Q:
Why did Adopt a Sniper (adoptasniper.org) change names
to Amercian Snipers (americansnipers.org)?
A:
There are several reasons:
1.
ADOPTASNIPER was named when we were only just a few
cops "adopting" a few deployed friends to
help them out.
2.
Many people think it is all one big joke due to the
name and look no further. Worse still ... some of
their comments such as "How much do I feed my
sniper or when do I walk my sniper?" is simply
unprofessional.
3.
Every youngster that wants a sniper pen pal and has
access to the web, emails me for the guy's addresses.Heretofore,
I have replied to each one so as not to put them off
and have explained why he cannot really "adopt
a sniper". However, this has become impractical
with the recent growth of the organization.
4.
snipersupport.com and snipersustainment.com were already
taken by friends. The .org suffix domains with those
same prefixes were open but we did not wish to take
away or conflict with their sites and or missions
in any way.
So
WWW.AMERICANSNIPERS.ORG was chosen.
We had to do so quickly as SHOT SHOW 2005 was upon
us.
We
put it forth at SHOT SHOW in a professional setting
as the beginning of a new evolution for the program.
We
raised $ 30,000 cash with many, many gear donations
made and others promised. Many doors were opened for
us as the industry was made aware of our existence.
Surefire kicked us all of the demo lights they brought
to the show and NSSF/SHOT SHOW cut us a check for
a $1,000.
The
bracelets, coins and all will eventually have the
new name as well. Older ones are not obsolete ...
just a collector's item.
Mine
still says adoptasniper as well ...
WWW.AMERICANSNIPERS.ORG
is just plain more professional when speaking with
the CEO of a company or the president of the NRA or
NSSF.
Your
patience is appreciated as we update the site/forum
and give it a fresh look. The adoptasniper.org domain
will transfer over for the time being. Please pass
the word to those you know and every blog or site
you can contact via the internet.
It
will truly be a big help and load off of us.
The
new name ... will stick.
Same
bunch of guys, same mission as before ... just a more
professional name.
Best,
Brian
K. Sain, Director
Americansnipers.org
|
|
Q: What does the saying, "1
Shot, 1 Kill, No remorse, I Decide" actually
mean and where did it come from?
A:
In the Vietnam War, the military's emphasis on individual
marksmanship skills had diminished and it was discovered
that 10,000 rounds of ammunition were expended by
regular troops for every enemy casualty incurred.
However,
the snipers expended roughly 1.3 rounds for every
enemy casualty incurred, hence the term "1 Shot,
1 Kill".
Covert
surveillance and precision fire is the sniper's specialty
and one could refer to the sniper as the "laser
guided bomb of the infantry". Likewise, the American
law enforcement sniper is expected to produce no collateral
injury to innocents and therefore do not spray fire
indiscriminately around American neighborhoods.
A
sniper has to be in total control of his emotions
as his job is one of the most stressful in the military
(and police) service. He is often operating alone
or with a single partner and often on the front or
behind enemy lines. To be overly remorseful about
his mission would compromise his safety and that of
the people he is sworn to protect. Decisions based
upon emotions, rather than upon rational, correct
thought in these situations can cause casualties or
death. Hence the term "No Remorse".
To
IMMEDIATELY stop an insurgent or terrorist from shooting
his fellow servicemen or to keep a maniac from drawing
a knife across a child's throat, requires that the
sniper destroy the terrorist / suspect's central nervous
system. Destroying the central nervous system of a
human being almost always results in the death of
that same person. However, it also saves the life
of the innocent and this is why the sniper does what
he does. To save innocent lives. To do this requires
a precision rifle shot under tremendous pressure and
stress on the part of the sniper.
Due
to the fact that the sniper must often operate alone,
it is he himself who decides when, where, why and
how he will fire his rifle. Normally, there is no
commander telling him it is okay for him to shoot
now. Time frames in combat and hostage situations
are much too compressed for this type of supervisory
control and the sniper is expected to make these types
of decisions on his own. This is also why sniper schools
in the military and law enforcement are so arduous
and only the best and most mature soldiers, sailors,
marines and police officers are picked for the assignment.
Decision making skills are just as important as marksmanship
and the sniper himself must decide if it is logical
and correct to fire his rifle.
Hence the term "I Decide".
The
sniper may just as well choose NOT to fire if there
are friendly or civilians present and the act of firing
would make a bad situation worse. Snipers in both
the military and law enforcement are often mature,
family men and have no interest in harming those who
are not an immediate danger to themselves or others.
The
title sniper is an honorary one and whether he (or
she) be a military or police sniper, the title should
not be granted to murderers such as Charles Whitman
or the more recent John Mohammad and John Malvo.
|
| Q:
How do the items get to individual snipers?
A:
We have the actual addresses for the snipers themselves
and are in direct contact with them. The requested
items are either purchased or donated and shipped
to the prescribed residence here stateside located
on the items or contact
pages. From there, the items are disseminated to those
who need them and sent directly to the operators APO/FPO
address.
|
|
Q:
How long does it take for the snipers to receive the
items?
A:
Normal ETA on packages has been running 2.5 weeks,
unless the sniper is on special assignment. Under
those circumstances he may not receive the package
until he returns to his home base.
|
|
Q:
Can I send items to the snipers myself?
A:
Normally, No. The snipers names, addresses and personal
information are heavily restricted for operational
security. If you would like to send letters along
with donations, the snipers may choose to contact
you personally but that is the business of the individual
operators themselves. Every effort is made to send
the letters from home along with the donations, as
the letters from home are as important as the gear
itself.
|
|
Q:
How do I know that the snipers have received the items
I sent?
A:
The entire organization is based on a certain amount
of trust. The snipers trust that we will not give
up their identities. The people donating trust that
we will actually spend their money on what we claim
and that we will actually send the gear donations
to the troops and not steal it or re-sale it. The
snipers will usually send a quick email of thanks
to Brian when they get access to a computer. We will
try and post these to the site. However, their units,
names, etc. will always be deleted. We will pass on
a donation rather than give out the sniper's address.
|
|
Q:
Is there anything I should NOT send?
A:
YES. Do not send potato chips, chocolate candy, lotion
containers with pump tops or expired canned goods.
Chips and chocolate will never survive the trip and
pump bottle lotions always seem to open and get all
over everything else in the box. Please do not clean
out your pantry and send expired goods to US troops.
It will be thrown away.
|
|
Q:
Why isn't the government buying these things?
A:
The commitment in OEF/OIF is huge. Snipers need different
and expensive gear than is required by many other
troops. This can cause problems when the military
tries to maintain a perfectly uniform dress code and
the snipers end up doing without. The logistics of
running the US military are staggering and snipers
are just one small spoke in a very big wheel. We just
try and relieve some of the burden from the snipers
themselves and also from their families.
|
|
Q:
How did this organization begin?
A:
A group of SWAT snipers in the US were all too aware
that they (the police snipers) often have to make
do without the things they need to get their jobs
done. Often misused and misunderstood, the police
snipers correctly figured that the military snipers
were operating under the same circumstances. The police
snipers established contact with the various military
sniper school cadre and began sending items they could
spare right out of their own gear bags and also making
personal purchases. An article on the organization
later appeared in Stars and Stripes overseas. The
military snipers began networking with the police
snipers more and more and the rest is as they say
... history.
|
|
Q:
What are the most asked for items?
A:
One item of note is the Blackhawk STRIKE Commando
Recon Chest harness. This item allows the sniper to
wear the strike plates out of his issue body armor
but remain unhindered for shooting a precision rifle.
The various pouches available for the harness allow
the sniper to configure his gear depending on the
mission he is assigned to. Leica, Bushnell and Nikon
rangefinders that work out to at least 1000 yards
are often requested as are Kestrel wind meters and
Safariland 6004 drop leg holsters.
|
|
Q:
Is there a particular color of gear that is needed?
A: Yes. Coyote tan or desert colors
are best, followed thereafter by Olive Drab and Woodland
camouflage. There ARE green areas of Iraq and the
snipers are given some flexibility here as to what
gear they can use.
|
|
Q:
I thought snipers, being specialized operators, would
have everything they need. Why don't they?
A:
In every war it seems that the military must re-learn
the lessons of the past. The war on terror is ideally
suited for the tactics of the sniper. With the convoy
escorts and house to house fighting, the US military
is using snipers in numbers not seen in modern history.
It seems like a no-brainer but a man with a rifle
that knows how to use it, is in much demand in a war.
Soldiers and Marines that have not been to a formal
sniper school but who shot "Expert" on the
range are being issued special rifles and basically
doing the same job as the school trained snipers in
some cases. AmericanSnipers.org makes no distinction
between these two types of operators and offers assistance
equally. We currently support snipers on each end
of the spectrum; from the very well trained and equipped
who normally request smaller, specialized items to
the marksman soldier with little to no support that
needs "everything" to do the job asked of
him ... and every variant in between.
|
|
Q:
How do we know that the snipers higher ups will allow
them to use the items we send or purchase?
A:
Fortunately, many of the military higher ups have
relaxed some of the operational needs stipulations.
They realize too, that their men need things to get
the job done and we have even had some officers contact
us for assistance for their troops.
|
|
Q:
Who is involved in this organization?
A:
ALL persons directly involved are either current or
former police or military snipers or both. ALL are
either currently operational themselves or are directly
involved in training police and military operators
in the US and abroad.
|
|
Q:
Can I send a monetary donation?
A:
YES. We request that monetary donations be sent to
Keith Deneys of Snipersonline. Snipersonline is a
501(c)3 non-profit
organization and we would prefer that all monies
received be received through that
entity.
The address is located on the contact
page. You can also send a donation online.
|
|
Q:
Can I get a receipt for my donation?
A:
Yes. Please request one or use your printed PayPal
transaction report.
|
Q:
Is my donation tax deductible?
A: Yes |
|
Q:
How do I become listed as a supporter?
A:
Drop us an email an let us know what you would like
to do to support those in harms way. Please do not
use AmericanSnipers.org as simply an advertising platform
for you goods/services. We need you to pony up to
the bar and give not just get.
|
|
Q:
Can I cross link your site on to mine?
A:
Yes, we would appreciate it. Consider using this graphic:
Windows users Right Click - Save Picture As...
|
|
Q:
I have other questions, where can I get answers?
A:
Email: brian@americansnipers.org
- Also consider dropping by our Online
Forum where many questions are addressed. |
| |
