Staff Sergeant Phillip Cho serves as a sniper in the Army's 11th Airborne Division stationed in Alaska. According to Cho, the greatest challenge of being a sniper is not the act of aiming and firing, but rather the ability to remain concealed.
He is accustomed to staying hidden for extended periods in the frozen Arctic terrain.
In his view, successful sniping in the Arctic requires imagination, drawing inspiration from World War II Finnish sniper Simo Häyhä, known as "The White Death," who achieved over 500 kills during the Winter War in environments akin to Alaska. Cho and his team adopt tactics from Häyhä's experience, such as dampening the area around their firing position to prevent smoke from revealing their location and placing snow in their mouths to conceal their breath.
Despite similarities, there are disinct differences in concealment strategies between Arctic and other environments, like jungles or deserts.
In the Arctic, maintaining warmth during long periods of inactivity is crucial. Cho recalls enduring a 10-hour position as his longest in the Arctic. Additionally, care must be taken to prevent equipment from freezing due to condensation caused by breath.
Concealment principles remain consistent across environments, emphasizing blending into the surroundings to avoid detection.
In the Arctic, this requires additional layers for warmth. Fieldcraft, including the use of a ghillie suit, plays a significant role in a sniper's ability to remain unseen.
Cho believes fieldcraft is what distinguishes a marksman from a sniper, highlighting the importance of mastering the art of disappearing into depth and shadows.
While skills like range estimation are trainable, the ability to effectively apply fieldcraft in the operational environment is invaluable.
Regarding his journey to becoming a sniper, Cho initially viewed it as a distant aspiration. However, after being invited to try out for recon by his former team leader and later transitioning to sniping, he realized his potential.
He attributes his decision to join the Army to his Korean heritage, feeling a need to earn his place in the country through service.
Deployed to Iraq in 2019 as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, Cho's duties included overwatch, key leader engagements, dismounted operations, and base security.
Serving in the Arctic presents unique challenges, such as the need to carry fuel for heating water, as consuming snow lowers body temperature and glacier water may not be clean.
Comparing his experiences in the Middle East and the Arctic, Cho notes that while water was essential in both environments, the Arctic's harsh conditions require vehicles to work harder, equipment to withstand more strain, and movements to take longer than anticipated.
In terms of equipment, snipers in the Arctic carry additional gear, with summer loads totaling 60 to 80 pounds and winter loads increasing to 90 to 120 pounds.
Despite the challenges, Cho remains committed to his role as a sniper, emphasizing the importance of fieldcraft in remaining hidden from adversaries while maintaining operational effectiveness.