Some of the more disturbing hazards of the battlefield are snipers. If a skilled sniper targets you
specifically you had better get your affairs in order. Fortunately most of us are not going to be important
enough to rate that sort of attention. The biggest danger from snipers is becoming a target of opportunity.
There are some specific steps we can take and habits we can develop that will help prevent becoming a
target of opportunity.

To help decide what makes us a harder target we need to turn things around– what do snipers look for
in a target? What makes a sniper choose who, when, and where to shoot? By figuring out what makes a
sniper's job easier we can determine what will make his job harder. Harder all the way up to impossible
with any luck.

The typical sniper team doesn't have much in the way of massed firepower (too bad if he calls in some
artillery or an air strike on your position) so he tries to make any shots he takes worthwhile. Weapons
crews, commanding officers, and senior NCOs are some of the people that a sniper will look for. He
identifies these people in a combat environment by looking for target indicators. By avoiding target
indicators you can try to confuse a potential sniper.

Officers are a prime target. I know you worked hard in OCS to get those nice shiny lieutenant's bars but
don't wear them in a combat area. Try to wear the same uniform as everyone else. That means subdued
or even no insignia. Don't salute in a combat zone. If your men start to salute you it means they don't like
you anymore and are letting the snipers know who you are. Be careful with hand and arm signals or
gestures. The guy pointing here, there and elsewhere is usually in charge. Likewise don't stand around
with your hands on your hips while everyone else is working. There aren't any regs that state officer's
can't work. Either join in the fun or find something else to do. Try not to have everyone congregate on
your position. If there's one fellow standing in place while everyone else looks or moves toward him, he's
just collected a great big bull's-eye to go with his other decorations.

Being mistaken for an officer is just as bad as being one. The U. S. military is one of the only armies in
which enlisted men carry pistols. If you brought your favorite hawglaig along from home for
peace-of-mind, carry it concealed. A foreign sniper is likely to think you must be an officer. Likewise
binoculars, or even a compass. Keep them tucked away and be careful when and where you use them.
And don't stand near the RaTelO (Radio Telephone Operator or RTO). He may be your best buddy
and gettin' lonely but he's also sniper bait. Anyone sticking close to him is likely to look like an officer.

Sniper's have a set of ranges at which they can operate most effectively. Most won't take a shot within
300 yards. It sets them up for counterfire too easily. At the other extreme the longest recorded sniper kill
was at 2500 yards. Typical sniping will occur at under 500 yards. That means that if you are visible to
the tiniest bit of cover within a 300 to 2500 yard radius you could be subject to sniper attack.
Comforting thought, that. The solution is to act like you're always under observation (and no, it's not
paranoid in a combat area). Be aware of your surroundings even out past 300 yards. You won't see a
good sniper but he might screw up. If you see a reflection off his scope or movement or even the muzzle
flash from his first shot it may save your butt. You won't get any help if you're shuffling along looking at
your feet.

The most important thing is to not set predictable patterns. Don't go to the chow hall at the same time
every day. Don't even hit the head at predictable times. If you keep walking through his sights at 0800
every morning Joe Sniper may decide to pot you just for the heck of it. If a sniper is looking for you
specifically a lack of movement patterns will make it tougher for him to set up a shot.

One predictable pattern that you'll just have to deal with is the fact that you'll be coming and going from
wherever your base of operations is located. After a long patrol it's easy to get complacent when you get
in sight of that front gate but you have to stay alert. That sniper is going to be watching that gate and he'll
have the range dialed-in. The places you think you're safest are where you let your guard down and
make yourself an easy target. First and last light are times of day when people are usually at their least
aware. It's also when snipers love to operate. Tough though it may be, you have to stay particulary sharp
at first an last light.

Don't stand around in an exposed position if you can help it. Get behind cover if you're going to stay in
one position. When you are exposed, keep moving. Move erratically. Moving targets are harder to hit
and if someone is trotting then walking then suddenly stopping it becomes extremely difficult to figure
leads.

Concealment is almost as good as cover. If a sniper can't see you he won't pick you as a target. Watch
your camouflage. Don't get silhouetted against contrasting backgrounds. If you are leaving a lighted
building and don't have blankets hung on the doorways, don't spend any time in the doorway. All that
light is making you a big fat silhouette target and the distances are easy to figure off a doorway. Turn out
the lights before you leave or get off to the side as soon as you step out. Better still is to hang some tarps
or blankets to keep the light from showing when people enter or leave. The same thing is true for
windows or observation ports.

With modern night vision devices darkness doesn't provide the concealment it used to. Just because you
can't see doesn't mean the sniper can't. Act as if you're always under observation, even at night. And
don't starch your BDUs. You may think those natty creases look sharp but starch makes you light up
like a Christmas tree in infrared. You might as well hang a "shoot me" sign around your neck. Don't stand
around in well lit areas either. Joe Sniper may not have night vision so there's no point in making it easy
for him. Smoking wrecks your night vision and the glowing coal marks you for a target– especially in
infrared. Be careful when and where you light up.

Try to organize instant responses to sniper attacks. Have people looking for movement after the shot.
Bore sight artillery or mortars on any previously used sniper hides. If they're dumb enough to use 'em
again you can give them a surprise. If you can positively identify a sniper position then lay a little
suppression fire on it as soon as a shot is taken. Don't get carried away as the sniper will leave his hide
almost immediately, but if your response is quick enough you may surprise him. By setting up a few
decoy dummies you may be able to get a sniper to reveal himself. By decoy dummies I don't mean the
new guy. Make some up with old uniforms.

If a sniper takes a shot get all the information you can from witnesses. Exactly what position was the
victim in when he got hit? Which way was he facing and how was he standing? How much time between
the crack of the bullet and the thump of the muzzle blast? People may not be able to give an exact time
but they can usually duplicate the rhythm if you catch them right away. Ask everyone in the area where
they thought the shot came from. Look for where the bullet struck. Be careful while you do this as there
is a sniper out there that has proven he can hit that spot. A rifle cleaning rod inserted into the bullet hole
will point right back at the sniper's position. All this information can help your counter sniper teams
determine where the enemy hides are located.

The best defense against snipers are more snipers. Sniper teams of your own can look an area over and
tell you where enemy snipers are likely to set up. They can identify areas of concealment that may need
to be cleared or approaches that can be mined or booby trapped. Snipers can instruct your people in
what to watch for when looking for enemy snipers. More importantly they can go hunting.

Sniper teams prowling the area will make enemy snipers plenty nervous. Your own teams may spot signs
of sniper activity before you start losing people. When they start eliminating enemy snipers the other guys
may very well shift operations out of your area. Sniper platoons tend to be small and can't tolerate a lot
of losses. Hard shooting snipers of your own may simply eliminate the enemy snipers in your area. That's
the best option of all.