The Inspiration For 'American Sniper' Explains A Sniper's Job

"Most people think of snipers as shooters perched in urban hides, dealing out death unseen from a considerable distance, but this description barely scratches the surface," writes Chris Martin, journalist and author of Modern American Snipers.

Dubbed "The Legend" by his fellow Navy SEALs and known to the world as America's most lethal sniper, Chris Kyle once explained how snipers can turn the tide of battles without even pulling a trigger.

"You're their eyes and ears. You're their early warning system. And you're feeding them the intel. There's no embedded intel out there, so you're telling them all the details. When your boys roll up, it's like they've been practicing on it because they know it inside and out. Most times as a sniper you don't take a shot. It's for your boys to come in, do their hit, and get out without a shot being fired and you're just covering for them. If they get in and get out, you sneak back out. Your job's been done outstandingly."

SEAL sharpshooter Kyle claimed more than 200 enemy kills (with 160 confirmed) during his four tours in Iraq before he was shot point-blank and killed by Eddie Ray Routh, a veteran suffering from PTSD.

Kyle is the subject of Clint Eastwood's film "American Sniper," which posted a $89.5 million opening weekend and was nominated for several Oscars despite leaving audiences politically divided.

Quote excerpted from Modern American Snipers by Chris Martin.