Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. (December 31, 2023): It is the end of an era for one of the Marine Corp’s most storied professions, the Scout Sniper. In this photo by Lance Corporal Zachary Candiani, Corporal Sean Hall conducts reconnaissance during the last iteration of the famous Scout Sniper Course at the School of Infantry-East. After a century of heroic combat action, the Scout Sniper is to be incorporated into regular infantry companies to provide precision shooting. The closing of the school is part of the Marine Corp’s Force Design 2030, an effort to modernize infantry tactics to confront  emerging threats like China.

In the past, Marine infantry battalions had dedicated sniper platoons made up of 18 Scout Snipers who provided precisions fires and information-gathering for the commander. According to the Marines, infantry company scouting abilities were “insufficient” to give commanders the all-weather reconnaissance they need. To remedy this, the Corps took the precision firing expertise of Scout Snipers and spread them across the force. When the transition is complete, marksmen and their sniper weapons would be distributed among infantry companies but not dedicated as platoons as they once were.

To boost the reconnaissance capability, the Marines have authorized scout platoons of 26 Marines that would focus solely on information gathering rather than precision marksmanship.

Regardless, the legendary Scout Sniper lives on in Hollywood movies like “Jarhead” starring Jake Gyllenhaal.