Click to play videoWashington: They shoot with great accuracy at great distances and call it a blend of art and science. They are the counter snipers of the US Secret Service.
“They are very good and I would put them among the best in the world at what they do,” says Director US Secret Service Mark Sullivan.
The counter snipers consider themselves the most elite unit in the uniformed Secret Service. Nine weeks of intense training turns them into Olympic quality shooters. Standards are so high, half of the agents accepted for training wash out.
Each counter sniper uses a rifle customised for his height and arm length. They work in two man teams.
Though both are expert marksmen only one shoots at a time. The other gauges the wind which can change bullet’s trajectory.
When a president is going to move along a public route, the counter snipers scout it out to assess the threat and find good vantage points for themselves.
On the inauguration day some will position themselves on the rooftops with a view if the parade route, the crowd and other buildings where snipers could be hiding.
The cold will be biting but the counter snipers can wear light weighted gloves and they have tricks for keeping mental focus, no matter what the weather.
“When it is hot, we are probably thinking about the cold days in January. When it is cold we are probably thinking about August,” says Lt Bernard Hall.
The counter snipers make no effort to hide their location. They want the bad guys to know they are there - ready to shoot if necessary.
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