Goggles, yakasungirirwa pamusoro pemakumbo avo eKevlar, akafukidza meso avo. Vakanga vakapfeka magirasi uye zvipfeko zvinorema, pamusoro pacho kubatanidzwa kwejasi kwakanamatira kubva mabhanhire emidziyo yavo inotakura mitoro. Uye ivo vakanga vasina chikwata cheM-4s - mhando yazvino ye M-16 yekuputika pfuti - yakasungwa pamapfudzi avo.
Vashandi vehurumende airmen vakapfeka zvigadzirwa zvebhizimisi ravo. Shamwari nevanoshamwaridzana navo, vainyatsoziva kuti vangatakura sei masimbi, mapurasitiki nemabhazi emabhora mumugwagwa wakaoma paBhashur Airfield, muIraq, nzvimbo iri kunze kwemakiromita 255 kuchamhembe kweguta guru reIraqi reBaghdad.
Vakamira pedyo nemutsara wematende, vakabuda pamotokari dzavo uye vakazvipukuta ivo pachavo. Pakati pavo, airmen akagara pamabhedha kunze kwedzimba dzavo dzekugara, vachitaura nekuputira pasi Zvokudya, Kugadzirira Kudya. Uye mushure memazuva mashoma pabasa racho, mitsara yaitarisa yakashamisa kwazvo kuna Knoll naJones.
"Zuva ripi. Takave takabatikana sezvo isu takasimuka, "akadaro Knoll, uyo ave ari mupurisa wekuchengeteka kwemakore ake gumi emakore Air Air career. "Zvichava zvakanaka kuti ndibve tsoka dzangu kwechinguva."
Asi mushure memaawa gumi nemasere pabasa, pakanga paine mukana wekuti varege kuzorora. Panguva ipi zvayo vanogona kuwana mvumo yekutsvaga kune dzimwe mavhisi- snipers .
Kwete rudzi rweHollywood mafirimu anonyura mumaruwa kuti apedze masvondo achitengesa muvengi wekupfuva kumwe chete, imwe inouraya nguva.
Kwete. Knoll naJohn vanokurumidza kutaura kuti ivo ndivo - vekutanga- varwi vanochengeteka vane basa rokudzivirira vamwe vavo airmen.
"Tichaita chero zvingaita kuti tive nemauto akachengeteka," akadaro Knoll, weSaratoga Springs, NY
KuBhashur - hurumende yeHome Force iri kufamba nechekuchamhembe kweIraq pachirongwa cheOp Operation Iraqi Freedom - izvo zvaireva kuita "kuvhiringidza" basa.
Kuenderera mberi uye kupfurikidza-kubhekwa patrols, kumiririra pavanopinda masuo ekupinda uye kuvaka zvidziviriro zvekuchengetedza nzvimbo.
Kwete dambudziko. Ndizvo chaizvo izvo vaviri ava vakadzidziswa kuita. Zvavakatarisira pavakabatana neHome Force kuti vave varwi vanochengeteka. Vanoda mararamiro avo. Uyezve, apo vakazvipira kubasa pamwe ne 86th Contingency Response Group, vaiziva kuti kuti vaite basa ravo ivo vaifanira kunge vari pakati pehondo pane imwe nzvimbo.
Vari mune imwe chikwata chakasiyana, iyo chete mu Air Force. Basa reboka racho nderokuti rive rokutanga kugadzika panzvimbo isina ruzivo kuti iise ndege yepamhepo uye mahofisi epachikepe chekufambisa - pronto. Iyo 786th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, uko Knoll naJ Jones vanoshanda mukushanda, inopa kuchengeteka. Mapurisa anochengetedza airmen akachengeteka sezvaanoenda, anotumura uye anotanga ndege kumativi ose.
Io ziso rakakosha
Zvisinei, Knoll naJones havana kumbomira kuongorora makomo akapoteredza-chimiro chavakagadzira munguva yekudzidzira sniper. Neziso rakajeka re sniper, vakatsvaka muvengi asingaoneki. Muvengi ane simba uye asina simba uyo, kana akasununguka, anogona kurwisa nekuuraya vashandi vekambani uye kukonzera kukuvadza nemabasa ekufambisa.
Tora ye sniper yaitarisira kuisa kudzidziswa kwavo kuedza.
Saka, vakachengetedza pfuti dzavo refu uye Ghillie makomba akazvigadzirira. Maminetsi, vaigona kuunganidza magetsi avo uye vakanyarara vachienda kumakomo vachitsvaga chinangwa.
Asi mumharaunda yekumaruwa yakapoteredzwa yakakomberedza ndege, vanhu veKurdish vaiziva shamwari dzavo nevavakidzani zvakanaka. Zviso zvitsva zviri nyore kuona. Saka nhau dzekune imwe nyika dzinofamba zvakanyanyisa, dzinosvika nyore nyore kune vashandi vehuchenjeri munzvimbo ino.
Ndivo vanhu vane njere vanopa snipers zvinangwa zvavo.
Asi maziso nenzeve dzenharaunda zvakabatsira kudzivisa mauto eAraq uye magandanga kubva kunyura mukati uye kutora shots muBhashur.
Asi hondo yehugandanga haisi kushanda chaiyo. Zvigandanga hazvizivikanwi uye zvinokurumidza kukurumidza, zvichiita kuti kurwisa kuoma kumira, Jones akati. Uye basa guru reBhashhur rakavimbisa kuti raizove riri mukutya nguva dzose sezvo hondo neIraak ichienderera mberi.
"Tichaenderera mberi tichiita mabasa edu," akadaro Jones, ane makore gumi nemana ane vet kubva kuWake Forrest, NC "Asi isu tinofanira kuva takagadzirira kutendeukira ku sniper mode, kubvisa chero njodzi pamberi pevanhu vedu vakuvara . "
Knoll naJones vakave vari boka kwemakore anopfuura maviri. Vakakudza basa ravo kuburikidza nekudzidzisa kwakanyanya. Vanogara vakagadzirira uye vanogona kuunganidza makanda avo e-sniper uye vagova pamba mumaminitsi. Vaiziva kuti chinangwa chavo chikuru chaive chaive chakaipa murume akatakura missile yefudzi.
Yaro nei vakaramba vakatarira kumakomo. Nokuti rimwe roketi rimwe chete rakadzingwa kubva kune imwe yenzvimbo dzakapoteredza paguta ravo retende ringakonzera kukuvara kukuru. Uye kana chibharo chichirova ndege yemotokari, inogona kumisa mhepo yose maitiro mukati mechinangwa chemakiromita 7 000.
Izvozvo zvaisazova zvakanaka, kutaura zvishoma. Nokuti panguva yekukwirira kwebasa rekusunungura Iraq, zvinopfuura 366 C-17 Globemaster III uye C-130 Hercules inotakura inodonhedzera mamiriyoni makumi maviri nemamiriyoni emadhora emotokari pamhepo. Zvizhinji zve ndege zvakasvika usiku, zvakatakurwa kune zvipfeko zvine zvinhu uye midziyo. Airmen akamhanyira kuti aizokudzikinura nechiedza chechiedza chemasikati chekuona maziso avo usiku.
Makomo aiva pedyo akazununguka nekunzwa kwema ndege engoro. Uye boka racho rakamhanya richibuda kunze kwebasa kuti riwedzere rimwe denga rekuchengetedza kuBashur usiku. Knoll naJona vaiziva kuti vaifanira kuita basa ravo murima. Hazvina mhosva, ivo vakati.
"Masikati kana usiku, basa redu nderokutora chinangwa chisati chakwanisa kupisa pane imwe yemadhora edu emadhora akawanda kana kuuraya mumwe munhu," akadaro Knoll.
Saka kushayiwa pfuti hakusi kusarudza. Chinhu chipi nechipi pane chinotsigirwa hit hachina zvishoma kuderedza kutyisidzira kune airmen pasi. Asi kana kodhi yakarongeka yebasa ravo inowedzera kuomesa pamusoro pevadzidzisi, haina kuratidza pane zviso zvavo.
"Iwe unongotarisa kuti iwe hausi kupera," akadaro Knoll.
Akadzidziswa kuti aende
Asi "kutyisa" hakusi mumashoko avo. Vanoziva kuti matarenda avo ari kudiwa zvakanyanya. Iko kungoita runyerekupe rwavo vari muhondo kunogona kutumira kutenderera kuburikidza nemapoka evavengi.
"Snipers ndiyo inonyanya kuvhiringidza mupfungwa munhandare yehondo," akadaro Knoll.
Ndivowo mauto anovengwa zvikuru munharaunda yekurwa. Saka snipers vanofanira kuramba vachifunga nezvemishinari uye zvavanoita kuti vapone, akadaro.
"Hatigoni kuita chikanganiso," akadaro. "Zvakawandisa zviri pangozi, kunze kwekunge iwe wakanzwa nezvevana vangani vakadzoka kubva musungwa wehondo?"
Knoll naJones vanobvuma mabasa avo nebasa. Vaiziva zvavakanga vachipinda pavakabatana neboka revanhu vakapindura, pamwe nehofisi yeRamstein Air Base, Germany.
Dzimba dzavo dziri pedyo neSembach Air Base. Pavakasvika, pakanga pane nhanhatu nhatu. Asi kwemaviri maviri nehafu akapfuura, Knoll naJones vakave vari vaviri chete. Dzimba dzavo dziri kumativi ose, uye dzinodzidzisa pamwechete. Ivo vanorega basa racho, zvakare, saka vanozivana zvakanaka.
Vose vakafamba neSydney Sniper School ku Fort Benning, Ga., Mwedzi wakasiyana. Vakapfuurawo neChipatimendi cheAir National Guard-run countersniper kuCamp Joseph T. Robinson, Ark.
Asi ndiyo yevhiki yevhiki masvondo pachikoro cheElite Army chinoita kuti chive chinokosha kune boka racho. Vakadzidza unyanzvi huripo hwemashizha, kuenzanisa mhepo yekufema uye kuenzanisa huwandu hwezvinangwa. Vakadzidzawo kuongorora, kutarisa uye mararamiro emaronda, kupikisa, uye kukomba. Uye vakadzidza kusarudza nzvimbo, nekugadzirisa, mberi-kuteerera nekucherechedza nzvimbo, uye kuziva kuti vangaramba sei vasingaoneki mavari.
Izvo zvinopa mutungamiri weboka rematambudziko chisarudzo chekuti ungashandisa zvakanakisisa sei snipers. Mutungamiri anogona kuchengetedza ivo kumhepo yepamhepo kuti vawane simba rekudzivirirwa kana kuti kupa moto we-countersniper - kana kuti kuvatumira kunotarisa kumigwagwa. Nzira dzekufamba kwenguva refu, dzinogona kupedza mazuva mashomanana, ndezvekuwana varume vakaipa vane misoro yepamapfudzi-e-air-air. Zvombo izvi zvinogona kutyisidzira ndege kubva kure zvakadai semakiromita matanhatu.
"Tinotarisa zvakapfuura nepamberi pemitsetse, saka tinogona kutora chinangwa chakanaka tisati chave kutyisidzira ndege yedu kana vanhu," akadaro Knoll. "Tinofanira kuchengeta ziso rakajeka nguva dzose."
Pane imwe nguva pakuvhima, iyo yakatowedzera kupfura, kure nevana vanomhanya vanobva kune dambudziko. Saka Knoll naJohn vanopedza maawa akawanda pamapurisa ekupfura uye vachiziva M-24 sniper mfuti . Iko kushandiswa kwehondo kune Remington 700 kushambadzira pfuti.
"Tinoita seboka, saka tinoziva kuti mumwe nomumwe anobata sei," akadaro Jones.
Sangano racho rakabhadharwa pachikoro cheArmed, apo snipers inofanira kupisa kubva kumakwikwi mazana mana kusvika kumatanhatu pamakwikwi anobva kune-12-inches kusvika masendimita makumi maviri pakureba. Vanopfura kubva kumasiyana-siyana uye pasi pemamiriro akasiyana-siyana. Dzimwe nguva vaiziva kure nechinangwa uye dzimwe nguva kwete. Uye ivo vanofanira kurova zvombo zvinofamba masikati uye usiku.
Kuti apfuure chikamu chimwe nechimwe, snipers inofanira kurova zvinangwa 14. Knoll naJones vakaita zviri nani.
"Tinoshungurudza chinangwa che18 kana 19 nguva dzose," akadaro Jones. "Tinodada nokuva shots akanaka."
Vose vakarova chinangwa pamayadhi anopfuura 1 000. Asi kuBhashur, kana Knoll kana Jones vakarova. Vakaramba vachidzidzisa uye vakaramba vachifamba kwenguva refu, asi havana kuenda pakushanda chaiyo. Vaida zvimwe.
Vakanga vane chimwe chifaro kunyange zvakadaro. Knoll naJones - uye rimwe rimwe boka rechi18 airmen - parachutsheni kuBashhur pamwe ne1000 paratroopers ye 173rd Airborne Brigade kubva Vicenza, Italy. Masoja akachengetedza kupera apo airmen akachengetedza gwara uye akasimbisa mhepo.
Yakanga iri yakakwira mhirizhonga, uye 14 yeAir Force jumpers yaiva mauto ezvidziviriro. Iyo airmen yaiva Air Force yekutanga-yakambosvika masimba ehurumende kusvika parachute kuenda kunzvimbo yekurwa. Uye iyo huru C-17 iyo yakadonhedzera yaiva pamba yavo yekutambisa parachute mission.
"Tangobva kudzoka kumba tichibva kune imwe nzvimbo uye taive nemazuva mana kuti tidzokere kumatambo ekuti tidhire kuBhashur," akadaro Jones. "Zvaive zvinonakidza, kunyange zvazvo tisina kuziva mungozi kutarisira."
Nenguva isipi, dambudziko reIraqi chaiyo risati raita. Kunyange zvakadaro, Knoll naJona vakachenesa pfuti dzavo uye vakachengeta zvigaro zvavo zveGhillie, vachizvishongedza nemabhandi emakumbo, tsvimbo, uye michero yemunharaunda kuti vawirirane nemunyika.
Vakashanda zvakapoteredza nguva - kusvika kumitsipa yavo mune zvekuchengetedza mabasa avo vaidzidziswa kuita. Asi ivo havana kunyadziswa.
"Pandakaona kuti ndaifamba muIraq, ndaive ndakagadzika," akadaro Jones. "Handigoni kumirira kuenda kuIraq uye kuita basa rangu, uye ndizvo zvandakaita."
Knoll aiva nechivimbo iye uye Jones vaigona kutora kumakomo kuti vagadzire muvengi. Asi apo izvozvo hazvina kuitika, vakaramba vachidzivirira basa ravo.
"Icho chaiva chikuru chekufunganya, zvakadaro," akadaro Knoll. "Asi kana vaida isu sevanopinza, tave takagadzirira kubvisa chero njodzi inogona kuitika."