Sniper: speed doesn't matter, consistency is their trademark

Snipers spend 80% of their missions on camouflage, concealment, and observing events in the combat zone; they are the eyes and ears of the commander. They perform the actual shots during the remaining 20% of the time. Sometimes, after days of camouflage, they can only make a single shot, but it must hit the target.

The hardest thing for a sniper is to control their nerves and keep bodily processes under control. They must always think three steps ahead, which is just as important as a steady hand and excellent eyesight. During the mission, it constantly runs through the soldier's mind: when to shoot, can they shoot yet, what will happen after the shot? These are events they must decide on themselves, they cannot wait for orders, as only they see the scene and only they must take responsibility for the action. In addition, there is the emotional side, as they systematically have to take a human life. They must also cope with this mentally.

In the US Army, snipers acquire skills in camouflage, concealment, distance estimation, target designation, long-range shooting, and countless other skills during their training. Training takes place in multiple stages, and anyone who fails a level can try training again, but they must start everything from the beginning.

Most students come from the infantry, for whom it is often difficult to get used to the slower pace. Consideration and methodicalness are required during observations. In most cases, weapon use is not even the point, but observation. They thoroughly assess enemy territory while remaining completely undetected. Of course, mastering excellent shooting techniques plays a very important role in sniper education, even at distances of several hundred meters. At an 800-meter shooting distance, even breathing can deflect the bullet from its planned trajectory. Knowledge of mathematics is essential for snipers. They have to perform a lot of calculations for precise position and target determinations, and for all this, they don't have a calculator, only a pen and paper (in a better case).

In the third phase of training comes the test, when the soldier must spend 72 hours observing. They must map out the life of a village during this time, find out who the community leaders are, and what the dynamics of village life are.

Snipers have an even closer relationship with each other than soldiers of other military units, because there is no immediate extraction for them. They know their companions are somewhere behind them, and they can only rely on them.

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