Azerbaijan Voluntary Military Patriotism Technical Sport Society

The Azerbaijan Voluntary Military Patriotism Technical Sport Society, or VMPTSTS for short, are military institutes established in major cities in Azerbaijan. The institutes teach essential combat techniques, including how to be sniper and a parachutist.

Sniper course
The school offers a 45-day-long course that teaches Azerbaijanis over the age of 15 essential combat techniques, including how to be snipers. It is Azerbaijan’s only non-profit school for snipers and the only organization outside of the military that provides such training. Participants (divided equally between males and females) are drilled in both the theory and practice of sniper shooting. Aside from first aid and how to load and fire, students dig into such topics as “The Basics of Hand-to-Hand Combat,” military topography, intelligence gathering and international laws on the use of sniper rifles.

According to Walid Gardashov, which is organizing the lessons, the school serves to "develop feelings of bravery and courage in young people, which will turn a teenager into a bold, fearless soldier in the future." The courses is free public school students, while older participants pay 50 manats ($63) for the course.

Weapons
Some of the weapons used during the training include:
 * Dragunov SVD
 * Tavor TAR-21
 * Heckler & Koch MP5
 * Istiglal IST-14.5 Anti-Material Rifle