FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq- Dressed in a newly-made ghillie suit, the Iraqi sniper could have been half-man, half-plant; even his Dragunov sniper rifle was covered in frayed burlap to mask its outline.
Staff Sgt. Dean Hills, an infantryman with 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, calling on his previous experience as a designated marksman, made the ghillie suit to teach Iraqi snipers how to blend in to their environment, during a class Oct. 19.
"It is important for a sniper to know how to blend into his environment," said Hills.
Ghillie suits are often handmade by snipers to help them blend into their surroundings. The suits are usually made using old camouflage uniforms, which are then covered in netting, frayed burlap, jagged cloth and other materials to imitate a more natural look. Plants are also collected from the area where the sniper will be performing his mission and attached to the suit in order to more accurately match the area.
"It's my first time seeing one," said Sgt. Kaseem Jamal Abass, the Iraqi Army sniper with the 3rd Battalion, 47th Brigade, 12th IA Division in Kirkuk province, Iraq. "It's a pretty good idea. I am going to make one of my own."
This was the first time that Hills has had the chance to train with an IA sniper, and he hopes they will pass this knowledge on to future IA snipers.
The initial training the IA snipers get isn't as comprehensive as what we can offer, so they really benefit from additional training events, Hills explained. "If I can give them a little extra training, it helps."
Using his own ghillie suit as a model, Hills showed Kaseem how to add camouflage using frayed burlap to distort the outline of not only his body but also his weapon.
Hills, who is the designated marksman for his unit, has a lot of experience with camouflage and shooting.
His training first began in the Marine Corps as an infantryman. At his first duty station, he received in-depth training from his non-commissioned officer in-charge on scouting and reconnaissance. He also honed his skills as a marksman during his time in the Marines.
"It's something I've always loved, ever since my dad gave me my first rifle," he said.
Hills later joined the U.S. Army and worked in various scout units. Hill also worked with a few special operations units that helped him learn more about marksmanship and camouflage
"I've always been intrigued with the idea of being a sniper," he said.
Hill hopes to attend the sniper school at Fort Benning, Ga., when he returns to the U.S.
During the rest of his deployment in Iraq, Hill plans to continue working with Kaseem, helping him improve his skills as a sniper.
"We've worked with these guys so long," he said about the IA soldiers in the 3rd Bn., 47th IA Bde., "we start to get a little close to them. They are always willing to help us. This is something I can do for them."
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