WEBVTT

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- Breathe, relax,

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aim, squeeze.

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^The primary mission of a sniper is to provide

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^long-range precision fire on key targets

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^and select targets at opportunity.

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- [Narrator] However, Staff Sergeant Michael McCook

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sniper section leader for the HHC Second

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124th Infantry Battalion says there's much more

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to sniping than pulling the trigger.

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- It's the stalking onto an objective undetected.

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It's sitting in a hide for 24 to 72 hours,

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uncomfortable, whether it's raining,

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whether it's hailing, whether it's lightning.

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You're sitting there gaining eyes on.

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We're the eyes and ears for the battalion.

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- [Narrator] Saturday, his sniper section simulated

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the US Army Sniper School test record fire one.

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He says the key to success is teamwork.

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- [Michael] Your spotter is looking down range,

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reading wind, and giving you a call

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before you even squeeze off a round.

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- [Narrator] It's an exercise Sergeant McCook is using

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to prepare his non-qualified snipers

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for the real test at sniper school.

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Candidates, like specialist Jeremy Cicio.

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^- I want to be a sniper.

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^It's something that for some reason

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^I've been attracted to ever since I was a little kid.

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- [Narrator] Specialist Cicio and his father

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have seven minutes to range five targets,

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adjust for wind speed and engage.

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- I'd like to be on the forefront

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of helping our nation win more.

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- [Narrator] Bullets pierce the air,

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and each bullet that Cicio sends far

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brings him closer to sniper school.

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- Passing sniper school would

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definitely be a life goal for me.

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- I wanna build their confidence

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that they can do this, and when they go,

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they have all the knowledge in front of them.

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They just got to pay attention

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to the instructors and execute.

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- [Narrator] Not only is McCook setting up his section

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for success, he's also working to build espirit de corps

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with Florida's other sniper sections.

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- We're gonna set up interstate competitions

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and send the first place, the second place teams

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to both the international sniper competition

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at Fort Ben in Georgia,

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and the Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship

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at Little Rock, Arkansas.

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- [Narrator] Getting into his unit isn't easy.

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- You need to be three expert qualifications

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in a row and over 270, 90 in each category,

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on the APFT.

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- [Narrator] For once you're in,

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you'll never want to leave, according to McCook.

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- Just shooting guns, smelling gunpowder,

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there ain't nothing like it.