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Becoming a Sniper (merged)

At the risk of revealing my advancing years, anybody out there remember the old Cdn. Army training film "I am a Sniper" and/or its companion Brit training film "Reconnaissance Patrol"?
 
This thread is so utterly pointless that it is......you guessed it - pointless.  What a waste of bandwidth.  Those who seriously aspire to be snipers will join the infantry and put in their hours/show their merit over a period of years.  Those who are looking for a "quick road" will falll  by the wayside.  We intake many, many soldiers who meet the basic 031 prerequisites and standards every year.  Far more fail.  Of those who make the grade, a very few will demonstrate the personal and professional attributes to progress to Basic Reccee Patrolman, let alone Basic Sniper. 

All of the above to say, those with delusions of "sniper grandeur" need to give their adonlescent heads a serious shake.  There is no "quick and easy" road to sniper status, nor are the vast majority of "wannabe" applicants well-suited to the specialty.  There is no particular "glory" in being a sniper, nor is there any particular shame in attempting the qualification and failing out.  Some soldiers are well-suited to the trade specialty and some are not.  It is really that simple.  You cannot joint the Army as a Sniper, and most of those who aspire (after years of service as infantrymen) will not qualify.  The Sniper qualification and moniker is one that does not come easy.  It requires a very specific skiill-set and mental attributes.

Those who would purport to be "snipers" from the get-go based on media crap are doomed to failure.  The Canadian Army's snipers are proven soldiers who have done their requisite time in rifle coys, then Recce Pl, and are finally (after 3 or 4 years of service) recognized as being suitable for that particular vocation.  Sniping is not an "entry level" vocation, not aptitude.

My $.02 for the multitude of "wannabe's" on this particular web-site.
 
...and that, my friends, is a good way to end this thread.

Use the search function for stuff on Snipers, you should find everything you need to know.
 
CBH99 said:
This is back to the original topic of snipers, slightly deferred from the ammunition talk - sorry.

I complete both a Basic Sniper course and an Advanced Sniper Course, both through a training school known as The Edge.  (This school is owned and operated by an ex-CF member, "Rob", who is currently working in the middle east as a private security contractor).

My question is:  Does the CF consider civilian-based sniper qualifications adequate substitutes for people who haven't taken the CF sniper course?

I used to be in the Reserve (Calgary Highlanders) - and got out to focus on school.  Since I got out of the Calgary Highlanders though, I've taken a number of private security based courses, including tactical EMS courses, sniper courses, etc, etc.  If I were to get back in, which is the plan once this year of the degree is finished, would the CF consider my civilian qualifications of any weight when applying for CF courses or employment opportunities?

Good Question.

THe CF really doesn't care about Civi Qualifications, IN THE COMBAT ARMS.  hey are slowly coming around in the non combat arms trades, (Firefighter etc.)  As a member of Recruiting, I cant tell you many Horror stories of guys qualified to teach Paramedics, who came in as a Medic in the Reserves and Isn't even alowed to put bandaids on because they have to re-do there Paramedic course to meet the CF standard.  The really sad part is this person took the exact course they army wants him to do again, but he needs to check in weekly with a WO to ensure the training is going ok.

Now wirht regards to your training, It would at this point IMHO, not be considered.  Was the instructor ligitimitly qualified?  Did you learn stalking, High Angle shooting?  Are you know qualified on the C3 or the .50, or the New .338?  These are not questions I ask, but ones the CF would.  And as I have worked for them recently and know them, the WO's at CTC Gagetown in the sniper cell could teach you the course wuicker than thye could veryfy all those qualifications.

Like I said, just cause you can do it, doesn't mean your qualified to the Army's standard.  Try driving your personally owned Iltis to work everyday, and not being qualified iltis.
 
Please take note:

The ABOVE Post is in reply to a topic that has not been discused for over two years.  Many in that discussion have left the site or know the answers already.

NEW POSTERS to the Site, should take notice to the warning above the "REPLY BOX" before they continue making a post.
 
Oh Jeebus....      ::)

LOCKED.

Regards
 
I found this out researching Snipers,that 2 RCR has an 18 man Sniper Platoon.

http://www.dragoons.ca/csqnsniperplatoon.html

Is this the standard for each Infantry Battalion,or is this unique only to 2 RCR?
 
For one thing, that website is for the RCD, not the RCR and it states:

Sniper platoon is currently in the midst of rebuilding an 18 man platoon
then:

2 RCR snipers have been involved in tours in Bosnia, Eritrea, Haiti, and Afghanistan 3 times. Once as part of the RCD Battle Group in 2005.
Not really sure how the two are related, unless it's to prove the requirement for a Sniper platoon.
 
All infantry battalions have sniper assets.

VinceW said:
I found this out researching Snipers,that 2 RCR has an 18 man Sniper Platoon.

http://www.dragoons.ca/csqnsniperplatoon.html

Is this the standard for each Infantry Battalion,or is this unique only to 2 RCR?
 
PMedMoe said:
For one thing, that website is for the RCD, not the RCR and it states:
then:
Not really sure how the two are related, unless it's to prove the requirement for a Sniper platoon.

To be fair to the poster, the C Sqn page he referred to is indeed part of the RCD webpage, but C Sqn is also the 2 RCR BG Recce Sqn in Gagetown (part of the OBG). That Recce Sqn has a Sniper Platoon with two sections and it is at full strength right now. I can't speak definitively about the other battalions, but I think that most have one section.

Cheers
 
I've seen the larger sniper organizations elsewhere and the organization is "doctrine" according to the GMR Pamphlet.

Is there any movement with the C Sqn experiment to see Armoured Soldiers moving into the organization, or is it still the domain of the infantry?
 
Cole, took this from the RCD Site:

RCD 125th Anniversary Parade at CFB Gagetown
Written by MCpl Todd

2008 is the year the Royal Canadian Dragoons celebrate their 125th birthday. Throughout the year, many parades have happened in locations where Dragoons have been based or have served, the largest of which was held at the Parliament building in Ottawa. And on October 25th, it was time for CFB Gagetown to be recognized.

Historically, the RCD have had a presence in CFB Gagetown since the conception of the Canadian Forces Base. Recently, Recce Squadron, was formed from ‘C’ Sqn as part of the Battle Group 2021 Experiment, once again establishing an operational Dragoon presence in CFB Gagetown.

As part of the 125th celebrations, a parade was held at the base museum. Dragoons from Recce Squadron and the Armoured School, both long time serving members and young soldiers new to the Canadian Forces, came together to acknowledge CFB Gagetown’s significance in the history of the Dragoons.

Many dignitaries were there including LCol M.A. Frank (CO RCD), CWO D.W. Head (RSM RCD), LCol G.S. Parker (CO 2RCR), CWO K.V. Burgess (RSM 2RCR), Col S.J. Bowes (Comd CTC) as well as the mayor of Oromocto and many veterans.

During the parade, the history of the Dragoons was read including the many times the Dragoons have served proudly at CFB Gagetown, not just on extra-regimental duties, but also as operational squadrons. Special mention was also given to the newly created 2 RCR Recce Squadron.

Many thanks were given to the town of Oromocto and CFB Gagetown for their hospitality towards Dragoons, past and present.

The troops on parade stood proudly that crisp fall morning and performed their drill with excellence.  Nothing less would be expected as this is the way Dragoons have done in the past, and the way they will continue to do so in the future.

BOLDED ITEMS MY EMPHASIS.

C SQN RCD seems to consist of the fol:

RECCE PLATOON
SNIPER PLATOON
RECCE TROOP

And my guess is that C SQN forms part of 2 RCR, Kilo COY (any RCR's confirm this please)
Kilo Company is the battalion's combat support company. It contains reconnaissance, sniper, and signals platoons, the battalion headquarters and a military police detachment. Kilo Company is affiliated with the city of Fredericton New Brunswick.
 
Just to clear things up, C Sqn is not part of K Company. C Sqn is known in 2 RCR as "Recce Sqn" and it is a sub-unit of its own (G, H, I, Recce, K and L). It consists of:

  a.  SHQ
  b.  Recce Platoon (Infantry Recce Patrolmen in LUVW)
  c.  Recce Troop (Armoured Recce in Coyotes)
  d.  Sniper Platoon

We are adding a second Recce Troop in April.

Infanteer,

I believe that the Sniper Platoon is now the doctrinal construct, but I am not sure if the other battalions have the platoon on their actual manning slate (as opposed to a section). 2 RCR had been leaning forward in terms of Sniper numbers so we were able to fill the second section.

As of yet we have not placed any Crewmen in Sniper Platoon. I have no plans to do so in the near future, but I rule nothing out.

Cheers

T2B
 
Well, there you go, you learn something new everyday.  I guess I can go home now!  ;)
 
The sniper group as employed in Recce Sqn, 2 RCR BG, is doctrine and is part of all inf battalions.  Whether or not it's manned to 100% is another matter.
 
Technoviking said:
The sniper group as employed in Recce Sqn, 2 RCR BG, is doctrine and is part of all inf battalions.  Whether or not it's manned to 100% is another matter.

The Ninja snipers, on the other hand...
 
I remember in High School, I got to select which compulsory courses I got to attend after completing my career studies. Is there a similar process within the forces? I'd like to have some control over guiding my career, but I do not know the way courses are handled; is my course load just assigned to me based on what the forces need from me? Or do I get to select which courses I want to take.

The reason I ask is that I go through my BMQ in a month, then battle-school after that, then I become Infantry. MY goal in life has been leading to me being a part of a sniper team, and I have already passed the first two hurdles (getting in and getting my first choice, infantry).

I know I have 4 years to serve before I can become Cpl. Do I get to pick up courses during that time? Is there a course calculator with which courses are required for which Specialty trade?

If this is a repost please delete, just wondering where to start.
 
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