Ama-goggles, agqoke izigqoko zawo ze-Kevlar, afaka amehlo abo. Babegqoke amagilavu nezigqoko ezinzima, lapho i-gear yokugqoka yayisuka ebhanti yemishini yabo ethwala imithwalo. Futhi babe ne- M-4s enesibindi - uhlobo olusha lwengu-M-16 lokuqhuma isibhamu - bahlaselwa emahlombe abo.
I-airmen yezokuvikeleka yayigqoka amathuluzi okuhweba. Abangane kanye nabalingani babo, babengazi kahle ukuthi bangabhekana kanjani nezindlela zabo zokuphatha izinsimbi, amapulasitiki namarandi emgwaqeni omkhulu eBashur Airfield, e-Iraq, indawo engaphandle kwamakhilomitha angaba ngu-255 enyakatho yenhloko-dolobha yase-Iraq yaseBaghdad.
Bema ngasemgqeni wamatende, baphuma emotweni yabo bazitshisa. Eduzungezile, ama-airmen ahlala emagodini ngaphandle kwezindlu zabo zokuhlala, axoxa futhi apheka phansi ukudla, alungele ukudla. Futhi emva kosuku olude emsebenzini, imiklomelo yayibheke njengento enhle kakhulu ku Knoll noJones.
"Yeka usuku. Silokhu simatasa njengoba sisukuma, "kusho uKnoll, obesebenza njengopolisi wezokuphepha iminyaka yonke engu-10. "Kuzozijabulisa ukuphuma ngezinyawo zami isikhashana."
Kodwa emva kwamahora angu-14 emsebenzini, bekukhona ithuba lokuthi bangatholi ukuphumula. Ngamiphi umzuzwana bangathola ucingo lokushintshela kwamanye ama-persona- snipers abo.
Akusilo uhlobo olwamafilimu aseHollywood abangena emaphandleni ukuze bachithe amasonto abamba isitha salowo dutshulwa, omunye abulale umzuzwana.
Cha. U-Knoll noJones bayashesha ukusho ukuthi bangabokuqala - amabutho ezokuvikeleka onomsebenzi wokuvikela i-airmen yabo.
"Sizokwenza noma yini edingekayo ukuze sigcine amasosha ethu ephephile," kusho uKnoll, waseSaratoga Springs, NY
E-Bashur - isikhungo sezindiza ze-Air Force esenyakatho ye-Iraq ekuphakameni kwe-Operation Iraqi Freedom - lokho kwakusho ukwenza umsebenzi wokubamba iqhaza.
Ukuqhubeka nokujikeleza kwe-perimeter no-off-base, ukuqapha amaphoyinti okulawula ukufaka nokwakha izindawo zokuzivikela zokuzivikela.
Akuyona inkinga. Yilokho kanye labo bobabili abaqeqeshwe ukukwenza. Lokho ababekulindele lapho bejoyina i-Air Force ukuba babe amasosha okuphepha. Bathanda indlela yokuphila. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho bevolontiya emsebenzini nge-86th Contingency Response Group, babesazi ukuthi ukwenza umsebenzi wabo bekufanele babe khona esiceleni phakathi kwempi endaweni ethile.
Ziseyunithi eyingqayizivele, eyodwa kuphela e-Air Force. Umsebenzi weqembu kufanele ube ngowokuqala ukuhamba endaweni engenalutho ukuze kuqalwe ukusebenza kwezindiza kanye nokusebenza kwezikebhe zezindiza - pronto. I-786th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, lapho uKnoll noJones bebenza khona, banikeza ukuphepha. Amaphoyisa agcina i-airmen ephephile njengoba ehamba, elayisha futhi eqala izindiza nxazonke.
Iso elibukhali
Noma kunjalo, uKnoll noJones akazange bayeke ukuskena izintaba ezizungezile - isimo esasizokwenza ngesikhathi sokuqeqeshwa kwe-sniper. Ngeso iso elibukhali le-sniper, babheka isitha esingabonakali. Isitha esiselula futhi esingenakuqhathanisa, uma singavuliwe, singahlasela futhi sibulale abalingani be-squadron futhi sibangele ukuqhuma kwezindiza.
Ithimba le-sniper lithemba ukufaka ukuqeqeshwa kwabo ekuhlolweni.
Ngakho-ke, babelokhu begcina izibhamu zabo ezide kakhulu nezigqoko ze-Ghillie zifakwe ngokulungele. Emaminithini, babekwazi ukubutha amagoli abo bese bethula ngokuthulekela ezintabeni befuna isisulu.
Kodwa emiphakathini yasemaphandleni asondelene eduze kwendiza yezindiza, abantu baseKurdish babebazi kahle abangane babo nomakhelwane babo. Ubuso obusha kulula ukubona. Ngakho izindaba zomfokazi zihamba ngokusheshisa, zifinyelele kalula oxhumana nabo abanobuhlakani endaweni.
Ngabantu abahlakaniphile abanikeza izinyoka izinhloso zabo.
Kodwa amehlo nezindlebe zendawo zasiza ukuvimbela amabutho nama-terrorist Iraq ukuba angene ngaphakathi futhi athathe izibhamu eBashur.
Kodwa impi yobuphekula ayiyona into eqondile yokusebenza. Izigameko azibikezeli futhi zishaya ngokushesha, okwenza ukuhlaselwa kunzima ukuma, kusho uJones. Futhi umsebenzi obalulekile waseBushur waqinisekisa ukuthi uzobe usongelwa njalo uma nje impi ne-Iraq iqhubeka.
"Sizoqhubeka nokuqhuba imisebenzi yethu evamile," kusho uJonathan, oneminyaka engu-11 ubudala eVake Forrest, NC "Kodwa kufanele sikulungele ukushintshela kwimodi ye-sniper, ukuqeda noma yikuphi okusongela ngaphambi kokuthi omunye wabantu abalimele . "
U-Knoll noJones baye baba iqembu iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-2. Baye bahlonipha ubuciko babo ngokuqeqesha okubanzi. Bahlala bekulungele futhi bangakwazi ukuqoqa izinkinobho zabo ze-sniper bese beba yi-prowl ngemizuzu. Bayazi ukuthi umgomo wabo oyinhloko wawuzoba ngumuntu omubi ophethe imishini ehlombe amahlombe.
Yingakho babheka amehlo ezintabeni. Ngenxa yokuthi i-rocket eyodwa kuphela eyadutshulwa kusuka kunoma yiziphi iziqongo ezizungezile edolobheni lazo letende zingabangela ukulimala okukhulu. Futhi uma imishini ishaya indiza yezimoto, ingayeka yonke imisebenzi ye-air ibe yindlela yokuhamba emgwaqweni ongama-7,000-foot.
Lokho bekungeke kube kuhle, ukusho okungenani. Ngenxa yokuthi ukuphakama kokusebenza ukukhulula i-Iraq, kuka-366 C-17 Globemaster III no-C-130 Hercules badlulisa imali engaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-23 zempahla endizeni yezindiza. Izindiza eziningi zafika ebusuku, zilayishwa ezigayini ngempahla nemishini. I-Airmen yagijima ukuyilayisha ngokukhanya okuluhlaza okwenziwe ngobumnyama bokubukeka kwabo ebusuku.
Izintaba eziseduze zazwakalisa umsindo wezindiza zezindiza. Futhi leli qembu lagijima lishaya imisebenzi ukuze lengeze enye ingqimba yokuphepha eBushur ebusuku. U Knoll noJona babengazi ukuthi kumele benze umsebenzi wabo ebumnyameni. Akunandaba, basho.
"Usuku noma ubusuku, umsebenzi wethu ukukhipha isisulu ngaphambi kokuba ashaye umlilo kwenye yezindiza zethu zamadola amaningi noma abulale umuntu," kusho uKnoll.
Ngakho ukulahlekelwa ukudubula akuyona inketho. Noma yini engaphansi kwe-hit eqinisekisiwe ayitholi kancane ukunciphisa usongo kuma-airmen emhlabathini. Kodwa uma ikhodi eqondile yomsebenzi wabo ibeka ingcindezi eyengeziwe kulabo abashaya amanzi, ayizange ibonise ubuso babo.
"Uvele uqiniseke ukuthi awugcini," kusho uKnoll.
Uqeqeshwe ukuze ushaye
Kodwa "ukuphazamisa" akusilo silulumagama sabo. Bayazi ukuthi amathalenta abo ayadingeka kakhulu. Ukuthi amahemuhemu nje asemabuthweni angathumela izinhluzane ezithandweni zezitha.
"Abashayeli bezinkinga ezinkulu ezingokwengqondo emhlane," kusho uKnoll.
Futhi futhi amasosha ahlonishwa kakhulu endaweni yokulwa. Ngakho abashayeli kumele bahlale begxile ekuthumeni nokuthi yini abakwenzayo ukuze basinde, usho kanje.
"Asikwazi ukwenza iphutha," esho. "Kuningi kakhulu okusengozini. Ngaphandle kwalokho, uke wezwa ukuthi yibaphi abashayeli abaye babuya ejele?"
U Knoll noJones bayayamukela imithwalo yemisebenzi yabo kanye nezingozi. Bayazi ukuthi bangena kuphi lapho bejoyina iqembu lempendulo, nehhovisi lakhe eRamstein Air Base, eJalimane.
Isiqhema sabo siseSembach Air Base eduze. Lapho befika, kwakukhona izinyoka eziyisithupha. Kodwa eminyakeni emibili nesigamu edlule, uKnoll noJones bebelokhu bewodwa kuphela. Amadokhumenti abo aphakathi komunye nomunye, futhi aqeqesha ndawonye. Bakhululekile emsebenzini, futhi, ngakho bazana kahle.
Bobabili badabula iSydney Sniper School e-Fort Benning, eGa., Ngenyanga ngaphandle. Baphinde bahamba esikoleni se-Air National Guard-run countersniper eKamp Joseph T. Robinson, Ark.
Kodwa yi-course yamaviki amahlanu esikoleni sama-elite Army esibenza sibe yigugu eqenjini. Bafunda amakhono amakhono okuthuthukisa, ukukala imiphumela yemimoya nokulinganisa ububanzi bezinhloso. Babuye bafunda ukuthola, ukulandelela kanye nokubheja kwe-stalk, ukuphikisana, nokufihla. Futhi bafunda ukukhetha amasayithi, nokusetha, ukulalela phambili nokulalela, nokuqaphela ukuthi bangahlala kanjani bengabonakali kuwo.
Lokho kunika umlawuli weqembu elibhekene necala lokuzikhethela ukuthi ungasebenzisa kanjani kangcono abashayeli. Umlawuli angakwazi ukuwagcina enkundleni yezindiza ukuze aphephe amandla okuvikela noma ahlinzeke ngomlilo wokubala - noma awathumele ukujikeleza eduze kwamapheshana. Ukuhamba okuhamba phambili, okungahlala ezinsukwini ezimbalwa, kungukuthi bathole ababi emabhokisini aphezulu aphethwe amahlombe. Lezi zikhali zingasongela izindiza ezikude njengamakhilomitha ayisithupha.
"Sihamba ngokudlula phambili emigqeni yangaphambili, ngakho-ke singakwazi ukukhipha isisulu ngaphambi kokuba sisongele indiza yethu noma abantu," kusho uKnoll. "Kumele sigcine iso elibukhali livulekile sonke isikhathi."
Ngesinye isikhathi ekuzingeleni, isikhathi eside siphendukile, abashayeli abade kakhulu basuka enkingeni. Ngakho uKnoll noJones basebenzisa amahora amaningi ekudubula phambili nokudubula izibhamu zabo ze- M-24 . Ukuguqulwa kwezempi kwe-Remington 700 ukuzingela ibhamu.
"Siziphatha njengethimba, ngakho-ke siyazi ukuthi omunye nomunye usebenza kanjani," kusho uJones.
Ithimba likhokhele esikoleni se-Army, lapho abashayeli bezimoto kufanele baqhube khona kusukela emasontweni angu-400 kuya kwangu-600 emigomeni esukela ku-12-intshi kuya kuma-intshi angu-20 ukuphakama. Badubula ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene nangaphansi kwezimo ezihlukahlukene. Ngezinye izikhathi babesazi ibanga elibhekiswe kwelitshe futhi ngezinye izikhathi abangekho. Futhi kumele bafake izimali ezihambayo emini nasebusuku.
Ukuze kudlule isigaba ngasinye, abadlali be-snipers kufanele bahlose izinhloso ezingu-14. U Knoll noJones benza ngcono.
"Sibheke njalo izikhathi ezingu-18 noma ezingu-19," kusho uJ Jones. "Siyaziqhenya ngokuba yizibhamu ezinhle."
Bobabili baye bahlaselwa emagcekeni angaphezu kuka-1 000. Kodwa eBashur, noKnoll noJonathan badutshulwa. Baqhubeka nokuqeqesha futhi baqhubeka nokujikeleza isikhathi eside, kodwa abahambanga nokusebenza kwangempela. Babefisa ngenye indlela.
Bajabule nanyana kunjalo. Knoll noJones - namanye ama-airmen angu-18 - ahamba nge-parachuted eBashur nama-paratroopers angu-1 000 e-173rd Airborne Brigade aseVicenza, e-Italy. Amasosha avikela umjikelezo ngenkathi i-airmen ivikela imisebenzi yokusebenza yomoya.
Kwakuyimpumputhe yemlando, futhi ama-14 e-Air Force jumpers ayengamaqhawe okuphepha. I-airmen kwakuyizinkampani zokuqala ze-Air Force ezihlala zivamile ukuya parachute zibe endaweni yokulwa. Futhi i-C-17 enkulu eyabashiya yayisemkhankasweni wokuqala wokulwa ne-parachute mission.
"Sizobuya ekhaya sisuka ekuthunjweni futhi sinezinsuku ezine ukuze sibuyele esiteji ukuze sifinyelele eBashur," kusho uJ Jones. "Kwakujabulisa, nakuba sasingazi ukuthi ingozi engayilindele."
Ngenhlanhla, ingozi yangempela yase-Iraq ayizange ibe khona. Noma kunjalo, uKnoll noJonathan bahlanza izibhamu zabo futhi bagcina izibopho zabo ze-Ghillie, bezihlobisa ngezinsimbi zezintambo, izintambo, nezitshalo zendawo ukuze zihlangane nezwe langasemaphandleni.
Basebenza ngehora - kuze kube emathangeni abo emisebenzini yezokuphepha abaqeqeshelwa ukuyenza. Kodwa abazange badumale.
"Ngesikhathi ngithola ukuthi ngifinyelela e-Iraq, ngangibekwe," kusho u-Jones. "Angizange ngilinde ukufika e-Iraq futhi ngenze umsebenzi wami." Yilokho engakwenza. "
U Knoll wayeqiniseka ukuthi yena noJonathan bangathatha ezintabeni ukuze baqede isitha. Kodwa lapho lokho kungenzeki, baqhubeka nomsebenzi wabo wokuvikela amandla.
"Yilokho okwakubaluleke kakhulu kithi," kusho uKnoll. "Kodwa uma besidinga njengabaqaphi, sesikulungele ukuqeda noma yikuphi ukusongela okungase kuvele."