The USA Marine Corps disbanded its elite and historic scout sniper program as a part of its extensive revamp to adapt infantry battalions to future warfare.
The age-old MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) has been around since World War II, and one nonprofit organization representing the renowned Scout Snipers is asking the Corps move “misguided” and “ill-advised.”
“We’re shocked and saddened that our Marine Corps leadership seems to have forgotten the teachings learned in combat, paid for with the blood of our members,” the USMC Scout Sniper Association wrote on Facebook.
A memo from Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policy, and Operations at Headquarters Marine Corps, Lieutenant General David J. Furness, called for the “immediate transition of Scout Sniper Platoons to Scout Platoons” meaning that infantry battalions will not have sniper attachments, but as a substitute scouts who will “provide the commander with relevant, reliable, accurate and prompt information.”
Marine Corps officials consider that the “newly designed Infantry firms were insufficient to supply the Battalion continuous all-weather information gathering,” and that the brand new Scout Platoons will probably be higher utilized by leadership throughout the branch, in response to the memo.
As a substitute of completely moving away from sniping, a latest MOS “Reconnaissance Sniper” will probably be established “throughout the Reconnaissance Battalions.”
The brand new Scout Platoons will consist of 26 Marines, a primary lieutenant, and an infantry gunnery sergeant, which will probably be larger than the standard Scout Sniper Platoons which can be comprised of 18 Marines.
Scout Snipers are highly trained, precise marksmen, who provide support for ground combat operations and gather essential intelligence for commands across the Marine Corps.
Starting within the fiscal 12 months of 2024, there will probably be “zero allocated seats” for the “Scout Sniper Basic Course.”
“The shift to a Scout Platoon will allow those Marines to focus their training and evaluations on scouting, providing commanders the suitable tools to perform their mission,” Marine spokesman Capt. Ryan Bruce told the Marine Corps Times.
The memo also stated that designated marksmen — Marines that receive additional marksmanship training but are usually not snipers — will still remain inside infantry firms, together with precision rifles.
The transition away from sniping was called out by the USMC Scout Sniper Association, which blamed “senior leadership” throughout the Corps for not giving the Scout Sniper Platoons the resources to fulfill the Marine Corps needs.
“Fairly than cast off Scout Snipers… perhaps our senior leadership should invest the little little bit of effort and time it could take to higher train, equip and organize the highly expert and motivated Scout Snipers who’re already giving their all in defense of our Nation,” the organization fired back on the memo on Facebook.
The abrupt and controversial change comes as a part of the Marine Corps Force Design 2030 plan to restructure how the branch operates with the changing landscape of warfare.
“We urge the Commandant of the Marine Corps to reconsider this ill-advised policy decision,” USMC Scout Sniper Association wrote in a plea to reinstate the historic group.
“When you consider Scout Snipers are a precious asset to our Marine Corps warfighting capability, then it’s best to take whatever steps you possibly can to put pressure on our Commandant, Gen David Berger, and his leadership team to rescind this message and do the suitable thing. You’ve got representatives in Congress who wish to hear from you.”
The critically acclaimed biographical film “Jarhead,” based on the best-selling 2003 novel of the identical name, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Anthony Swofford — a Marine Scout Sniper — follows Swofford’s experience as a sniper in the course of the Gulf War.
