An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir September 2017 www.dfmagazine.ie 38 | Patrick McDonalD 27 inf Bn Pte/SniPer what inspired you to join the defence Forces? "I imagine like most soldiers I knew from a young age it was something I wanted to do, nobody grows up fantasising about sitting at a desk pushing buttons all day. I always knew it was a possibility and as I got older my interest grew, I learned more about what we do and the work we've been doing overseas. I knew after that, it was something I wanted to do." what Challenges did you encounter in your preparation for the sniper Course? "Physically I had to prepare, so I hit the hills with a backpack and a map. I felt this gave me an advantage going into my battalion's preliminary phase, as places on the course were limited." what were your expectations prior to completing the sniper course? how did they compare in reality? "Like everything in life we try to imagine how things will unfold to best prepare, but expectations rarely meet with reality and this was no different. I was asking all the snipers from my unit about the course trying to paint a pic- ture for myself but what I found was a lot different than what I had imagined. I found mentally it was more challeng- ing, but surprisingly more enjoyable." Can you tell us about the sniper course modules? "The sniper course is designed to develop and test each candi- date on the seven sniper skills: Sniper Knowledge (1), Shooting (2), Stalking (3), Judging distance (4), Map Reading (5), Camouflage and Con- cealment (6) and Observation (7). Each of these stands must be passed at least once during the 8 weeks (including badge week). 4 stands must be passed during badge week, what- ever you haven't passed before badge week becomes one of those 4 needed. If you need 5 stands going in, then you must pass 5 and so on. There are plenty of opportunities to pass each." what about your post sniper course development? "It was put to me recently that becoming a sniper is not unlike an apprenticeship, and I would have to agree. The course gives the sniper the basic skills that are needed to prog- ress, but its down to each sniper to get involved and develop these skills." Can you tell us about your experienc- es of being a qualified sniper in the infantry Corp at home or overseas? "I've been lucky enough to serve both at home and abroad as a sniper, work- ing alongside other units, which I enjoy. In 2012, I served in the EUBG working as part of a Recce unit in ISTAR Coy, I got to work with some of the best soldiers I've met to date. Then in 2014, I travelled to South Lebanon with the 1st Mechanised Infantry Company, another outstanding unit. I believed I've been fortunate with the things this course has allowed me to do and places it has brought me." the sniper course requires enormous commitment and is very physical; can you give us some advice for new applicants to prepare for the next sniper course? "To anyone thinking about doing the basic snipers course, take the leap. There are endless rewards for a course that can be so enjoyable at times. Try to arrive with a good standard of fitness and map reading. Approach the snipers in your unit and enquire about prelims. The course is not as impossible to pass as some may make out. Getting my sniper badge was one of the stand out moments of my career, I would encourage anyone interested to go and get theirs." By CPl lEE COylE PhOTOS ARMN ADAM MuRPhy Pte Patrick McDonald with his 27 Inf Bn Sniping Team partner Pte Colin McQuaid at this year's International Marksman Competition.

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