Coughlin was deployed with 1st Battalion, 7th Marines Weapons Company as a Scout Sniper during Operation Restore Hope.

The EMR is primarily used by a designated marksman, to provide precision fire for units that do not rate a Scout Sniper.

They consisted of Scout Snipers and Intelligence Marines.

By doctrine, a Scout Sniper is a Marine highly skilled in field craft and marksmanship who delivers long range precision fire on selected targets from concealed positions in support of combat operations.

The term "Scout Sniper" is only used officially by the Marine Corps but it does not imply a differing mission from the U.S. Army Sniper.

Upon the completion of training Benny Ray would be accepted into the elite Scout Snipers, where he became a skilled marksman, Marine Force Reconnaissance, and expert in a variety of firearms.

He served in the United States Marine Corps and attended Scout Sniper and Surveillance and Target Acquisition training.

In June 2006, 3/5 avenged the death of four Scout Snipers who belonged to 2/4 who had been killed on a roof top in Ramadi in 2004.

After completing training to be a U.S. Marine, Meyer deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, in 2007 as a Scout Sniper with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines.

The Scout Sniper may be attached to the division and FMF reconnaissance companies.