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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
May 21, 2012 - 6:52:41 PM |
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Blackanthem Military News
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| A Chilean sniper practices his aim while waiting to begin the Sniper Stalking event at the Fuerzas Comando competition 2010, June 17. Chile is just one of the 18 countries competing for the title of top special operations team in the Western Hemisphere. The competition is being hosted by the Dominican Military. Exercise Fuerzas Comando is designed to promote the interoperability and military partnerships among countries. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Deldravin Sykes-Robinson, SOCSOUTH PAO/102nd Mobile Public Affairs Office) |
SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Special Operations teams from 18 competing countries at this year's Fuerzas Comando event low-crawled their way through a densely covered range outside the Dominican Army's 1st Infantry Brigade military base, June 17.
Donned with ghillie suits and camouflage paint on their faces, the objective was for the two-man sniper teams to make their way through approximately 1,500 meters of thick brush and trees and remain undetected by the observing judges as they made their way to their final targets. In order to receive the maximum number of points, a sniper team has to be within 200 meters of each target before firing a blank round.
Each target also had a letter on it which needs to be correctly identified by each team in order to be awarded extra points. The longer a sniper team goes without being detected the more points they earn. The event was worth 100 points of each country's overall competition score.
The sniper teams faced an extra hurdle, however as the bright mid-day sun eliminated the shadows typically used by snipers to provide extra concealment on their position.
This event, conducted in the thick vegetation and stony, rolling hills of the Dominican countryside, demanded that each team demonstrate the physical and mental toughness that are the hallmarks of Special Operations Forces.
One Paraguayan Special Operations soldier discussed the complexity of this event.
"It's very difficult because the judges are snipers too, and they know where and what they are looking for," he said. "You have to be smarter than them."
With the two-and-a-half hour time limit ticking away, the sound of a sniper's shot echoes through the valley. Soon after, hand-held radios come to life as the observers work to pinpoint the sniper's location. Just then, a second shot rings out, the Brazilian team stands up and walks out of the tree line. For them, this part of the competition is done.
For the Brazilian team, the defending champions of last year's Fuerzas Comando competition, this environment and terrain is familiar.
"It was pretty easy for us because we train for this type of scenario all the time," said a member of the Brazilian sniper team. "We got within 70 meters."
Exercise Fuerzas Comando is designed to promote the interoperability of Western hemisphere countries. The Dominican Republic is the host of this year's competition and senior leader seminar and the United States Southern Command is the sponsor of this event.
Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH) is the lead U.S. military organization for coordination.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| A Panamanian Special Operations comando checks his sights before the Fuerzas Comando Sniper Stalking event in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, June 17. The sniper stalk is one of several events that the competitors will participate in throughout the week. In order to receive the maximum number of points in this event, a sniper team has to be within 200 meters of each target before firing a blank round. Each target also had a letter on it which needs to be correctly identified by each team in order to be awarded extra points. The event was worth 100 points of each country's overall competition score. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Walter Guthrie, SOCSOUTH PAO/102nd Mobile Public Affairs Office) |
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| An observer of the 2010 Fuerzas Comando competition communicates with competing teams maneuvering through the Sniper Stalking event. This event is just one of several that make up the week-long exercise. Though Fuerzas Comando is a competition, it is designed to test military strength and promote partnership within the western hemisphere. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Deldravin Sykes-Robinson, SOCSOUTH PAO/102nd Mobile Public Affairs Office) |
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