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The United States Marine Corps disbanded its elite and historic scout sniper program as part of its extensive revamp to adapt infantry battalions to future warfare.
The age-old MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) has been around since World War II, and one nonprofit organization representing the renowned Scout Snipers is calling the Corps move “misguided” and “ill-advised.”
“We’re shocked and saddened that our Marine Corps leadership seems to have forgotten the lessons learned in combat, paid for with the blood of our members,” the USMC Scout Sniper Association wrote on Facebook.
A memo from Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policy, and Operations at Headquarters Marine Corps, Lieutenant General David J. Furness, called for the “immediate transition of Scout Sniper Platoons to Scout Platoons” meaning that infantry battalions will no longer have sniper attachments, but instead scouts who will “provide the commander with relevant, reliable, accurate and prompt information.”
Marine Corps officials believe that the “newly designed Infantry companies were insufficient to offer the Battalion continuous all-weather information gathering,” and that the new Scout Platoons will be better utilized by leadership throughout the branch, according to the memo.
