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204th SFS trains sharpshooter teams

  • Published
  • By Luke Elliott
  • Fort Bliss Public Affairs
FORT BLISS, Texas (AETCNS) --  The word sniper brings many things to mind, such as Marines, Army scouts or even Tom Berenger as Thomas Beckett in the Hollywood movie, "Sniper." One thing it might not bring to mind is the U.S. Air Force or, more specifically, the Texas Air National Guard.

Perhaps it should, now that the Texas Air National Guard's 204th Security Forces Squadron, based at Biggs Army Airfield here, has established a new capability known as sharpshooters, the Air Force version of snipers.

Senior Airman Jose Felix, 204th SFS sharpshooter, said it surprised him to learn that the Texas Air National Guard has snipers or sharpshooters.

"I was pretty surprised when the opportunity arose to join the team, especially since it's in the fundamental stages," said Airman Felix, a former infantryman with the 10th Mountain Division who has been on the squadron sharpshooter team for about a year. "I wanted to be part of an elite team that can make a difference out there."

In 2005, the 81 mm mortar system went away, and the squadron moved some of the mortar slots to the .50-caliber machine gun and Mk 19 grenade launcher teams and used the remaining slots to form the sharpshooter teams, said Chief Master Sgt. Mark Lindell of the 204th SFS.

"It (sharpshooting) is another defensive capability we can bring to the fight," Chief Lindell said. "You can just see the enthusiasm our sharpshooters have for it."

Enthusiasm may seem a bit of an understatement to someone listening to sharpshooter Tech. Sgt. Robert Johnson, lead noncommissioned officer for the 204th SFS sharpshooter teams, as he speaks passionately about his profession.

"Our mission is to deliver long-range, precision rifle fire; enhanced observation and reporting in support of airbase defense and continuous airfield operations," Sergeant Johnson, a former Marine Corps infantryman who volunteered for the squadron's sharpshooter team, recited verbatim from memory.

Sergeant Johnson said that, of all the skills in the military, he believes a sharpshooter's is the most perishable.

"You always have to keep training," Sergeant Johnson said.

To keep their skills honed, squadron sharpshooters use both military and civilian police training.

"There's a big difference between military sharpshooters and civilian police snipers," said Sergeant Johnson, who indicated that military sharpshooters engage targets at about 1,000 yards, while the average police sniper engages targets at about 70 yards. "We (squadron sharpshooters) are forced to learn and embrace and be proficient in both worlds."

Sergeant Johnson said movies such as "Sniper" give the profession a bad name.

"They try to glorify the sniper," Sergeant Johnson said, indicating that 99 percent of the job doesn't involve engaging enemies. "The primary mission of the sharpshooter is gathering information. Those movies glorify the dropping of the hammer and the sending of 115 grains down range. There's nothing glorifying about it. It's a job."

Sergeant Johnson said that a person must be in great physical shape and have a real desire for the job in order to become an Air Force sharpshooter.

"The No. 1 requirement is (that) you have to want to do it," Sergeant Johnson said. "You have to want to do it so bad (that) you're willing put up with a little pain. You have to have the heart and the will."

"The unit (204th SFS) is very special because it's not geographically adjacent to an Air Force wing," said Maj. Gen. Charles G. Rodriguez, Adjutant General of Texas. "This makes it possible for them to be a lot more inventive. ... They have a very good track record of taking their own initiative."

Part of what makes the unit special is their sharpshooter capability. They are, according to Chief Lindell, the only Air National Guard unit with this capability. Sergeant Johnson added that while there are about 270 sharpshooters in the Air Force, 12 of them reside with the 204th SFS.

"Twelve of 270," Sergeant Johnson said. "That's amazing."

Sergeant Johnson estimated their squadron, which consists of about one sharpshooter for every 10 Airmen, has more sharpshooters than any other Air Force unit in terms of percentage.

"We're a unique organization," said Lt. Col. Scott Elliott, 204th SFS commander. "There is no other organization in DOD (Department of Defense) for us to mirror after."