the Army, to help come train their DM's, but the skill set needs to be internalized at a permanent training detachment at each Division, just like we did with Pre-Ranger Course and Machine-Gunner's Leader Course.
There simply is no way that every Infantry Squad can send their guys to Benning for this course. With more and more asymmetric conflicts on the horizon, well-aimed fire from tailored expeditionary units will be as relevant as it ever has been.
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