Do SERT officers have extra ballistic protection?
In a word, yes. We wear a much heavier ballistic Kevlar vest, a Kevlar helmet, ballistic eye protection, and can carry ballistic shields that will stop most anything anyone shoots at us. We are still waiting for someone to make a ballistic Kevlar cup, and sincerely hope that product will soon be available. Why would you want to be a sniper in the first place, and put yourself in the position of having to take a shot like that? Being a sniper is to me, the best position on the tactical team. You get to be an integral part of every operation. You’re the first person to see the target building and the bad guy. The team often depends on you to guide them into good positions. You’re generally 75 to 200 yards away from the action, yet you are still smack-dab in the middle of it. I like the gear, the ability to disappear in your environment, and watching the team in action. The idea of taking a shot isn’t appealing to anyone, but if it has to happen, I know that I would be saving lives in the
