Boys play with toy guns in Baghdad during the Id ul-Fitr holiday. (AFP)

Baghdad, Nov. 15 (Reuters): Looking for a cause with a difference? Adopt a sniper. A Texas police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officer is running a charity for frontline snipers in Iraq and Afghanistan, supplying everything from baby wipes to body armour.

The brainchild of Port Arthur detective and police sniper Brian Sain, Adopt a Sniper(www.adoptasniper.org) has raised thousands of dollars in cash and gear to supplement the kit of sharp shooters in up to 75 US combat platoons.

?Being aware that police snipers often face the same logistical problems as their military counterparts, I assumed correctly that they were doing without things they needed to get their jobs done,? Sain said.

He contacted US military sniper schools and began sending supplies, tailored to the needs of each sniper, in January. ?People from every walk of life are helping. Once the word got out that a group of policemen was helping the military and inviting civilian assistance, it really took off,? he said.

Some US soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan spend their own money to supplement equipment issued by the military. ?Snipers need gear that is different than the average airman, marine, sailor, or soldier,? Sain said via e-mail. ?When the snipers desperately need mission specific gear ... we just try and fill that void.? From the frontlines, snipers are writing to say thanks. ?Your package arrived ... and was met with great fanfare,? said a Marine platoon commander from Afghanistan.

?The mini binos (binoculars) will help lighten our load as we continue to spend most of the time chasing the Taliban between 2,100-3,050 metres).?