FORT BENNING, Ga., (Oct. 21, 2015) -- The 2015 International Sniper Competition began Oct. 19 at Fort Benning's Long Hall.
Thirty-seven teams will participate in 16 events over 96 hours at various ranges, with very little rest time in between. Each team is composed of a spotter and a shooter, who switch roles throughout the events.
The competition exemplifies the principles of smart, fast, lethal and precise whether it be remembering information, being smart and reporting it back to higher command or precisely engaging a target, said Lt. Col. Kenneth Reed, battalion commander, 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment.
The competitors bring value and unique capabilities to their formation, Reed said.
Brig. Gen. Peter Jones, chief of Infantry, said that the sniper community is small and encouraged competitors to build rapport and get to know each other because the shooters and spotters they are competing with might be the ones they work alongside in the future.
"It is about building relationships in this tight-knit community," Jones said.
Among the competing teams are soldiers of the Irish, Danish, Canadian and British armies, a team from the German Navy, teams from the Columbus and Covington police departments and - for the first time - a team from the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.
Jones said teams represent the best their unit or nations have to offer and that the competition is about learning from competitors' techniques and learning to adapt and incorporate new tactics.
The competition will conclude Oct. 23 with formal awards being announced at 2:30 p.m. in Long Hall.
Family and friends of competitors are encouraged to interact during the competition using the hashtag #FBGAsniper @FortBenning.
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