(RNN) - A U.S. National Guard sniper's dedication to remain in position was tested as a member of the local wildlife slithered across his rifle.
The photo, shared on the Alabama National Guard's Facebook page, shows sniper Pfc. William Snyder practicing woodland stalking in a camouflage ghillie suit. A southern black racer snake was captured in the shot, climbing over Snyder's weapon.
The training exercise took place at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida on April 7.
"Our snipers are trained to remain perfectly still for hours on end when in position and remain invisible to enemies and even wildlife," the post stated.
The black racer is nonvenomous, although it is often mistaken for a cottonmouth. It is one of the more common snakes in the Southeast.
The National Guard used the eye-catching image as an opportunity to recruit, asking people who are interested to contact them.
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