sniper

Daughter of two Marines featured in Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue

By Gina Harkins on February 19, 2014 Battle Rattle

Hannah Ferguson doesn’t just have two Marines as parents — her mom served as a drill instructor and her dad as a sniper. Prospective dates asked her out at their own peril, according to Sports Illustrated. Ferguson, 22, spent a lot of time hanging around her dad’s shop, and it was there where she was first exposed to a community she wanted to join. But that community didn’t involve dress blues or MARPAT. Ferguson wanted to show a bit more skin than that. “My dad has Sports Illustrated calendars in his shop,” Ferguson told Reuters. “I would always flip through them and…

2/4 Marine sniper killed by friendly tank fire, report says

By Dan Lamothe on October 25, 2011 Afghanistan, Infantry, Weapons

Last week, Marine Corps Times outlined how the deaths of four Marines in Afghanistan in a one-month period were under investigation. It looks like an explanation may be emerging for how one of those deaths occurred. A Marine sniper was killed in combat Oct. 6 when a tank platoon mistook Lance Cpl. Benjamin Schmidt and other Marines for enemy forces, Schmidt’s father said he was informed. The story was reported by the San Antonio News-Express, which is based in Schmidt’s hometown. From the story: Although a military investigation has not been completed, Schmidt said the Marine, who is stateside, told…

Behind the Cover: The push for sniper changes

By Dan Lamothe on February 28, 2011 Afghanistan, Behind the Cover, Infantry, Manpower

Few jobs in the military have as much mystique as Marine scout sniper. Army Ranger? Sure. Navy SEAL? Fair enough. The scout sniper has his own special reputation, though, and its one that’s earned the hard way. Nevertheless, there is room for improvement, say many Marines who know the community. Scout snipers have no primary military occupational specialty, have limited career options and cannot compete for big bonuses unless they leave their conventional infantry battalions for the bright lights of a job in the reconnaissance field or Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command. And it’s hurting the scout sniper community…

Marine is best enlisted leader — at Army Ranger School

By Gina Cavallaro on October 29, 2010 Camp Pendleton

It seems the Army’s Fort Benning, Ga., agrees with Sgt. Grant Royal. Not only did he kick butt at last year’s Army Sniper Competition, taking first place by a mile with teammate Staff Sgt. Joshua Huskey, but he outshone the rest of the soldiers (and one other Marine) in his Ranger School class, too. Having successfully completed the notoriously grueling 61-day course in one shot, Royal, who is an instructor at the Scout Sniper School at Camp Pendleton, Calif., walked away with the Enlisted Leadership Award voted on by his student peers. He was presented the award by Command Sgt.…

Video: Marines, journalist caught under sniper fire

By Thomas Brown on May 13, 2010 Afghanistan, Embedded journalism, Marjah

MARJAH, Afghanistan — The tension was obvious even before leaving the wire on a 6 a.m. patrol. Everyone in the fire team I was traveling with knew that a sniper had ambushed a Marine patrol the previous day in the same area we were traveling. While making our way along one of the canals that cut through Marjah, everyone was nearly silent, on high alert. We made a turn onto small, dusty road, with only the sound of boots crunching against dry rock cutting the air. Then the sniper hit. There was an intense crack and impact. A rifle round…

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