CAMP PENDLETON, California -- U.S. Marine instructors with the 1st Marine Division Schools ‘Pre-Scout Sniper Course’ and soldiers with the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force’s (JGSDF) Western Army Infantry Regiment conducted a known-distance, live-fire sniper range during exercise Iron Fist 2017, Feb. 7, 2017, aboard Camp Pendleton, California.

Sgt. Robert Murphy, an instructor with the 1st Marine Divisions Schools ‘Pre-Scout Sniper Course’, was ready to tackle the task of supervising the range. Because of the rain, he had to quickly improvise by teaching a few classes on the basics as the soldiers and Marines were forced to wait for the rain to stop.

As his fellow Marines set up the metal targets, Murphy gave the JGSDF soldiers a refresher class on shooting stances.

Finally, the weather cleared.

“All right … let’s get to work,” said Murphy.

The JGSDF soldiers were issued pouches full of ammunition, about 140 rounds each. They settled into their firing positions and began loading ammunition into the rifles. Spotters, shooters, and instructors were all standing by for the first shot.

As the bullets began to make their way down- range, Murphy walked along the line to ensure the soldiers were using the techniques they practiced earlier in the day.

He looks to one of his Marines and says, “Sure brings back memories huh?”

For Murphy to become a scout sniper was no easy task. He said it was one of the most difficult things he had ever done both in his personal and professional life. He had to prepare himself every day for the next taxing day ahead.

“It’s three months of hard thinking. Scout Snipers School is something not everyone can easily breeze through. Some things you have to definitely prepare for,” said Murphy. “It’s not so much the physicality of it, which is very intense, but more so the mental aspect of it.”

Scout Sniper School is one of the toughest schools the United States Marine Corps has to offer. It includes extensive training, shooting targets at known and unknown distances anywhere from 300 to 1,000 yards with the M240 sniper rifle, M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System, and Barrett M82 .50 caliber Special Applications Scoped Rifle, stalking techniques, land navigation (where they find coordinates on a map using a compass), camouflage techniques and more for a grueling 54 days of training.

“The true honest answer is that there is no easy part. I’m not saying it to sound tough, but every day there is some new difficulty you weren’t expecting,” said Murphy.

Scout snipers can support their command in many operations, from close reconnaissance to engaging and eliminating vital enemy targets.

“While deployed in Afghanistan, I was the eyes and ears for an entire battalion,” said Murphy, explaining how he’d be assigned a mission by his commander to go out and gather information on the surrounding areas to spot any difficulties or threats before the commander send in any other service members.

The soldiers of the JGSDF were learning from some of the best the Marine Corps has to offer.

As the training came to an end, Murphy tells the JGSDF soldiers to begin collecting their gear. After the last of the brass casings were picked up from the muddy ground, the JGSDF soldiers gathered around with their targets sheets in hand, proud of the number of hits on each target. The Marine instructors stood by knowing they did their best and it showed in the results.