So, about a year and a half ago, then
Commanding Officer Regiment, Colonel Gideons, wanted to explore the idea of having an RNS element nested at the regimental level, that way if we did go to war, the regiment would be fighting having an organic RNS asset. I think it's beneficial because
we see most times the staple to use at the battalion level, don't always
get focused training on their skillsets. They get sucked into battalion exercises,
company-level exercises, and can't focus on developing the skills needed
to be successful as a state platoon and be a true
benefit to the battalion. Being a part of RSTAC enables
Marines to get better training. We focus on ourselvesmore than the battalion,
which pushes you guys through school more, gives us better funding,
and it's a great feeling. It's something not to take for granted.
It makes guys strive to perform to the best of their ability and
learn as much as possible. Honestly, I'm still kind of anxious every time
I shoot my first round through the barrel. It's kind of like a basketball game or a
football game, you gotta get warmed up to it. Once you get warmed up to it, you apply the fundamentals, you apply the basic marksmanship qualities that you've learned in school, and you've learned from people teaching you. And once you're comfortable with it,
it's pretty exciting. The first one's always
pretty nerve-wracking. Being a PIG means you're a professionally instructed gunman. So, usually how it's done is the platoon will host a screener, or an indoc, and people will sign up for it, and if you're qualified, they'll allow you to come. Screeners can be from a day to a week. It's worth once you get in to the platoon
you get to actually do a lot of the stuff that you learned, or
that you wanted to learn. Getting sent to school's like a big deal.
It's like, especially a scout sniper platoon. It's like you want to become a sniper,
so you have to go to school to become a HOG,
which is a hunter of gunmen. So once you pass school, you're a HOG, then
it's your job to kind of like teach the next line of PIGs what they need
to know to go to school. I think scout snipers are a very under appreciated piece of the Marine Corps, asset of the Marine Corps. They do everything that recon can do,
just minus the insert platforms. Able to conduct RNS, they're the battalion eyes forward during operations, and now for the RSTAC,
the regiment's eyes forward. They're very capable, very professional individuals.
They choose to come to this platoon, it's a volunteer organization, volunteer unit, so the Marines who come here want to be here and to work very hard, and
they're very good at their job. Being in a community so small, and
being in a community so close, it's just really good feeling to know that you're a part of something that is different, but at the same time,
extremely valuable. Something that can definitely be utilized. The public should know that the training we get and the funding we get we utilize every asset we have. We try to maximize every little piece of funding.
We're allowed to pursue better training for the guys, and overall
benefit the teams.
