What goes on in the mind of a sniper?

A young cowboy from Texas who joined the elite US Navy Seals became the most deadly sniper in American history. In a book published this month he provides an unusual insight into the psychology of a soldier who waits, watches and kills.
As US forces surged into Iraq in 2003, Chris Kyle was handed a sniper rifle and told to watch as his marine battalion entered an Iraqi town.

A crowd had come out to greet them. Through the scope he saw a woman, with a child close by, approaching his troops. She had a grenade ready to detonate in her hand.

"This was the first time I was going to have to kill someone. I didn't know whether I was going to be able to do it, man, woman or whatever," he says.

"You're running everything through your mind. This is a woman, first of all. Second of all, am I clear to do this, is this right, is it justified? And after I do this, am I going to be fried back home? Are the lawyers going to come after me saying, 'You killed a woman, you're going to prison'?"

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It's killing that is very distant but also very personal - I would even say intimate”
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Anthropologist
But he didn't have much time to debate these questions.

"She made the decision for me, it was either my fellow Americans die or I take her out."

He pulled the trigger.

Kyle remained in Iraq until 2009. According to official Pentagon figures, he killed 160 people, the most career sniper kills in the history of the US military. His own estimate is much higher, at 255 kills.

According to army intelligence, he was christened "The Devil" by Iraqi insurgents, who put a $20,000 (£13,000) bounty on his head.

Married with two children, he has now retired from the military and has published a book in which he claims to have no regrets, referring to the people he killed as "savages".

i found this article quite interesting. some of the topics covered seem to be what many would probably think about snipers, yet i think all should read this.

What causes trauma?
The US Department of Veterans defines three sources of war-related trauma: being at risk of death or injury, seeing others hurt or killed and having to kill or wound others. Snipers suffer less of the first but arguably more of the latter two.
"A sniper is exposed to less unknown danger, has better reach and sees more," says a former infantryman and spokesperson for the UK army. "They won't be exposed to as much trauma as a dismounted, normal-operative infantryman."

link to bbc article

reply to post by rubbertramp


to claim it's "very personal" is BS
more like some abstruse form of mental masturbation IMO
no different than killing people from a computer console
using a drone.

no warriors these guys:

just cowards,
afraid of metal,
afraid of flesh

reply to post by rubbertramp


"What goes on in the Mind of a Sniper?"

You got 1 sec to live buddy.


Snipers are doing their jobs that they are trained for.

A 1 shot kill = a good day.

What goes through the mind of a sniper....hmm

what -should- go through the mind of a sniper is
headshot? check. wait for the go, or take opportunity when it arises if its up to your discretion.

No use in thinking about the target..is it a woman? a child? a opera singer? a chef? no..the only thing is, is it a threat? if yes, then make it not a threat.

As far as how they should feel...well, its good to remember the situation, but feel nothing.

Good story btw.

Snipers..most deadly..etc. meh. I think sniping requires some good skill and steady nerves, but perhaps less than a front line bullet sprayer. They tuck away in a nice hidden spot and take out targets..not really worried about anyone firing back. Its a necessary task mind you, but frankly, if your going to give props to anyone in the thick of combat, it is the guy leading the charge as it were and kicking open doors verses some guy 300 yards away under a rock pegging unaware enemys.

reply to post by DerepentLEstranger


How would you know?

HAve you done it before yourself?

Snipers realize that they are a Psychological weapon. When you know a effective sniper is in your area of operations, it is hard to focus on the tasks at hand.

One guy can tie up thousands.

Originally posted by SaturnFX
What goes through the mind of a sniper....hmm

what -should- go through the mind of a sniper is
headshot? check. wait for the go, or take opportunity when it arises if its up to your discretion.

No use in thinking about the target..is it a woman? a child? a opera singer? a chef? no..the only thing is, is it a threat? if yes, then make it not a threat.

As far as how they should feel...well, its good to remember the situation, but feel nothing.

Good story btw.

Snipers..most deadly..etc. meh. I think sniping requires some good skill and steady nerves, but perhaps less than a front line bullet sprayer. They tuck away in a nice hidden spot and take out targets..not really worried about anyone firing back. Its a necessary task mind you, but frankly, if your going to give props to anyone in the thick of combat, it is the guy leading the charge as it were and kicking open doors verses some guy 300 yards away under a rock pegging unaware enemys.

Alternately, Snipers are alone and hunted. When found they are open to capture, imprisonment and torture.

Wouldn't it be interesting if worldwide some accord was made that demanded all wars, conflicts, police actions, etc were to be fought only using technology no later than what was developed in the 13th century, with the exception of transport only (aka, planes and ships only to transport and drop off).

I bet there wouldn't be as many wars first off, something about everything being mostly melee based, and a victory would indeed be something to write home about...especially if the numbers didn't favor you.

reply to post by DerepentLEstranger


Being a sniper in the military has nothing to do with flying a drone from your FOB or wherever drone pilots are stationed. Snipers actually see the enemies face before ultimately pulling the trigger.

And what world do you live in? One that still has armies fight battles using lances and swords on horseback in suits of armor. Get real. The men fighting in todays wars are some of the bravest men ever to walk the face of the earth. Would you volunteer your time and energy to fight for something you believe in? Unless its a free Dungeons and Dragons tournament, then I doubt it.

Don't fault the soldiers for going and fighting in a war that TPTB seem justifiable. These men are brainwashed from a very early stage to believe that what they are doing over there is right. But when they get there they quickly realize that that is not the case. But at that point, what do they do? They cant just get on a plane and come home. It's either stand there and take a bullet to an extremity, or fight back. I would choose the latter.

My friend was a marine sniper in Afghanistan. Had a woman approach his convoy and she was not communicating with the men that she was safe and unarmed. He took her out, not knowing that she had her child in a satchel hanging from her back. He is now scarred for life. I doubt that he came when he realized he took an innocent life. But he was following orders. Its what they have to do.

Originally posted by Idonthaveabeard

Alternately, Snipers are alone and hunted. When found they are open to capture, imprisonment and torture.

Like everyone else on the battlefield, sure. But they are in a far safer position mostly...and who hunts them? typically the person they are shooting at doesn't say much about direction or give the sniper alert after the first bullet (if the sniper is good).

This story is about a sniper at some guard post..the people in danger were the guys on the ground having to deal with the strangers...not some eye in the sky.

Originally posted by Idonthaveabeard
reply to post by DerepentLEstranger

 

How would you know?

HAve you done it before yourself?

read my post again and again and again...

cause if you need to ask...

Originally posted by olliemc84
reply to post by DerepentLEstranger

 

And what world do you live in? One that still has armies fight battles using lances and swords on horseback in suits of armor.

That would be awesome though...

reply to post by olliemc84


same principle

did you read the link? lot's of self justification there.
i wonder why.

most the problems and pain we encounter in life
comes from making bad decisions.

other than that i'm up for post banning so i won't be goaded into T&C violations
nor do i feel the need to brag
for that is not the way of the warrior either,
nor is it manly

have nice day

reply to post by DerepentLEstranger


So I guess your the kind of person who would let your fellow troops die while you stand by and watch. Now that is true Cowardice. Have you ever served in the Military? Have you ever had to make the tough calls? If not you have no right to be calling us cowards when you standby and do nothing.

Reguardless of the reason we are at war, when we are boots on the ground in a combat zone the only thing that matters is survival. Sometimes survival means making the tough call. If you have never had to put the crosshairs of a scope on someone at a far off distance and pull the trigger, than you most deffinitely don't understand the personal feel of it and therefore should not be commenting on the issue. The question was what goes on in the mind of a sniper, not what do you think of the men who fight the wars.

To be a sniper is to be a survivor, and i quote: its best to fight then run away to live to fight another day

Snipers are the Equalizers on any battle field, for either side, and are the only modern day philosophical Samurai warriors, always in contemplation,always sensing the their opponent.

In truth they must be psychologists. to analyze themselves and their targets, then to write a prescription

reply to post by rubbertramp


Q: What goes through a snipers mind? 

A: cover and concealment. Site picture and site alignment. Windage and elevation adjustments. Slow steady trigger squeeze. 

Q: What does a sniper feel when he takes the life of his target?

A: Recoil....

reply to post by SaturnFX
I do think you need to read the enemy at the gateswww.snipercountry.com... just to give you an idea what one thinks about when hunting an other, yes that is what it is hunting it is also tracking, spying, search and recon, all rolled up in one neat tidy bundle , did you stay down wind, did you pc your spot that is pick up what you might have left behind cig buts, candy, wrappers, foot prints, spent casings. did they see the "flash" or your scope , if they see me what is the best way out do I have a way out. If I fallow orders will it come back on me. I seen them go down is it a kill or is it a near kill should I take a second shot,bullets wiz they now know I here here but not where , stay down do not move wait for it, 308 comes up too full auto, shoot and scoot burst here burst there falling back in the jungle foliage to blend in once aging, where is Pablo?

Originally posted by usmc0311
reply to post by DerepentLEstranger

 

So I guess your the kind of person who would let your fellow troops die while you stand by and watch. Now that is true Cowardice. Have you ever served in the Military? Have you ever had to make the tough calls? If not you have no right to be calling us cowards when you standby and do nothing.

Reguardless of the reason we are at war, when we are boots on the ground in a combat zone the only thing that matters is survival. Sometimes survival means making the tough call. If you have never had to put the crosshairs of a scope on someone at a far off distance and pull the trigger, than you most deffinitely don't understand the personal feel of it and therefore should not be commenting on the issue. The question was what goes on in the mind of a sniper, not what do you think of the men who fight the wars.

no, I've never made that kind of bad decision

regardless?
oh that's right: yours is not to Reason why...
seems you're in the habit of making bad decisions

and the book is just a lot of braggadocio, and self justification/glorification
EGO

Sometimes survival means making the tough call?
intelligence would have prevented you being in such a situation in the 1st place.

have i ever put someone in the crosshairs, and had to make a tough choice?
sure, i had to choose between letting my sociopath dad kill my grandma [by trying to provoke a heart attack]
and doing nothing.

being an occultist with over 25 years of experience....
you get the picture.

took my 1st streetfighting lesson in 1st grade, in the school basement,
and am still breathing at age 45.

my country, the USA is not under attack, so your argument is irrelevant.

if it ever where, well, i believe in getting at the root of the problem
and tearing it out, a quick trip to the offending country, get rid of the right people,
and problem solved.
and no women,children, or civilians involved.

jump through all the mental and moral hoops you want,
don't expect me to applaud.

reply to post by seabag
it is them not you, was it a good kill, at long rang there is always that one that could come back from the dead, a head or heart shot is survivable, mke them headless that is a good kill

I have a mate who was a sniper in afghanistan, he told me a few stories, I actually asked him the same question and his response was simple, when he originally landed there he had never killed anyone before, anyway, he and his squad or whatnot of about 15 were dropped off by chopper and had to trek up some mountain side, they came across a local walking with a couple of goats, they stopped the guy and searched him and he spoke to the local guy for a good 10 minutes and said the guy was friendly and all smiles etc.

About 20 minutes later his squad came under small indirect fire etc, and there was an American transport chopper which was called in to pick up some injured men, about 1km from where they were, (thas where they were going) and a couple of Aussie medics were on that chopper, which by now had been shot at with a rocket.

Now, he said that after he had seen the rocket, he sighted where the attackers were firing from, the first target he had was the guy he spent 10 minutes talking to previously, now at that point he said that the only thought that went through his head was "these people can't be trusted" and he killed the guy.

Apparently the guy he killed had walked about 10km obviously scouting targets, and knew that there injured blokes, according to one of the captured guys who said there intention was to try and shoot down the chopper and capture the injured soldiers. Apparently they had cameras and all sorts of gear there as well.