sniper

For most of us, the word "sniper" evokes some unsettling imagery -- a lone gunman, undetectable, on the hunt. And while military snipers are indeed elite shooters who hide, line up a target in their sights and pull the trigger, there is a lot more to it than that.


Photo courtesy Department of Defense Defense Visual Information CenterA Marine sniper emerges from the water.

When a sniper takes a shot, there are countless variables to consider before squeezing the trigger --- wind speed, wind direction, range, target movement, mirage, light source, temperature, barometric pressure, and that's just the beginning. The work that goes into getting a good position to take a shot is immense. That's why snipers always work in pairs. Surprised? Most people are.

These highly skilled marksmen are often perceived as lone assassins racking up "confirmed kills." In reality, true snipers work for the military and law enforcement agencies and are far more concerned with the number of lives they save than with the ones they take.

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i am one, farking gd one. the most invaluable 2yr or so made me realised the power of observations. i think it is an innate nature of me to be extra cautious on hw i leave tracks or for that matter find out tracks of others. also extra sensitive to other people reaction, to hw the surrounding changes, smell, sight, sound.. of coz details of hw a sniper is groomed and selected cant be shared on a public blog or else sg govt/saf would come after my ass.

somehow or rather i always noe things happening ard me. like who n who gt attached together, like who and who gt scandals, like who n who broke off, like such stuff, its a thin line between kaypoh and observant, i pfer to attribute that to the latter. and so, this also means that i would noe more truth than it was brought to me. it pains to know pple are lying to u, friends, relatives, acquaintance, all pple infact.. they do so to protect themselves, its called white lies. the intention is gd, they wanna make the other party feel less afffected by the truth, but being me, i would noe the facts early.. and this makes me see things in a different light.

in the sep journey, ob skills has taught me to trust and distrust pple. see the many faces of human beings. witness the selfish nature of humans. and i have to say "my, its a goddamn worthwhile journey!"

im fking proud to be a sniper, for those wonderful memories, i thanked my buddy eugene, the 58th SNP course mates and my jr kim & chris. it taught me a life skill which is more menacing that a 7.62mm calibre round.

12days remaining in seattle.

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