- Staff Sergeant Philip Cho is a sniper with the Army’s 11th Airborne Division in Alaska.
- Cho said the most difficult part of being a sniper is not aiming and shooting, but rather staying hidden.
- He is used to staying hidden for hours in the frozen arctic terrain.
This told essay is based on a conversation with Sgt. Philip Cho, a U.S. Army sniper with the Alaska-based 11th Airborne Division. Edited for length and clarity.
What I’ve been preaching for years is that being a successful sniper in the Arctic requires imagination.
We learned a lot from Simo Heihe, the Finnish sniper during World War II who was nicknamed “The White Death.” He was responsible for over 500 deaths during the Winter War and operated in an environment very similar to the Winter War. Alaska.
We get a lot of ideas from that, like wetting the area around the firing point to prevent smoke from building up when you fire, or putting snow in your mouth to keep it from igniting when you breathe. I can’t see your breath freezing in the air.
We have built many of our tactics, techniques, and procedures based on Häyhä’s experience in real warfare.
There are clearly differences between concealment in other environments and in the Arctic. The arctic and jungles of Asia and deserts of the Middle East use different procedures. We are obviously trying to warm up because we can be sitting stagnant for hours. I think my longest stay in the North Pole was probably 10 hours.
And you need to maintain your weapon system and make sure it’s optimal. You should also be careful with your breath, as blowing into the equipment can cause condensation on the equipment, which can freeze and stop working properly.
Some of the principles of concealment remain the same in all environments. You want it to blend naturally into the foreground and background without moving, eliminating all contrasts, strange lighting, sparkles, strange shapes, out-of-place colors, and inconsistent textures.
In the Arctic, they simply use additional layers to keep it warm enough to stagnate for long periods of time.
Fieldcraft is what makes the difference between a marksman and a sniper. Things like the ghillie suit and everything that supplements it is what makes a sniper undetectable in an operational environment.
Even if you’re not wearing a ghillie suit, it’s still effective enough to hide your surroundings. It’s about mastering the disappearance of depth and shadows in your environment. It’s something we have to learn as snipers that sets us apart.
Everything else, such as distance estimation and target detection, is trainable. And you can practice it anytime. However, being good in the field and being independent may be more valuable than simply being able to accurately determine distances, for example.
And now, using drones, our main task is to train them to hide from any enemy, while maintaining free maneuver and line of sight to the target. That’s why fieldcraft is so important and why we value it so much.
felt the need to earn their place
I joined the Army because I am a first-generation American. My family is from South Korea, so I felt I needed to serve somewhere and earn my place in this country.
When I joined the military, I thought becoming a sniper was just a pipe dream. Many of the snipers I saw as a non-commissioned officer were the rock stars of our battalion. I never thought I would be a part of it.
But then, after doing rotational training abroad, he was invited by his former team leader to take part in scouting. Then, after gaining experience, I realized that I could do it too. Then I tried out for sniper and got selected. The opportunity just presented itself.
I was deployed to Iraq in 2019 to support Operation Inherent Resolve, the international fight against the Islamic State. We were primarily part of the reconnaissance squad and mainly participated in various operations such as observation, engagement with key leaders, dismount operations, and base security. It was pretty standard content.
Currently operating in the Arctic, the terrain presents a unique set of challenges for snipers to be prepared for. Failure to plan can result in cold-related injuries or worse.
As with any environment, water is a top priority. However, snow lowers your body temperature, so you can’t just eat it, and it’s not always available. Because drinking glacier water isn’t necessarily clean.So we have to carry fuel They walk around with us to warm the water and usually carry tents with them to keep them safe from the elements. All of this is packed into a sled and we pull it for miles.
When I was in the Middle East, there were challenges. Water was needed there too. But our vehicle was always working. They didn’t have to work as hard as they did in the cold. Our equipment was not out of order. Circumstances did not slow us down.It always takes about twice as long to travel through the Arctic Circle It was expected.
As snipers, we have to carry a lot of additional equipment. In the summer, we carry around 60 to 80 pounds, including observation and communication equipment, spare batteries, and actual weapons and ammunition. Winter requires bunny boots, various layers to keep you warm, and other frigid gear to add to the mix. Snipers typically carry between 90 and 120 pounds of extra weight in the cold.
The North Pole becomes an insatiable beast, chewing through the strongest soldiers I’ve ever seen. But you can grow there, just like in any other environment.
