CLAGETT* SNIPER TEAM LEADER COURSE

Lots of moving parts; the Clagett Team Leader Course has been in development for a very long time and I’m stoked to finally be able to offer it. This is the culmination of a collective 30+ years of active, fulltime LE sniper assignment and time spent overseas in both combat and Designated Defensive Marksman roles.  It comes from basic, fundamental learning phases through autonomous sniper operations; deep philosophical conversations and numerous testing/evaluation processes; designing selection criteria, writing lesson outlines, and most importantly, physically managing teams up to 24 personnel within the political shit-show of American policing and the psychological/emotional chaos of combat operations. The lessons from these experiences and working through the seemingly never-ending problems has led to this course in the hopes of steepening the learning curve and the avoidance of common mistakes and/or misunderstandings. 

It is the mission of this course to provide seasoned LE snipers with various techniques and principles that allow them to address the many complicated and critical operational and administrative tasks associated with precision rifles and team management and develop the confidence to build, maintain, and train an organized and professional sniper cadre.

The topics covered here are largely administrative; this is not a high-volume shooting course.  It is assumed that students are well-versed in the operation and maintenance of precision sniper rifles.  It is further assumed that those attending are in leadership positions and are looking for formulas to better manage personnel, acquire necessary equipment, and create a more “all-purpose animal” for their tactical team.  There are myriad services we as snipers can provide for any incident a swat team is called to and keeping us involved in every solution helps justify the time and expense it takes to maintain a high-level sniper platoon. Some of the topics covered in this course are:

·      Personnel selection and training. 

·      Human management. 

·      Equipment testing and selection. 

·      Equipment acquisition. 

·      Proposal and grant writing. 

·      Team organization and tasking. 

·      Mentoring. 

·      Fighting for what you need.

·      Moral and ethical leadership. 

Accomplishing these things is not easy and requires full time attention.  But, as one of the most critical and demanding positions on a team, it is our duty to provide the environment required for our snipers to be at the top of their game and the necessary equipment and training to succeed in the expectations we (citizen, city/dept, team leadership, teammate) place on them.  

Course details

Duration: 3 days.

Location: TBD

·      We will travel to your range to conduct this course, please contact us for specific requirements. 

Minimum class size: 6

Administrative Requirements

Current assignment as a sniper for your team (minimum 1 year) OR former sniper now assigned to the training cadre or supervisory role.

Graduate of a basic sniper school (LE or Mil).

Preferred former student of ATOA sniper courses or those offered by Standing Offhand/Dead Drift Consulting.

Sniper supervisors are absolutely welcome and hoped for.

Equipment Requirements

·      Rifle capable of 1MOA accuracy with factory match ammo; bolt action or semi-auto, caliber up to 300WM.

·      Rifle scope, professional grade: MOA or mils, preferably 1/4min or .1 mil.

·      Weapon-mounted night vision device (NODS/pvs14 and IR illuminators/laser designators, if available).

·      Match grade ammo, factory or otherwise, 200rd minimum.

·      Shooting support, front and rear: bipod, pack, tripod, sand sock, something to support both ends of the rifle – pick one for each end.

·      Sling: to shoot with (primary function) and carry the rifle (secondary).

·      Backpack: 3-day sized or similar for water, snacks, ammo, rain gear, etc.

·      Ear and eye protection.

·      Laser rangefinder.

·      Good footwear: hiking boots, approach shoes; no open toed or sandal style shoes. 

·      Protective clothing: cargo pants/bdu’s, long-sleeve shirts, light jacket, hat, rain jacket and/or pants, etc. 

·      Notepad or data book.

·      Calculator/phone.

·      Ballistic software (phone app is sufficient).

·      Sunglasses.

·      White light flashlight and/or headlamp.

·      Sustainment items: food, hydration, candy, sunscreen, scarf/shemagh. (A large cooler will be on site for cold storage)

·      Any specific medication you may need (bee sting kit, allergy meds, insulin, etc).

Admin and Logistics:

Registration and waiver documents will be emailed upon contact and receipt of an email address.

Detailed course description, itinerary, and maps/directions provided upon registration.

Completion of a personal data sheet is required by all participants and is part of the registration process. This includes your birthdate, driver’s license number, and SSN. Standing Offhand/Dead Drift Consulting does not provide firearms training of any kind to convicted felons or non-citizens of the United States. Sworn police officers can satisfy this requirement with a copy of their department ID card.

A 50% deposit is due upon invoice receipt and the balance NLT 14 days prior to the start of the course.  We will work with your training coordinator for payment directly from your agency.  

Equipment/gear recommendations are free, just give us a call.

SAFETY and drama-free conduct is paramount to the successful completion of this course. Instructors reserve the right to enforce safety regulations up to and including expulsion from the course at any time if major safety violations occur, without refund.  Personal conduct and behavior are included in this policy.  In short: don’t be a dick and act responsibly with a firearm.

Tuition and additional fees

Course cost: $1000

For those attending from out of state or traveling long distances we offer an ammunition storage and delivery service: $50 per shooter.

Please contact us directly if you’d like to host this course at your range. We offer a course “package price” and the hosting agency receives a free seat in the course.

*The Clagett Sniper Team Leader Course honors the memory of SGM Russ Clagett and his service as a swat sniper for Frisco PD (TX) and to the United States of America as a sniper/team leader in the US Army. Russ lived through vilification and internal attacks from his own department following a sniper-initiated shooting and survived multiple deployments to Afghanistan for all of us. He died a leader and a hero on 2/18/22 at the age of 59. God bless you, brother Russ.