Recently received at AmericanSnipers.org …
NOTE:
While some units have everything they could possibly need … SOME damn sure do not.
And since AmericanSnipers.org is about U.S. … and not any one man … the letter may as well have been written to you personally.
Names and dates deleted for OPSEC/PERSEC.
Please help 'em kill our enemy whenever you can friends.
Dear Sir,
I am writing you, as I am sure many do, to ask for donations. It is with a heavy heart that I do so, as I am not one to ask for charity. I am however bound to, as I am responsible to do all that I can to ensure the survivability of my snipers. I believe that I have extinguished all other hopes, and this is my last resort, let me explain my situation.
I “grew up” in the army at 2nd Ranger Battalion. It was there that I learned how the army was supposed to work, and also became introduced to the science of sniping. It was a difficult decision to leave active duty, so difficult in fact that after a short period of civilian life; I decided to enlist in the National Guard. I deployed with the National Guard to Iraq in 200X, and returned in December of 200X.
Once returned, our unit realigned as a “heavy maneuver battalion”, thus creating a sniper section that prior to, did not exist. It was then that I was asked to help form and lead our sniper section. It has been quite the battle.
A “heavy maneuver battalion” has 2 tank companies, and 2 mechanized infantry companies, all four very expensive. I have a 10-man section that is almost always overlooked. I don’t mean to speak poorly of the military or my unit, but the situation is grim. Snipers are the bastard children of the military, praised when they need us, and shunned when they do not. We don’t get the funds or equipment to train the way we need in order to be combat effective.
My command does not understand the precision machines that we are, and the support that it takes to keep us running. Unfortunately, as we both know, they still maintain high expectations regardless of support. I try to absorb some of the cost myself, purchasing cleaning materials, manuals, ballistic software, using my own optics for training, the list goes on, as does the cost.
The morale is plummeting in my section. I have the few motivated troops in my unit, and no equipment to train them with. We request, borrow, and beg for this equipment, but to no avail. If the regular army has it bad, imagine the National Guards budget!
My unit is not currently deployed, but I have been recently. Snipers are in heavy demand, and rightfully so. I have reason to believe we will be going again real soon, a first for many of my men.
I want to prepare these guys as much as I can. I owe it to them and their parents, it is my job, and I must remain tireless. And this is why I write to you, to ask for help from someone who knows what it’s like. Any help your organization could provide would be a godsend. I know that on top of the usefulness the equipment will provide, knowing that someone out there cares would be a HUGE morale boost for my troops.
I want you to know also, that regardless of your ability to help with supplies, your support for our community does not go unnoticed. In this day of anti-patriotism, CNN, 19 year old know it alls and political agenda dummies, it is nice to find a fellow gunslinger who knows the pains that we suffer.
I have included a list of specific items that are severely hampering our training and combat effectiveness. Some of these items are costly and I hate to even ask, but as I mentioned earlier, as a leader I am not afforded the luxury of pride.
Again, any help would be a godsend.
God bless you and your organization, gentlemen like yourself and those who make up your organization are the reason we put ourselves in harms way.
May the wind be calm, The targets be far, And may your bullets find their mark,
SSG XXXXXXXXX
Sniper Section Leader
(10) Surefire G2 Nitrolon flashlights (to replace the junk angle head flashlights)
(4) M14 stocks (Fulton Armory) (I “acquired” M14’s, but they need some help)
(4) Mini Binoculars, What we are issued is too large and often left in our rucks
Spotting scopes or Leupold MK4 riflescopes (my M14’s are without optics)
(1) Kestrel 4000 weather meter (we have 50 cals’ and shoot FAR but need some help)
Any cleaning gear you may have for 5.56 or 7.62, mainly good rods, solvent, and patches
(10) mildot masters – for quick engagements, these are a terrific asset
Any data books or data book material / data cards
Any molle pouches for our IBA, we got the junk body armor, but no pouches to hold anything!
Turner leather slings for my M14’s, I have no slings.
Again, I know this is a huge list, any help would he a HUGE help.
Thanks for all you do.
Donations of money or the listed equipment can be arranged through the AmericanSnipers.org website:
This is Brian Sain’s outfit, and it is a fantastic organization by all reports. If you can spare the price of a box of ammo to help equip our snipers to protect their fellow soldiers and complete the mission we have asked of them, please give. Contributions are tax-deductible.
Like the old WWII poster says:
