Physical requirements and attributes that make a good sniper

Introduction Basic Attributes Mental Capacity Emotional Stability Evaluation and Selection Introduction When organizing a team for operational deployment in both the Military side and the Law Enforcement side, there are certain attributes to look for when selecting individuals to try out for the team. Many would consider marksmanship the key element, but in reality, marksmanship can be taught in a fairly short amount of time if the student has a basic understanding of marksmanship and firearms in the first place, where as other attributes that are desirable take a lifetime to teach, or come naturally, or are even instinctual in some people. These are the attributes you should be looking for. In some cases, the right attitude, personality or even emotional state are desirable over even the best marksman in the unit if that person is lacking in some of these other areas. Basic Attributes or Traits While it is about impossible to find the perfect person to be a sniper, there are some basics that will help determine if a person will excel in this role, or not. Probably the most important thing is attitude. The person has to want to be a sniper, and should posses a "can do" attitude and needs to be motivated. Now, false motivation without evaluation is not necessarily a good thing either. Which brings me to what I would consider the next important thing, and that is Mental Capacity. Without the ability to learn or problem solve, things will be difficult down the road. We'll talk about the mental side of things in a section below. If you find a person who has the right attitude, and the ability to think, then there are several other basic personality traits that are also helpful. Some of them may include: Marksmanship - Yes, it can be taught, but if the person is a natural or has experience in competitive shooting, it does help considerably. Physical Condition - Snipers go through a lot and it is a physically demanding job. If the person cannot handle the insertion phase, they will not be able to handle taking the shot after the insertion. Vision - Colorblindness is bad, target detection being the obvious reason. Vision beyond that needs to at LEAST be correctable to 20/20, preferably without glasses. I say that, even though I wear glasses. I'll be the first to admit that glasses can be a pain. Extra glint, possibility of getting broken or lost, added lens to look through when shooting, etc. But, there have been some great snipers that wear glasses, it is just not desirable. Physical Vices - Like smoking, chewing tobacco, alcoholic, and other dependencies. These things make life difficult when in the field for long periods of time, or on a roof top for 24 hours during a standoff. The body just physically has to deal with it. I had a team mate who was a smoker, and while he was good, the smoking was a handicap. The nicorette gum helped, but it still was difficult. The smell that gets into everything that a smoker wears is also a potential liability. Field craft - Someone who has had extensive experience in the field is a huge asset. Hunters, trappers, backcountry fishers, etc all tend to develop skills that are learned over a lifetime. These skills usually directly translate to sniping and are desirable. Those that have attended schools like tracking, survival, E&E and others are also beneficial. Of course, personnel with extensive experience in the field and with lots of experience in real world deployments in combat situations are very desirable. Firearms Knowledge - Knowledge about firearms, how they operate, what makes them accurate, and other things along those lines is also a nice trait. Someone who genuinely has a love or passion for firearms tends to enjoy shooting and usually quickly picks up on the marksmanship skills. The ability to keep a finely tuned tactical rifle operation at peak performance is also nice to have. Patience - It was once explained to me that a good sniper is the type that can sit on the porch and whittle on a piece of wood all day without getting bored or losing focus. There is wisdom in this, as a "Sniper does more waiting and lying than shooting and slaying." One must be able to take detailed notes in a patrol log for 48 hours and not miss a minor detail at hour 47. It is critical to success. Attention to Detail - For similar reasons to patience, a sniper needs to be able to focus and not lose that focus on the details of any operation. From weapons maintenance to a detailed sketch of the AO, no detail is less important than another. Again, it is critical and can determine success or failure of an operation. Ability to get along with others - Specifically a teammate. A sniper team develops into a very close companionship, it needs to for the team to operate effectively. If a team member does not get along with another, it will show during operations together. There are some other "larger" considerations that must also be evaluated in a candidate. We will talk about those now. Mental Capacity I mentioned above the importance that I place on mental capacity. I may not follow the common thinking of many, but I have seen and experienced a lot that shows the importance of a sniper team being able to think on their feet and to be able to learn quickly and easily. Let us start with the scholarly side of things. A solid understanding of math and science go a long way. Let's face it; there is a lot of each in long range shooting. Math is everywhere... just look at ballistic charts, then the mil-relation formula and range estimation, range cards, etc. Someone who understands the difference between 3.1 mils and 3.3 mils when ranging a target will be much more accurate when estimating range. Or if they can understand what each click of their scope equates to at 550 meters. Of even being able to convert between meters and yards, or from mps to fps in ballistic charts if operating in any other country outside the USA. The same goes for physics. It is much easier to understand the effects weather conditions have on ballistics if you know that hot air is thinner, or humid air is thicker. Even if you do not know the exact amount to adjust for a 20% change in humidity, someone with a good understanding of physics would know at least which way to adjust. These things are important and are encountered all the time when in the field. This translates also into being able to determine how sound may echo, which way a scent will carry, what direction an unseen wind may be flowing in a canyon, etc. Biology is another area that can be helpful with field craft. Now, I have only mentioned book learning so far, but mental capacity is more than that. Some one who is a good student and enjoys learning can become a great student of the craft and will learn a lot, very fast. This is very desirable as there are so many things to try and learn and master. A person who embraces the opportunity to learn new things will be far ahead of even a master marksman who thinks they know everything. Emotional Stability Emotional stability is also very important because of the nature of the job, both for the military sniper, and the law enforcement sniper. It is much easier for someone to take another life when they themselves are being threatened or someone they know is in danger. But when a sniper is laying concealed and taking aim on a person who is posing no immediate thread takes a completely different set of emotions to perform. A sniper needs to be emotionally stable and able to deal with these stresses. Believe it or not, religion can be a help here, as those that have solid religious beliefs can be very solid in what they are doing, of course, that is if they believe they are doing it for the good of mankind, or against evil. Another critical part of the emotional evaluation of a potential sniper is what that person will do while operating as a sniper, and after. The power to stalk and eliminate a target while remaining undetected is a huge responsibility and the candidate should have good moral beliefs and should not have any track record of excessive violence or abuse. Psychological evaluations are a common means to determine emotional and psychological behaviors of a potential sniper. Here is a list of some of the tests that are available: Minnesota Multi-Phasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) - Provides a personality profile of the individual. California Psychological Inventory - Measures normality traits like self-confidence, achievement potential, motivation levels and trainability. Meyer Briggs test - Determines the method by which an individual analyzes data, feelings, senses, perceptions or judgment. Otis Intelligence Test - Correlates IQ with adaptability. The higher the IQ, the easier to train. Group-Embedded Figures Test - Determines perceptual and cognitive thinking ability These are not the only tests that are available, and perhaps not even the best. But its at least somewhere to start. Evaluation and Selection So, we know what we are looking for, so how do we select them? This usually involves a selection process setup by a selection committee, headed by the commander. The candidates should be identified ahead of time, taking care to eliminate those that do not meet the basic requirements or the major emotional & mental requirements. Those that do should be asked to try out, but only on a completely volunteer basis. Do not force someone who does not want to be a sniper to try out, even if they are the best qualified. Again, that goes back to their attitude and desire. Once the candidates have all been notified, the selection process can begin, usually involving at least a psychological evaluation. Beyond that, the selection process can vary quite a bit depending on the type of team you are looking to fill, available slots, and your own personal experiences. Some evaluations that may be considered are: Marksmanship - Qualification with an M16 or other standard issue firearm Firearms knowledge - Knowledge test about basic firearms and operational understanding Soldier or Patrol Officer Skills quiz - Basic soldiering or policing knowledge can be tested. Like first aid, tactics, radio communication, etc. The basics skills will need to be advanced for a successful team. Personal Interview - Find out what drives the candidate, how they feel about sniping and the responsibilities associated with the position, etc. Field Training Exercise (FTX) - Another means of determining basic soldiering skills Aptitude test - Or examination of ASVAAB scores. The idea is to try and determine learning ability. PT Test - Physical ability And others as the committee sees fit. The selection should be done by the committee, as individuals have different backgrounds and the different committee members may notice different things about a candidate. The selection process is sometimes very difficult, and other times very easy. Sometimes it works out, other times it does not. Just gather all the information you can, get to know the candidates and make your best guess. Hopefully this information has at least provided a starting point.