What's more important to you? Three two man teams that get killed because they can't secure themselves, or one six-man element that gets spotted every now and then but comes home after the mission is complete?
That's what the brass had to look at. Although, I've not heard of a six man team going out on a regular basis. Normally, it's the three man team, occassionally an entire section will go out (10-men).
It's based more on the security level in the AO and the necessary amount of coverage needed by the element the snipers are supporting.
As to recce team size, every nation is different. Our standard scout team size is six men (and I think the Marines follow that standard as well). LRS units have 6-8 depending on LRSD or LRSC. This excludes SOF, of course. Certain SOF elements go out in as little as one or two men up to whatever is needed.
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Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.
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