The Killing School
Inside the world’s deadliest sniper program

By Brandon Webb
Published by Quercus. Distributed by Hachette Australia
RRP $32.99 in paperback
ISBN 9781786487513

Brandon Webb, a SEAL sniper and combat veteran, was tasked with revamping the US Naval Special Warfare (SEAL) Scout/Sniper School, incorporating the latest advances in technology to create an entirely new course. In this absorbing book, Webb takes readers through every aspect of the elite training.

But don’t be lulled into thinking this is just another dry instructional manual. Webb’s opening sentence reads: “I have an unusual relationship with death … For me, the face of death is as familiar as the barista at my local coffee shop”. And this sets the stage for a journey following four elite special operation snipers as they move from childhood to battlefield missions, incorporating these techniques developed by Webb.

Webb uses the experiences of Rob Furlong, Jason Delgado and Nick Irving, all experts in their field, to illustrate how this training plays out in real-life combat. Irving, a US Army Ranger, is credited with 33 kills in a single three month tour in Afghanistan. Webb uses this statistic to reinforce his belief in the value of the elite sniper, “a single sniper can sow confusion and insecurity in the minds of thousands of enemy troops”.

The Killing School is a very revealing book.