Why This Green Beret Sharpshooter Team Might Have the Best Snipers on the Planet

Task and Purpose, Jared Keller

Security, North America

And there skill set is much more practical than killing the enemy two miles away. 

A two-man Green Beret sniper team emerged victorious at the elite U.S. Army Special Operations Command International Sniper Competition at the end of March, distinguishing themselves as among the most lethal sharpshooters in the special operations community.

Master Sgt. David and Sgt. 1st Class Cuong from the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), whose full names were withheld by officials given the sensitive nature of their assignment, bested dozens of snipers in the 22 events spread over five days of grueling precision fire challenges — even after a rocky start.

“We started off poorly on the first day due to some sleep deprivation,” Master Sgt. David said in an Army release. “We really started clicking and things began to fall into place after we regrouped and got some rest between events.”

More than 40 sniper and special operations forces teams from across the U.S. armed forces — including the Army Sniper School, Marine Corps Scout Sniper School, and Naval Special Warfare Command — and foreign militaries from France to Singapore turned out at Fort Bragg, North Carolina for the illustrious shoot-off hosted by the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne).

“It is the level of competitors, the cadre, and the competition that make this event so unique,” Master Sgt. David added. “At this level, all of these guys are the best of the best.”