United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper

This image's publication, showing Scout Snipers posing with an flag in Afghanistan in 2010, triggered the controversy about the Scout Snipers' use of the symbol.

In February 2012, U.S. media reported that Marine scout snipers had been using the double Sig rune (ϟϟ, "SS") in its "Armanen" form () to symbolize their function since at least the 1980s.[2][3] The same stylized double rune was the symbol of the SS, the Nazi organization that was instrumental in conducting the Holocaust. Strong media criticism of this practice ensued. The Commandant of the Marine Corps gave orders to stop it, issued an apology, and ordered an investigation into the prevalence of this practice.[3]

A Marine official was quoted as saying that their leadership believed that the Marines did not understand the logo's significance.[3] The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, which had helped circulate an image of snipers posing with a blue "SS" flag, questioned this assumption, writing that the flag was sold by a website dedicated to German World War II and Nazi memorabilia.[4]

Despite the official prohibition, the New York Times reported in 2020 that the "SS" logo continues to be used by Marines, "much like a secret handshake".[5]

These are the basic requirements that must be met in order to attend school. Units vary with indocs and pre-reqs.

Minimum Requirements: As per HQMC School Quota Message:

• Criteria: 60 days prior to a class convening, the G-3 at each division will receive a message from HQMC stating the number of funded quotas given to each division, the gear list, report date, and criteria for attending.

Marines who do not meet the following prerequisites will be denied entrance to the program and returned to their units.

1. Must hold any rank from Lance Corporal (E-3) to Captain (O-3), inclusive.
2. Infantry MOS or MOS 0203 (Ground Intelligence Officer).
3. Vision correctable to 20/20 in both eyes. Color blindness is discouraged.
4. Serving in or designated for assignment to a Scout Sniper billet.
5. Minimum of 12 months remaining on current contract on completion of course (does not apply to reservists).
6. Must score a First Class Physical Fitness Test on the day the course convenes.
7. Current rifle Expert. Must have qualified in the last fiscal year. (Reservist can have a score three years old, but must be current Expert.)
8. No courts martial or NJP within the last six months.
9. Minimum GT of 100 (General Technical on the ASVAB)
10. No history of mental illness.
11. Must be a volunteer.
12. It is highly recommended, but not required, for the student to have completed the following MCI courses: Land Navigation, Patrolling, Calling and Adjusting Supporting Arms, and Reconnaissance Marine. It is also recommended, but not required, that the student have conducted basic Scout Sniper field skills: stalks, concealment, field sketches, range cards, range estimations, and firing of the M40A1 rifle prior to attending the course. Students should also possess a high degree of maturity, equanimity, and common sense.
13. Swim Qual: 500 meter swim using side or breast stroke, 50 meter swim holding a weight out of water, tread water for 30 seconds holding a weight out of water, no signs of panic.

• Phase 1: Marksmanship and Basic Fields Craft Phase
  • During this phase, Marines are trained in basic marksmanship on the Known Distance (KD) Range and also receive classes in basic skills such as camouflage, individual movement, weapons systems, observations, and field sketches.
  • Day one begins with in processing, which includes a PFT, gear check, and service record check for prerequisite compliance. Potential students must also pass day and night land navigation courses. After all students have been admitted to the course, classes and a general overview of the course are given.
  • KD range includes shooting at the 300, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, and 1000 yard lines. Five rounds are fired at each yard line. During this phase of training, Marines must become experts at the fundamentals of marksmanship. They must also become experts at calling wind and weather. During this portion two students work together, one on the rifle and the other behind the spotting scope calling wind. If a student is not proficient at calling wind, they will cause their partner to fail, not themselves. After the first student fires his rounds, the two switch positions. After each yard line, the students must quickly throw on their packs and grab all their equipment and run to the next yard line. The course of fire for qualification is as follows:
    • 300, 500, & 600: three stationary and two movers
    • 700: three stationary and two stop and go movers
    • 800: three stationary and two bobbers
    • 900 & 1000: five stationary
  • Out of 35 rounds, 28 rounds must be in the black to qualify on the range.
  • After the range students head back to the schoolhouse and clean weapons. After this important task they immediately do a field sketch and observation exercises. Often a Kim's Game is conducted as well.
    • During an observation, students must use their M49 Spotting Scope and binoculars to find 10 hidden items in a specifically defined area. These observations can be done at short distances utilizing miniature items, or at long distances with full sized items. Observations are an essential skill that the sniper must learn to be effective. Furthermore, for the purposes of the course it is important to learn observation skills, particularly how to "Burn Through" bushes for the stalking phase. Learning this skill is imperative to being able to find the observation post from behind cover during stalking and is often the difference between a student passing or failing. An overall average of 70% must be obtained on observations to pass the course.
    • During a field sketch, students are given an hour and a specific area or building to sketch. The target must be drawn with as many details as possible. It must include information about its surroundings and target reference points on the sketch. Sketches are graded for neatness, correctness, details, and usable information. An overall average of 70% must be obtained on field sketches to pass the course.
• Phase 2: Unknown Distance and Stalking
  • The UKD (Unknown Distance) and Stalking portion kicks off as soon as Phase 1 is completed. During this phase students will become experts at engaging targets at unknown distances by way of range estimation and range cards.
  • During the unknown distance phase students will run 100-pound steel targets out to ranges between 300 and 800 yards. There are 10 targets in each course of fire, and after each course of fire, the targets are rearranged.
    • A student has two attempts to hit each target, a first round impact is worth 10 points and a second is worth 8. An overall average of 80% must be obtained during the 3 weeks of UKD to pass the course. **Thereafter, the portion of the course with the highest attrition rate begins, stalking.
  • Stalking involves moving from a distance between 1200 and 800 yards to within 200 yards of an observation post (OP) undetected. After doing this, the student must set up a Final Firing Position (FFP) and fire two shots without being found by the OP within a time period of 3–4 hours.
    • After the first shot is fired, a walker (a neutral instructor who does not help students or the instructors in the OP) will get close to the sniper's position to make sure he can positively ID the OP. Positive ID is established by the observers holding up cards with 2-3 letters on them above their binoculars. The sniper must then correctly tell the walker what is written on them. After positive ID has been confirmed, the walker will move within 10 yards of the shooter and inform the OP that he is within 10. The OP will then attempt to walk the walker onto the sniper's position by way of movement commands. The OP must get the walker within 1 foot of the shooter. If the shooter cannot be found, the walker will tell the shooter to fire a second shot on his command. After the second shot has been fired, the OP will look for blast from the rifle or movement from the shooter. If the OP cannot find the shooter, then the walker will indicate the shooters position to the OP and check to make sure the shooter had the correct windage and elevation settings, along with correct position and stable shooting platform.
  • Grading is as follows for stalking:
    • 0: Being out of bounds on the stalk lane, not freezing on the command freeze (when the OP believes they know the position of a student, they call freeze and all students on the stalk lane have to immediately freeze in whatever position they are in), poor FFP.
    • 40: Caught out of range or fired out of range (not within 200 yards).
    • 50: Caught within range.
    • 60: 1 shot fired but, no positive ID, incorrect windage or elevation, unstable shooting platform.
    • 70: 1 shot fired and positive ID, correct windage, elevation, shooting platform but OP walked onto shooter after first shot.
    • 80: 2 shots fired and positive ID, correct windage, elevation, shooting platform but OP saw blast from shooter's position after second shot.
    • 100: 2 shots fired and positive ID, correct windage, elevation, shooting platform and shooter was never found.
  • Students must obtain an overall average of 70% out of 10 stalks, with a minimum of two 100s and no more than a single zero in order to pass stalking.
• Phase 3: Advanced Field Skills and Mission Employment