SOTIC or the "Special Operations Target Interdiction Course" purpose, is to train selected personnel in the technical skills and operational procedures necessary to deliver precision rifle fire from concealed positions to selected targets in support of special operations forces. Course emphasis it to provide the force with personnel who can achieve first-round hits from a cold barrel on these high-value targets. Additionally, personnel will be able to correct for wind and determine the previous round's bullet trace to achieve second-round hits if necessary.

The SOTIC is a six-week course conducted at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Students will be attached to Company D, 2d Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne), U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Students must be:

1. Currently assigned to or on orders to a Special Forces detachment of Ranger company, currently Ranger-qualified or Special Forces-qualified, or selected Department of Defense personnel.
2. Must have a current periodic physical. Students must have their medical records with them when they report for in-processing. Vision must be correctable to 20/20 in each eye.
3. Must have in their possession a memorandum from their unit commander certifying that the student has scored expert with the M16A1/M16A2 rifle in accordance with FM 23-9, M16A1 Rifle and M16A2 Rifle Marksmanship, July 1989, within 12 months of the reporting date.
4. Must have undergone a psychological evaluation (Minnesota Multi-phasic Personality Inventory) under the direction of a qualified psychologist within 12 months of the reporting date. A copy of the evaluation must be presented on the course starting date.
5. Must have in their possession an original verification of their security clearance (copies unacceptable), dated no earlier than 30 days prior to the course starting date.
6. Must meet the Army height and weight standards as prescribed in AR 600-9, Height and Weight Standards.
7. Must currently be on jump status and be medically qualified to participate in airborne operations.

Skills learned are :

• Applying Basic Tracking For The Sniper
• Arctic desert, jungle, alpine and urban Survival
• Camouflage and Concealment - Slide chart presentation.
• Camouflage and Concealment - Notes accompanying the presentation
• Dehydration
• Fieldcraft
• Fire Building
• Fire Support Planning In Support Of Scout/Sniper Operations
• Ghillie Suit Manufacture
• Heat Stress in the Tactical Environment
• Holding for Windage, Motion, and Distance - Slide chart presentation
• Information Gathering For The Scout/Sniper
• Maps: An introduction
• Movement Techniques
• Patrolling Fundamentals I
• Patrolling Fundamentals II
• Patrolling Fundamentals III
• Patrolling - The Warning Order
• Patrolling - The Operations Order
• Shelter Construction
• Survival
• Sniper Field Training Exercises
• Sniper FTX Summary
• Sniper Positions
• Weather and Its Effects

A very demanding course for a very demanding and special force: the U.S. Army Special Operations Sniper.