An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Aug. 1, 2006

204th SFS trains sharpshooter teams

By Luke Elliott Fort Bliss Public Affairs

FORT BLISS, Texas - The word sniper brings many things to mind, such as Marines, Army scouts or even Tom Berenger as Thomas Beckett in the Hollywood movie. One thing it might not bring to mind is the U.S. Air Force or, more specifically, the Texas Air National Guard.

Perhaps, it should now that the Texas Air National Guard's 204th Security Forces Squadron, based at Biggs Army Airfield here, has established a new capability known as sharpshooters, the Air Force version of snipers.

Senior Airman Jose Felix, 204th SFS sharpshooter, said it surprised him to learn that the Texas Air National Guard has snipers or sharpshooters.

"I was pretty surprised when the opportunity arose to join the team, especially since it's in the fundamental stages," said Airman Felix, a former infantryman with the 10th Mountain Division who has been on the squadron sharpshooter team for about a year. "I wanted to part of an elite team that can make a difference out there."

In 2005, the 81 mm mortar system went away, and the squadron moved some of the mortar slots to the .50-caliber machine gun and Mk 19 grenade launcher teams and used the remaining slots to form the sharpshooter teams, said Chief Master Sgt. Mark Lindell of the 204th SFS.

"It [sharpshooting] is another defensive capability we can bring to the fight," Chief Lindell said. "You can just see the enthusiasm our sharpshooters have for it."

Enthusiasm may seem a bit of an understatement to someone listening to sharpshooter Tech. Sgt. Robert Johnson, lead noncommissioned officer for the 204th SFS sharpshooter teams, as he speaks passionately about his profession.

"Our mission is to deliver long-range, precision rifle fire; enhanced observation and reporting in support of airbase defense and continuous airfield operations," Sergeant Johnson, a former Marine Corps infantryman who volunteered for the squadron's sharpshooter team, recited verbatim from memory.

Sergeant Johnson said that, of all the skills in the military, he believes a sharpshooter's is the most perishable.

"You always have to keep training," Sergeant Johnson said.

To keep their skills honed, squadron sharpshooters use both military and civilian police training.

"There's a big difference between military sharpshooters and civilian police snipers," said Sergeant Johnson, who indicated that military sharpshooters or snipers engage targets at about 1,000 yards, while the average police sniper engages targets at about 70 yards. "We [squadron sharpshooters] are forced to learn and embrace and be proficient in both worlds."

Sergeant Johnson said movies such as "Sniper" give the profession a bad name.

"They try to glorify the sniper," said Sergeant Johnson, who indicated that 99 percent of the job doesn't involve engaging enemies. "The primary mission of the sharpshooter is gathering information. Those movies glorify the dropping of the hammer and the sending of 115 grains down range. There's nothing glorifying about it. It's a job."

Sergeant Johnson said that, to become an Air Force sharpshooter, a person must be in physical shape and have a real desire to become one.

"The No. 1 requirement is [that] you have to want to do it," said Johnson. "You have to want it to do it so bad [that] you're willing put up with a little pain. You have to have the heart and the will."

"The unit [204th SFS] is very special because it's not geographically adjacent to an Air Force wing," said Maj. Gen. Charles G. Rodriguez, Adjutant General of Texas. "This makes it possible for them to be a lot more inventive.… They have a very good track record of taking their own initiative."

Part of what makes the unit special is their sharpshooter capability. They are, according to Chief Lindell, the only Air National Guard unit with this capability. Sergeant Johnson added that while there are about 270 sharpshooters in the Air Force, 12 of them reside with the 204th SFS.

"Twelve of 270," Sergeant Johnson said. "That's amazing."

Sergeant Johnson estimated that percentage wise or per capita within a unit, their squadron, which consists of about one sharpshooter for every 10 Airmen, has more sharpshooters than any other Air Force unit.

"We're a unique organization," said Lt. Col. Scott Elliott, 204th SFS commander. "There is no other organization in DoD [Department of Defense] for us to mirror after."

 

 

Related Articles
Staff Sgt. Daniel Jarillo-Gutierrez, an information technology specialist assigned to Joint Force Headquarters with the Kentucky Army National Guard participates in exercise Cyber Shield 2025 with Ecuadorian state partners in Virginia Beach, Virginia, June 4, 2025. Jarillo-Gutierrez is a native Spanish speaker, and he has participated in several cyber exercises across the United States as well as South America. He works closely with Kentucky's state partner, Ecuador, during major training events.
Kentucky Guardsman Interprets Native Language, Cyber Skills
By Staff Sgt. Jasmine McCarthy, | June 13, 2025
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – From Juarez, Mexico, to the Kentucky Army National Guard, Staff Sgt. Daniel Jarillo-Gutierrez, an information technology specialist, can translate into three languages: English, Spanish and...

Mississippi Army National Guard Soldiers in-process at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, June 12, 2025, ahead of the Army’s 250th Birthday celebrations. Guard members are providing critical security support and taking part in events honoring the Army’s 250 years of service.
National Guard Prepared to Support Army’s 250th Birthday
By Sgt. 1st Class Christy Sherman, | June 13, 2025
FORT BELVOIR, Va. — ­More than 600 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have arrived at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in preparation for their role in the Army’s 250th birthday celebration and parade, set to take place Saturday in...

Maryland Army National Guard Soldiers of the 200th Military Police Company, 115th Military Police Battalion, and members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina Light Infantry Battlegroup conduct reconnaissance and convoy situational training with oppositional forces during Immediate Response–DEFENDER 25, near the Red Land Training Area, Knin, Croatia, June 1, 2025. Immediate Response 25 is a U.S. Army large-scale exercise enhancing NATO integration through state partnership readiness programs, such as between the Maryland National Guard and Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to further equip NATO’s regional plans and uphold U.S. commitments to the Alliance.
Maryland Guard, Croatia Support Immediate Response 25
By Airman 1st Class Sarah Hoover, | June 13, 2025
KNIN, Croatia – More than 100 Maryland Army National Guard Soldiers trained with the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) to support NATO’s large-scale exercise Immediate Response 25 at the Red Land Training Area in...