An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir November 2019 www.dfmagazine.ie 14 | The box shoot comprised four separate firing points creating the corners of a box. At each firing point the teams had to engage steel targets in a designated firing position, with a nod to the fundamental shooting positions taught on the basic sniper course, varying from standing to prone unsupported. Teams were also placed under physical pressure as they had to run between each firing point in order to complete the stage in time. Once all four positions had been shot, the teams ran to a fifth, prone, firing position where they were quickly briefed on the target facing them; a paper target with three circles, small, medium, and large, with the smallest circle being less than half an inch in diameter. The sniper had one round to fire at whichever circle he chose. Hitting the small circle would double the points already earned on the box shoot; hitting the medium would retain the points scored; hitting the large would halve the points scored. However, a miss would lose all points earned from this shoot. This know-your-limits style target immediately put teams under pressure as they now had a tough decision to make. Of the teams that opted for the small target to double their points, some paid dearly for their decision, as they missed and ended up with a zero score for the stage. At the close of the third day a leader board was displayed, adding to the pressure, as teams now knew where they placed and that there was so little between the top teams that day four's events would make or break them. The last day comprised a single shoot composed of multiple stages, the 'stress shoot'. Teams had to navigate a course that would see them encounter various obstacles that they had to either cross or take a time penalty for avoiding. Along the route the teams would fire the .303 bolt action rifle, engage in a pistol shoot through a wooded area, complete a shoot while standing in a river, and engage a target beyond 1km with the .5 sniper rifle, all the while conscious they were being timed. Scores would be cal- culated from combining finishing time and hits made throughout the stage. This was a very challenging shoot, testing teams' physical robustness, marksmanship, communication skills and decision-making/ problem-solving abilities. Once all teams had completed the stress shoot, the scores were totalled and confirmed before the teams gathered in the briefing shed that evening to hear the results from Comdt Gleeson. The results of the national division placed 6 Inf Bn first, with ARW teams in a close second and third. In the international division the US Navy Seals took first, with 2 Rifles (British Army) coming second, and Irish Guards (British Army) in third. The top scoring sniper award went to Sgt W Fallon from 6 Inf Bn and the top scoring spotter award went to an ARW competitor. The competition was a great success, and was conducted extremely efficiently and professionally. It provided an excellent training opportunity for all involved, allowing the DF teams to interact with, learn from, and compete against, their international counterparts, thereby fostering good relations with those countries involved and increasing skillsets. Having won the national division, Sgt W. Fallon and Pte G. O'Reilly of 6 Inf Bn will represent the Defence Forces in the International Sniper Competition in Fort Benning, Georgia, next April.

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