Exchanging sniper practices between the British and U.S. Forces in Poland

Bemowo Piskie POLAND — Fewer than one percent of U.S. and British soldiers serve as snipers. The specialized role requires weeks of training, discipline, and the ability to engage designated targets with precision.

U.S. Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment (2-37 AR) trained alongside the British Army’s Finder Troop under the Light Dragoons during Finder Troop’s sniper course at the Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, on Aug. 20, 2026.

“Joint training with the British snipers has strengthened our confidence in one another, knowing the training knowledge and terminology are extremely similar to one another,” said Staff Sgt. Derek Beltrame, sniper section leader, assigned to HHC, 2-37 AR.

Beltrame and his team of about ten snipers arrived at the training area early in the morning in a high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle and a light medium tactical vehicle.

The team shook hands with Finder Troop’s platoon leader and spoke with U.S. Army 1st Lt. Thomas Keefe, sniper section platoon leader, about the day ahead.

The sniper section of HHC, also known as the “strike” section, comprises of some trained snipers and some who will soon go to training after their rotation in Poland.

The section was able to watch and participate in a two-week certification course the British were running as a precursor to the 10-week sniper course.

Today’s tasks were observation and concealment.

British soldiers, along with one Polish soldier who also joined the 2-week course, were timed to observe a terrain area, draw it, and use binoculars to find items that didn’t quite belong. A few snipers from the U.S. also grabbed binoculars and tried to spot the 10 items among the brush.

A few hours into the day, the soldiers grabbed their weapons and kits. Then they walked about two km to another location for target location and distance, a precursor to their concealment exercise later in the day.

Soldiers were tasked with finding 8 targets at various locations and distances and annotating their distances using a mathematical formula used by snipers.

After reviewing the targets and recording their distances, the soldiers walked another 2 kilometers to their final and most challenging task of the day: a stalking and camouflage exercise.

Five U.S. Soldiers, along with ten British and one Polish soldier, covered themselves in camouflage paint and added grass to their weapon and ghillie suit.

The soldiers in training then swiftly made their way to areas on the field. The trainers had twenty minutes to see if they could spot anyone who was not properly concealed.

A few from each nation were spotted, and then the final part of the exercise began. They judged distances and confirmed the target.

While in concealment, soldiers, with the help of an observer who communicates with the grader by the target, call out distances and a target letter that is raised by the grader.

This training shows a sniper’s preparedness to lock on a target and not get caught.

Throughout the training, British and U.S. troops exchanged practices of the trade, similarities and differences, and it was overall a great way for soldiers preparing for sniper courses to be more prepared when they arrive.

“If we were one day down range, it would be extremely easy to work with them, being they know what we know, they train how we train," said Beltrame. “There are very little differences between us and them.”

The training demonstrated the value of multinational cooperation and highlighted the importance of developing shared procedures and mutual understanding. By training together, personnel from Finder Troop, the 1st Podlaska Brigade of the Polish Territorial Defence Force, and 2-37 AR enhanced their ability to operate cohesively during future exercises and operations.

The event further strengthened the partnership between NATO Forward Land Forces Battle Group-Poland and its allied and host-nation partners.

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