TEAM MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES
S ITE L OCATION
3-72. The sniper team must use imagination and ingenuity in choosing a good location for the position.
The location must allow the team to be effective, but must also appear to the enemy to be the least likely location for a team position, such as—
The undersides of logs in a deadfall area.
Tunnels bored from one side of a knoll to the other.
Swamps.
Deep shadows.
Areas inside rubble piles.
3-73. A sniper team must remember that a position that seems ideally located may have the same appeal to the enemy. Therefore, the team avoids choosing locations at, on, or near—
A point or crest of prominent terrain features.
Isolated objects.
Bends or ends of roads, trails, or streams.
Populated areas.
C
ONSIDERATIONS3-74. Whether a sniper team remains in position for a few minutes or a few days, the basic considerations for locating the position are the same:
Location.
Time.
Personnel and equipment.
Location
3-75. When selecting a location, consider—
Type of terrain and soil.
Enemy location and capabilities.
Type of Terrain and Soil
3-76. Digging and boring tunnels can be tough, whether in hard soil or in fine, loose sand. The team adapts any gullies, holes, or hollow tree stumps that they can find.
Enemy Location and Capabilities
3-77. Enemy patrols in the area may be close enough to the position to hear any noises that the team might make during construction. The team also considers the enemy's night vision and detection capabilities.
Time
3-78. When selecting a position, time considerations include—
Length of occupation.
Construction time.
Length of Occupation
3-79. If the sniper team's mission requires it to remain in one position for a long time, the team builds a more livable position. This allows the team to operate more effectively for a longer time.
Construction Time
3-80. During mission planning, the sniper team must consider how long construction will take.
Personnel and Equipment
3-81. When selecting a position, personnel and equipment considerations include—
Personnel needed for construction.
Equipment needed for construction.
Personnel Needed for Construction
3-82. If needed, the team coordinates for more construction personnel or for a construction security element.
Equipment Needed for Construction
3-83. The team plans for the use of any extra equipment needed for construction (e.g., bow saws, picks, axes).
OCCUPATION
3-84. During the mission-planning phase, the sniper also selects an ORP. From the ORP, the sniper team reconnoiters the tentative position to determine the exact location of its final position. The ORP should provide cover and concealment from enemy fire and observation, and offer good routes into and out of the selected area. From the ORP, the team moves forward to view the tentative position area (Figure 3-8).
While reconnoitering or moving to the position, the team—
Moves slowly and deliberately in the low crawl.
Stays in the shadows, if any.
Stops, looks, and listens every few feet.
3-85. When the sniper team arrives at the firing position, they—
Conduct a detailed search of the target area.
Start constructing the firing position.
Organize equipment for easy access.
Figure 3-8. Tentative position areas.
CONSTRUCTION
3-86. A sniper mission always requires the team to occupy some type of position. These positions can range from a hasty position, which a team may use for a few hours, to a more permanent position, which the team might use for a few days.
NOTE: The team should always plan to build their position during limited visibility.
T
YPES3-87. The team can use hasty positions, expedient positions, or belly or semipermanent hide positions.
Hasty Position
3-88. The team uses a hasty position when they are in a position for a short time, when they cannot construct a position due to the location of the enemy, or when they must assume a position on the fly.
Advantages
3-89. This type of position—
Requires no construction. The team uses whatever is available for cover and concealment.
Can be occupied in a short time. As soon as they find a suitable position, the team need only prepare loopholes by moving small amounts of vegetation or by simply backing a few feet away from existing vegetation to conceal muzzle blast.
Disadvantages
3-90. This type of position—
Restricts observation of large areas. This type of position is normally used to observe a specific target area (intersection, passage, or crossing).
Offers no protection from direct or indirect fires.
Relies heavily on personal camouflage. The team's only protection against detection is personal camouflage and the ability to use the available terrain.
Timelines
3-91. This type of position does not require construction. The team should remain in this type of position only for up to 12 hours.
Expedient Position
3-92. When a sniper team must stay in position longer, they should construct an expedient position (Figure 3-9).
This position keeps the sniper's silhouette as low as possible, but still allows him to fire and observe effectively.
Figure 3-9. Expedient position.
Advantages
3-93. This type of position—
Requires little construction. This type of position is constructed by digging a hole in the ground just large enough for the team and its equipment. Soil dug from the position can be placed in sandbags and used for building firing platforms.
Conceals most of the body and equipment. Only optics, rifles, and the heads of the sniper team are visible above ground level.
Provides some protection from direct fires due to its lower silhouette.
Disadvantages
3-94. This position—
Affords more freedom of movement than the hasty position, but movement is still restricted.
Team members must keep themselves below ground level and raise and lower their heads slowly.
Affords little protection from indirect fires. This position offers no protection from fragmentation and falling debris.
Exposes the head, weapons, and optics. The team must rely heavily on the camouflage of these exposed areas.
Belly Hide Position
3-96. This type of position (Figure 3-10) is much like the expedient position. However, the team can dig out a belly-hide position beneath a tree, rock, tracked vehicle, rubble pile, or any other available object that offers overhead protection, freedom of movement, and a concealed entrance and exit.
Figure 3-10. Belly hide position.
Advantages
3-97. This type of position—
Has overhead cover, which protects the team from the effects of indirect fires.
Enables the team to move freely in the darkened area inside the position.
NOTE: Cover the entrance or exit door to prevent silhouetting.
Enables the team to store all equipment except the rifle barrels, which must remain in a hide position. If team can build a large enough position, they might also keep rifle barrels inside.
Disadvantages
3-98. This type of position—
Takes longer to build than an expedient position.
Uses more materials and tools such as saws, axes, and waterproofing.
Limits the sniper's body positions.
Timelines
3-99. This time required for construction varies from 4 to 6 hours. The team should remain in this type of position from 12 to 48 hours.
Semipermanent Hide Position
3-100. The semipermanent hide position (Figure 3-11) is used mostly in defensive situations. Like the belly hide position, it takes more people and time to construct than other types of positions. It can be constructed by tunneling through a knoll or under natural objects already in place. Unlike the belly hide position, it is designed to allow sniper teams to remain in place for extended periods or to be relieved in place by other sniper teams.
Figure 3-11. Semipermanent hide position.
Advantages
3-101. This type of position—
Offers the most freedom of movement within the position. Team members can sit, stand, lie down, and move back and forth freely.
Has overhead cover, which protects the team from the effects of indirect fires.
Offers complete concealment. Only the loopholes are detectable.
Lets both sniper and observer see the target area at the same time.
Is easy to maintain for extended periods.
Lets the team operate effectively for a longer period of time than other types of positions.
Disadvantages
3-102. Compared to other types of positions, a semipermanent hide position—
Takes more people, time, and tools to build. For this reason, it must be constructed well away from the enemy, at night, and finished before dawn.
Increases risk of detection. Using a position for several days or having teams relieve each other in a position always increases the risk of detection.
Timelines
E
LEMENTS3-104. Hide position should incorporate the following elements—
Pit.
3-105. Construction of the hide position starts with the pit, since it protects the sniper team. The snipers remove all excavated dirt by placing it in sandbags, taking it away on a tarp, or removing it by some other means. Then, they hide the dirt in a plowed field, under a log, or in another location.
Exterior Construction
3-106. Belly and semipermanent hide positions can be constructed of stone, brick, wood, or turf.
Regardless of material, the team does their best to bulletproof the front of the hide position. The team can use the following techniques:
Pack protective jackets around the loophole areas.
Emplace an angled armor plate with a loophole cut into it behind the hide loophole.
Sandbag the loopholes from the inside.
Overhead Cover
3-107. The team builds the roof on top of logs. To keep dust out of the position, they place a tarp, layers of empty sandbags, or canvas over the logs. They follow this with a layer of dirt, a layer of gravel, another layer of dirt, then camouflage. They should try to countersink the roof to make it hard for the enemy to see.
Entrance
3-108. To prevent detection, the sniper team constructs an entrance door sturdy enough to bear a man's weight.
Loopholes
3-109. Constructing loopholes (Figure 3-12) takes care and practice to ensure that they allow adequate fields of fire. Each loophole measures 10 to 14 inches in diameter inside, tapering to 4 to 8 inches in diameter outside. Overhead clearance must allow the sniper to sight on the target area with his scope. To camouflage loopholes, the team uses foliage or other materials that blend with or are natural to the surroundings.
NOTE: To cover a large area, a position may have more than two sets of loopholes. The entrance/exit must be covered to prevent light from entering and highlighting the loopholes.
Also, the team should cover the loopholes when they are not using them.
Camouflage
3-110. The ground surrounding the hide must appear unaltered; camouflage must blend with the surroundings.
Figure 3-12. Loopholes.
Approaches
3-111. Because construction time would have been wasted if the enemy saw the team entering the hide, the team must conceal their approaches to it. They should try to enter the hide in the dark, move as little as possible, and adhere to trail discipline. In built-up areas, they need a secure and quiet approach. To avoid drawing attention to the mission, they must plan movement carefully.
R
OUTINE3-112. Although the construction of positions may differ, the routines while in position are the same:
When rotating observation duties, the sniper weapon should remain in place on the firing platform, and the optics should be handed from one team member to the other.
The sniper data book, observation logs, range cards, and the radio should be placed between the team members so that both have easy access to them.
The team members should establish a system of observing, eating, resting, and making latrine calls.
SECTION IV. OBSERVATION
The sniper team's success depends upon its powers of observation. The purpose of observation is to gather facts and provide information for a specific intent. The sniper team performs the secondary mission of collecting and reporting battlefield intelligence to enable the commander to act rather than react.