Becoming a Scout Sniper

[Machx2]

you better think LONG and HARD about why you want to be a S.S.

it's not just something you can walk into. It's a commitment.

you have to score high enough on your ASVAB to begin with.

Also be ready to be able to piss and shit on yourself. In training you have to go 24hrs without leaving your position. That means no getting up ect. Waiting to take the shot.

[LANTIRN]

Also, unless you want to just become infantry or a cop, you can't join the military with the goal of a specific job and expect it to have a decent chance of happening. Each branch has certain career fields, and each career has a certain amount of each rank it is allowed. They try very hard to stay under the max and over the min. This means that what job you get is ENTIRELY based on your timing of when you sign into MEPS, go to basic training, and enter tech school. Most likely you will be going Open Electronics, or Open General, Mechanical, etc. THEN in basic you MIGHT get to pick a job that is available, and it is a pick list; you put down 5 or 6 and THE MILITARY picks them for you. Pure luck of the draw, for the ones you qualify for. That is for a normal job like avionics. Something specific like scout sniper or special forces, you have to meet rigorous qualifications, then exceed them in order to beat the other guys into the two available slots, and then you have to be good enough to get through training. THEN you have to make it in your first year and a half as 3 level and complete all your CDCs (normally) and stay up on training to even stay in that job and not be forced into retraining into kitchen detail. Besides security forces, only a handful of people I went in with had jobs before basic and they basically waited a year for that job to open. One guy went special forces but had to qualify before hand and did not complete training due to a death in the family. If you really want to do it good luck but it's not as simple as walking into the recruiter and signing your name by the career "sniper".

[94StangFiveO]

Also, unless you want to just become infantry or a cop, you can't join the military with the goal of a specific job and expect it to have a decent chance of happening. Each branch has certain career fields, and each career has a certain amount of each rank it is allowed. They try very hard to stay under the max and over the min. This means that what job you get is ENTIRELY based on your timing of when you sign into MEPS, go to basic training, and enter tech school. Most likely you will be going Open Electronics, or Open General, Mechanical, etc. THEN in basic you MIGHT get to pick a job that is available, and it is a pick list; you put down 5 or 6 and THE MILITARY picks them for you. Pure luck of the draw, for the ones you qualify for. That is for a normal job like avionics. Something specific like scout sniper or special forces, you have to meet rigorous qualifications, then exceed them in order to beat the other guys into the two available slots, and then you have to be good enough to get through training. THEN you have to make it in your first year and a half as 3 level and complete all your CDCs (normally) and stay up on training to even stay in that job and not be forced into retraining into kitchen detail. Besides security forces, only a handful of people I went in with had jobs before basic and they basically waited a year for that job to open. One guy went special forces but had to qualify before hand and did not complete training due to a death in the family. If you really want to do it good luck but it's not as simple as walking into the recruiter and signing your name by the career "sniper".

Good info. I appreciate it. I understand the commitment and effort that it will take.

[TENGRAM]

Buuut, if he did the military first, college would be paid for.

Half my college was paid for by the gov't anyway. The rest was low interest subsidized loans which will be paid back in less time than he'll spend in the military.

[suckerdin]

Lol @ video game nerd comment. I actually got a laugh out of that. I would want to join(Marine Corps preferably) regardless. The S.S. program is just honestly the most desirable job to have, in my opinion. I'm at the tip of the iceberg now and still have a ton of decision making yet to do.

the key thing is decision making. you have to be able to sacrifice (quite literally) everything you have.

i wrote a blog entry recently on how the government fucks our military.

here's a link if you're interested: http://stkmedia.com/?p=40

talk to anyone and everyone you know that has military experience before anything. only they can give you a realistic idea.

[line-em-up]

...

I bet a recruiter would have the answer to your questions. Just sayin'.

Do you mean one of those people that will lie through their teeth to get you to sign up? They are the very last people I would ask for advice.

[BMCSean]

Your score on the ASVAB will have a lot to do with it, it requires a lot of math knowledge. As stated earlier being the spotter is the harder job, mental conditioning is more prudent than physical although you will still need to be in good shape. My friend is a sniper in the Air Force and I am a veteran also so good luck to you.

[V8tt]

First thing: You don't join any branch of the military as a sniper.
Second: Scout Snipers (MOS 0317) are US Marines. You enlist in the
infantry (03humpalot) and you can try for a school seat. If you don't get it (and most likely you won't) then you serve as whatever part of the infantry your MOS designator is...ie 0311 is a rifleman - 0341 mortars etc etc. If you DO make into the school you still run a very low percentage of graduating. It is a very difficult school. Plus you have to be a certain rank before school availability, perfect PFT, recommendation is probably very helpful...etc etc.

Good luck to you if this is the path you want to pursue, but at your age I think you might have missed the boat to be a Scout Sniper in the Marine Corps. Why? you ask.

You are 25 now. By the time you sign up..get all testing done and out of the way and head to boot camp you are probably approaching 26. Once boot camp is over and you actually join the fleet you still have time in grade/time in service before reaching E-3 (LCpl). This is the rank you MUST be before being considered. During this time you are a grunt. AND you are the lowest piece of scum in an infantry battalion. You will probably deploy overseas (combat) and at the very least you will probably attach to a MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) where you will do 2...count them 2...Med Floats or West Pacs depending on your duty station. Plus being low shitbag in a grunt unit fucking sucks. And I can guarantee you that no CO will allow you to sit idle stateside waiting for E-3 so that you can POSSIBLY catch a school seat. So...all that being said...clock is ticking. Good luck in whatever you do.

I served 6 years in the Marines. I was a 5811 with many grunt friends (i know wierd right) and a few that were Scout Sniper/Recon Marines. If you have anymore questions about that or the USMC in general just PM me or I will let you buy me a beer and I will fill your head with reasons you shouldn't try this. Lol.

[94StangFiveO]

Now, honestly, at my age, is it possible for me to go in and be successful at this?

Nevermind, post above answers.

[V8tt]

Now, honestly, at my age, is it possible for me to go in and be successful at this?

Nevermind, post above answers.

Anything is possible bro. It comes down to your commitment level and determination. If it is something that you really want..then don't listen to some jarhead sitting behind a keyboard typing on a car forum chatboard. Go fucking do it! And then come back here and tell us how you did and what you went through. You will never accomplish what you want in life by asking others if they think it is something you should do. Just fuckin do it and get the shirt that says you did it. And fuck some bitches on the way to do it. And then come back and posts tits or GTFO!

[BMCSean]

First thing: You don't join any branch of the military as a sniper.
Second: Scout Snipers (MOS 0317) are US Marines. You enlist in the
infantry (03humpalot) and you can try for a school seat. If you don't get it (and most likely you won't) then you serve as whatever part of the infantry your MOS designator is...ie 0311 is a rifleman - 0341 mortars etc etc. If you DO make into the school you still run a very low percentage of graduating. It is a very difficult school. Plus you have to be a certain rank before school availability, perfect PFT, recommendation is probably very helpful...etc etc.

Good luck to you if this is the path you want to pursue, but at your age I think you might have missed the boat to be a Scout Sniper in the Marine Corps. Why? you ask.

You are 25 now. By the time you sign up..get all testing done and out of the way and head to boot camp you are probably approaching 26. Once boot camp is over and you actually join the fleet you still have time in grade/time in service before reaching E-3 (LCpl). This is the rank you MUST be before being considered. During this time you are a grunt. AND you are the lowest piece of scum in an infantry battalion. You will probably deploy overseas (combat) and at the very least you will probably attach to a MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) where you will do 2...count them 2...Med Floats or West Pacs depending on your duty station. Plus being low shitbag in a grunt unit fucking sucks. And I can guarantee you that no CO will allow you to sit idle stateside waiting for E-3 so that you can POSSIBLY catch a school seat. So...all that being said...clock is ticking. Good luck in whatever you do.

I served 6 years in the Marines. I was a 5811 with many grunt friends (i know wierd right) and a few that were Scout Sniper/Recon Marines. If you have anymore questions about that or the USMC in general just PM me or I will let you buy me a beer and I will fill your head with reasons you shouldn't try this. Lol.

This is dead on! All of the "glorified" duties in the military are not easy at all to get. The failure rate is extremely high, not saying he can't do it,but perfect example: I know a guy who went through nearly two years of training to become a PJ and broke his leg the last month, spent the rest of his time in the military as a cop.

[94StangFiveO]

Anything is possible bro. It comes down to your commitment level and determination. If it is something that you really want..then don't listen to some jarhead sitting behind a keyboard typing on a car forum chatboard. Go fucking do it! And then come back here and tell us how you did and what you went through. You will never accomplish what you want in life by asking others if they think it is something you should do. Just fuckin do it and get the shirt that says you did it. And fuck some bitches on the way to do it. And then come back and posts tits or GTFO!

Goddamn man now this is what I need to hear, maybe I'll buy you that beer so you can talk me out of it! Haha

[LANTIRN]

Now, honestly, at my age, is it possible for me to go in and be successful at this?

Nevermind, post above answers.

At 25 you an be successful in the military; I knew guys 30 and 31 who joined and planned on a career. It's just there are certain jobs you are less likely to be able to compete in; and I say compete because that is exactly what you are doing. Keep in mind other branches as each one has their pros and cons, and they all offer different jobs. I spent 6 years in the Air Force, feel free to PM me with any questions you might have.

[jw33]

25 is pretty long in the tooth for the USMC. You will need to put a few yrs in the fleet Marin Corps, be a PT God, and damn lucky enough to get picked. And even more than an outstanding rifleman/shooter you better be able to read a map like a champ. Impossible? No, but very hard to do at your age.

[Forever_frost]

Yep, you want to be a sniper? You go into the infantry and prove yourself with your skills. You don't walk into a recruiting office and tell them you want sniper, they'll laugh and get you to sign off as a latrine engineer.

Army is a bit easier than Marines as far as school goes, we had down time Stateside, to go to school if we weren't actually in the field and if you signed up for a school, usually they made sure you went.