Hunters: U.S. Snipers in the War on Terror (28 page)

In seven months, Byron had experienced the war in Iraq and all that it had to offer. Underneath, he knew that at any moment his life could have been taken. To survive it all, a certain amount of paranoia was needed along with the ability to kill. The weight of it all, everything that he had done and seen, was tucked away to be dealt with at another time. Iraq was no place to ponder his circumstances, especially with his life on the line. Little did he know, however, that it would all catch up with him soon enough.

By late March 2005, Byron was home in America. In a matter of days he went from a war zone to civilian life, and the adjustment was difficult. He returned to his wife and family in Texas, and all was well for the first month. As the days passed, however, slowly his wife noticed a change in her husband. Nightmares started in, and Byron often woke up believing that he was still in Iraq. Not only were his sleeping habits changing, his mind began changing as well.

He no longer enjoyed the things that he used to. Spending time with his family wasn’t a priority, and he turned to drinking alcohol heavily. To make it worse, the alcohol triggered fits of anger and paranoia. Byron didn’t know how to deal with the images in his head, but he didn’t think that there was anything wrong and continued with his everyday life.

Soon things got worse. Simple tasks such as walking down the street and driving on roads were difficult for Byron. In Iraq these would have put snipers in a vulnerable position. Byron also couldn’t stand not having his household secured, and he always locked the doors. When he returned to work as a police officer, he discovered that his behavior had changed and he reacted differently than he would have before Iraq. He did not take kindly to stupid questions, nor did he have the patience to deal with irritating civilians, and one scenario in particular made him realize that he had a problem.

It came when he responded to a call about a man barricaded in a house with a gun. When Byron pulled up outside, he immediately felt as though he were back in Iraq. The Rules of Engagement were different, but Byron still drew his pistol and waited for the man to show himself. In his mind, Byron knew that he might have to kill again, and in fact he was dead set on it.

The man inside unknowingly walked a fine line. He yelled threats at the officers and moved in and out of windows. Soon he showed himself. The man set foot out on his porch with the pistol in his hand, but he held it lowered by his waist. The job of the officers was to defuse the situation peacefully, but Byron took aim at the man’s head. In Iraq, he would have killed the man by now putting an end to the situation with one bullet.

As he started to squeeze the trigger, however, something inside him told him to stop. This wasn’t the war. Eventually the man surrendered, but the situation frightened Byron. To him, the value of human life did not carry as much weight as it had before. He’d been seconds away from killing, and he realized that he did not care if he had to or not.

At the same time, his home life was getting worse. Certain smells, sights, and actions triggered flashbacks of Iraq. He began to see his kills, and the scenes of war. He began not caring about anyone or anything, and the drinking got worse. His constant isolation was his way of not having to talk about the war. Soon, though, all he wanted to do was stay locked up in his house. His wife asked why he didn’t want to leave. She wondered why he was so angry all the time, and why he didn’t care about anything. Byron didn’t know that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The anxiety disorder had hit him like a ton of bricks. The cause of his problems stemmed from the actions and events he’d seen in combat. The constant paranoia needed to survive in Iraq, along with being attacked and killing, had done things to Byron’s mind. He wasn’t even aware that he had the disorder. Fortunately for him, his wife recognized the symptoms and wanted him to deal with the problem, but it took some convincing. Byron reluctantly sought help with the local Veterans Administration office. He learned that he was definitely affected by the disorder, and that others suffered from the same problem. It was hard for Byron to admit that he had a problem. He did not want to be labeled, but soon he was admitted to a program.

When he returned to the police force, Byron was met with bad news. They had learned that he had PTSD and were concerned with him carrying a gun. They held a conference and talked with Byron about his position. He knew where they were going. Byron had been a cop for eleven years and received numerous awards, some even after returning from Iraq. In the end, however, he knew he would rather resign than be forced out, and that’s just what he did.

Overall, Byron is learning to cope. Just like thousands of troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, he found that adjusting to PTSD takes hard work. He has learned to deal with his problems with the help of his family and the PTSD program offered by the Veterans Administration:

BEYOND
conventional war fighting, the need for snipers is expanding at every turn. Contingencies across the globe call for the skill provided by snipers. From civilian to military operations, there is no doubting the precision that trained snipers and their weapons bring to the fight. If the situation is critical, most often snipers will be called upon.

On April, 8, 2009, Somali pirates attempted to hijack the United States-based container ship, the
Maersk-Alabama
. The ship was filled with humanitarian supplies and traveled a few hundred miles off the coast of Somalia. Aboard, twenty crew members went about their daily activities well aware that pirates patrolled the area, but they did not expect to run into any. Soon, however, pirates appeared on the horizon and sped toward their ship.

Four days later, three Somali pirates drifted in the Indian Ocean with the captain of the
Maersk-Alabama
as their hostage. Their hijacking attempt had failed, but they were able to escape aboard a lifeboat from the ship, with the captain. A United States guided missile destroyer, the USS
Bainbridge
and another warship, the USS
Halyburton
, were dispatched to the scene. Later, one pirate boarded the
Bainbridge
after being convinced that he needed medical attention from a wound sustained in a struggle with the
Maersk-Alabama
crew. The three others, however, kept their weapons fi xed on bound Captain Richard Phillips. Refusing to surrender, the pirates forced a standoff and brought about their own destruction when a U.S. Navy SEAL team was directed to the scene.

Under darkness, the Navy SEALs infiltrated the area by parachute. Along with their weapons and boats, they jumped from a cargo plane. Once in the ocean, the commandos made it to and boarded the
Bainbridge
. Among the team, three SEALs carried sniper rifles, presumably MK-13 bolt-action .300 Winchester Magnums. These weapons were preferred for their heavy barrels and reliable accuracy.

Aboard the
Bainbridge
, the SEALs took action. These men were most likely elite even among Navy SEALs and part of DEVGRU, or the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group. SEAL Team Six, as they were known, were prepared for just such missions, and they needed no guidance or direction. Three of the men were snipers and occupied different positions on the ship’s fan-tail. Elevation allowed them to look down on the lifeboat, which had been tied to the
Bainbridge
, allowing the pirates a smoother ride in the destroyer’s wake. After sundown, the snipers attached PVS/22 universal night sights to their rifles while their spotters guided them onto their targets. The ships provided enough ambient light for the snipers to see their targets well.

During the night the lifeboat attached to the
Bainbridge
was quietly pulled to within thirty meters of the ship. The snipers had each designated certain targets for themselves, and kept their crosshairs steadily on them. Through their scopes, the pirates’ heads would have fully encompassed the sights, allowing them to hit their targets anywhere in the head if need be. Their weapons, capable of holding three shots within a one-inch-by-one-inch target at one hundred yards, could easily score instant incapacitation kills, leaving no time for physical reactions from the pirates.

As directed by their commanders, the snipers were to strike when the captain was in imminent danger. Behind their rifles, the snipers had the confidence needed to make the shots. Their training had encompassed such scenarios, and they had a few things in their favor. The pirates were not aware that the snipers were tracking their every move. Despite the small boat moving in such seas, with their rifles and optics, the distance made the shots incredibly easy for the snipers. The only thing they waited for was for the targets to expose themselves enough that the snipers could fire simultaneously.

Suddenly, two pirates appeared from an opening in the lifeboat. The third man held an AK-47 to Captain Phillips. It was time for the snipers to react. Each SEAL sighted in and held a target. A quick countdown allowed them to fire at the same moment. In a flash, three bullets ended the hostage situation.

The situation was just the type of scenario that calls for snipers. It’s no surprise that trained professional snipers are now being heavily sought after in the military. Just as the military calls upon snipers, however, so also does the civilian sector.

Unfortunately 9/11 has had effects on security, both nationally and internationally. However, as a result, new opportunities are available for snipers who decide that the military is no longer an option. Now security contracting companies providing high-level protection see the need to incorporate snipers into their workforce. Companies such as Triple Canopy, Xe Services (formerly Blackwater), and DynCorp International are just a few where snipers can find employment.

As hazardous as it may seem to some, working for a security contracting company has its upsides. Phenomenal pay, freedom, and the ability to use one’s skills are draws to these positions for snipers. But while providing some benefits, security contracting jobs
are
dangerous, whether you’re a sniper or not.

AJ, a former marine, has served in Iraq as a military sniper and a contractor sniper. He explains the details of working for the Department of Defense as a security contractor:

When asked about the missions and the benefits of contractor sniping, AJ candidly replied:

Another very important, and developing, aspect to sniping is technology. With the advancement of sniper operations in all sectors, technology is also rapidly growing to suit the skill. Recently there has been a development of advanced weapons, bringing sniping to a new level. One company, Space Dynamics Laboratory, from Utah, has developed the ARSS (Autonomous Rotorcraft Sniper System). Essentially, it is remote-controlled flying sniper system firing .338-caliber ammunition. The use of this is undeniably exciting for troops on the ground. A robot with the ability to collect intelligence, observe, report, and provide accurate fire, all with no cost to human lives, shows the rapidly changing world of sniping.

Other developments have come in many forms. Today, U.S. marines, soldiers, sailors, and airmen are being supplied with better weapons, optics, and equipment than ever before. Even more important, however, U.S. military snipers are now receiving the best training available, and the U.S. Army Sniper Association has helped immensely with their International Sniper Competition.

Every year, at Fort Benning, Georgia, military snipers gather for this competition. Sniper teams from all services, including law enforcement agencies, as well as sniper teams from various other countries, are invited to compete in the most comprehensive and realistic sniper training available. The event also brings snipers together to share valuable tactical information, relevant to any sniper, in any scenario.