This Iraq business: Close Call
Posted By RichC on July 24, 2005
I continually am grateful for those voluteering to fight terrorism abroad, assisting people trapped under brutal murdering dictators or extremist fanatics and exemplifying the decency Americans stand for. There isn’t much doubt that serving our country in the armed forces is a high risk business. One such capture enemy video clip opens ones eyes to exactly how intimate and dangeous serving in Iraq can be. This is made clear when watching a capture enemy video tape of a sniper taking a shot at one of our medics: download the 2 meg WMV Mediaplayer clip. (Reposting from Jack Army’s Blogspot)
Comments from Jack Army:
The video footage recovered from the snipers van showed this team was likely involved in at least two sniping incidents during the course of the day. The team appears excitable during the first attempt which failed to hit their indented mark. The second detailed attempt depicts the successful engagement of the medic. In this engagement the sniper takes his time even as his spotter cries out for him to shoot more quickly. The snipers disciplined shot scored on the SAPI plate of the Medics IBA inside the 10 ring.
The van which the AIF sniper team used was modified to conceal the shooters presence and to make it easier to evade capture. With the absence of the rear window and the attachment of the window screen the cameraman/spotter and sniper were able to conduct surveillance of potential targets without discovery. AIF cut a small 1-2 inch square hole in the top portion of the screen for these observation purposes.
The van was patterned after the Washington D.C. snipers.
After viewing the video you realized what a close call PFC Stephen “Doc” Tschiderer had. Thanks to our excellent equipment and training, this medics life was spared, although only barely.
From: Steve Tschiderer [edited]
Date: July 3, 2005 3:31:23 PM EDT
Subject: Thank you for saving my life
Dear Point Blank,
First let me say thank you for saving my life!! I am forever grateful!!!! My name is PFC Stephen Tschiderer, and I am currently deployed to Bagdhad, Iraq. Yesterday July 2 2005, I was on patrol and while proving security around my Humvee, I was shot by a sniper. This sniper was useing a Draganov sniper rifle with AP rounds. The round struck me at an angle and did not come through the SAPI plate. enclosed are some pics of the plate and what the round did to me, which thanks to you guys is only a small mark. My family and everyone that knows me sends our thanks and keep up the GREAT work.
THANK YOU AGAIN!!!
PFC Stephen “Doc” Tschiderer
E Troop 101 CAV 256BCT
Bagdhad, Iraq
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