perfidy

Rather than waste your time adopting a local highway, adopt a sniper and help him waste our enemies. Snipers are a small part of a big army, and often do not get the equipment that they need. This is especially true now that the war on terror is forcing the army to force more and more expert riflemen into the sniper role.

So Brian Sain, a police SWAT member, has done something to ameliorate the problem. The website has a long list of gear you can buy for the snipers, including relatively inexpensive items like AA batteries and handy wipes. Or you can by mini binoculars, range finders or body armor. Or, you can make a direct donation online and let adopt a sniper buy gear for you, and pay for shipping costs. Thanks to the fabulous Michelle Malkin for pointing this out.

From the Adopt-A-Sniper FAQ:

Q: Why isn't the government buying these things?

A: The commitment in OEF/OIF is huge. Snipers need different and expensive gear than is required by many other troops. This can cause problems when the military tries to maintain a perfectly uniform dress code and the snipers end up doing without. The logistics of running the US military are staggering and snipers are just one small spoke in a very big wheel. We just try and relieve some of the burden from the snipers themselves and also from their families.

Q: How did this organization begin?

A: A group of SWAT snipers in the US were all too aware that they (the police snipers) often have to make do without the things they need to get their jobs done. Often misused and misunderstood, the police snipers correctly figured that the military snipers were operating under the same circumstances. The police snipers established contact with the various military sniper school cadre and began sending items they could spare right out of their own gear bags and also making personal purchases. An article on the organization later appeared in Stars and Stripes overseas. The military snipers began networking with the police snipers more and more and the rest is as they say ... history.

Q: I thought snipers, being specialized operators, would have everything they need. Why don't they?

A: In every war it seems that the military must re-learn the lessons of the past. The war on terror is ideally suited for the tactics of the sniper. With the convoy escorts and house to house fighting, the US military is using snipers in numbers not seen in modern history. It seems like a no-brainer but a man with a rifle that knows how to use it, is in much
demand in a war. Soldiers and Marines that have not been to a formal sniper school but who shot "Expert" on the range are being issued special rifles and basically doing the same job as the school trained snipers in some cases. Adoptasniper makes no distinction between these two types of operators and offers assistance equally. We currently support snipers on each end of the spectrum; from the very well trained and equipped who normally request smaller, specialized items to the marksman soldier with little to no support that needs "everything" to do the job asked of him ... and every variant in between.

Q: How do we know that the snipers higher ups will allow them to use the items we send or purchase?

A: Fortunately, many of the military higher ups have relaxed some of the operational needs stipulations. They realize too, that their men need things to get the job done and we have even had some officers contact us for assistance for their troops.

Q: Who is involved in this organization?

A: ALL persons directly involved are either current or former police or military snipers or both. ALL are either currently operational themselves or are directly involved in training police and military operators in the US and abroad.

Q: Can I send a monetary donation?

A: YES. We request that monetary donations be sent to Keith Deneys of Snipersonline. Snipersonline is a 5013C non-profit organization and we would prefer that all monies received be received through that entity.
The address is located on the contact page. You can also send a donation online.

One Marine in Afghanistan wrote back:

Sir,

Your package arrived at Forward Operating Base XXXXX today and was meet with great fan fair by my Marines. We are tremendously grateful for the equipment that you sent us. It is wonderful to see the support that the community enjoys from our fellow Snipers. The cleaning gear came in quite handing after our 25 straight day field operation. The mini binos will help lighten our load as we continue to spend most of our time chasing the Taliban between 7,000 - 10,000 feet. We head back out on our next field operation tomorrow after 4 days of rearming and refitting here at the FOB. The arrival of your gifts was perfectly timed.

If you are able to support the platoon further we would be more than happy to receive it. We are sitting pretty well with equipment, but I had the Marines compile a list of personal use items that they could use. Of course good stateside, Copenhagen was right at the top. Any type of Protein Bars ( We have each lost about 10-20 lbs so far), Gatorade and Poweraid Drink Mix, Dry Weapons Lubricants like Graphite ( the sand is a constant battle), Canned air, and anything else that you have access too. If you send it we will make good use of it...

Again, thanks for your support and please stay in touch.

I will keep you posted as to the status of the platoon and our operation here in Afghanistan.

Semper Fi,

XXXXXXXX
S/S Plt Cmdr
USMC
FOB XXXXXX, Afghanistan