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American Sniper - Boekje Pienter

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I would tell them what I thought, how we should train up snipers,<br />

how we should use them. I suggested more training about urban overwatches<br />

and creating hides in buildings, things I’d learned more or<br />

less as I went. I gave them ideas about sending snipers into an area before<br />

the assault, so they could provide intel to the assault teams before<br />

they arrived. I made suggestions on how to make snipers more active<br />

and aggressive. I suggested that snipers take shots over the heads of an<br />

assault team during training, so the teams could get used to working<br />

with them.<br />

I told the brass about gear issues—the dust cover of the M-11, for<br />

example, and suppressors that jiggled at the end of the barrel, hurting<br />

the accuracy of the rifle.<br />

It was all extremely obvious to me, but not to them.<br />

Asked for my opinion, I’d give it. But most times they didn’t really<br />

want it. They wanted me to validate some decision they’d already<br />

made or some thought they’d already had. I’d tell them about a given<br />

piece of gear I thought we should have; they’d answer that they’d<br />

already bought a thousand of something else. I’d offer them a strategy<br />

I’d used successfully in Fallujah; they’d quote me chapter and verse on<br />

why it wouldn’t work.<br />

Taya:<br />

We had a lot of confrontations while he was home. His enlistment<br />

was coming up, and I didn’t want him to re-up.<br />

I felt he had done his duty to the country, even more than<br />

anyone could ask. And I felt that we needed him.

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