Posted on Nov 24, 2020
What are some of the peacetime duties of an Army Military Police Officer?
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Whenever an MP Army Officer is not doing detainee operations or combat support, what are some of their garrison duties?
Edit: I'm talking specifically about the OFFICER MOS: 31A. Not the enlisted mos.
Edit: I'm talking specifically about the OFFICER MOS: 31A. Not the enlisted mos.
Posted in these groups: 
Army Reserve Elements
Military Police Officer (MP)
Army Reserve Elements Military Police Officer (MP)
Edited 4 y ago
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 9
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Writing people tickets for going 2 miles over the speed limit during PT hours.
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The MP Corps as a whole are training for their wartime mission, Ensuring readiness of their units (property, training, medical, maintenance, etc), conducting Law Enforcement Operations, deploying as units, and some internment missions running military confinement facilities (not just the USDB at Leavenworth).
The LEO is going on at each Army Installation with MP units. They work with the Director of Emergency Services and answer to the Provost Marshall (a senior MP officer who may or may not be the Battalion Commander of the MP BN). The PM assists the Senior Commander maintain good order and discipline.
MP LTs are doing what their CO Commander tells them to do. Usually leading MP Platoons. Training, tracking LEO patrols, dealing with soldiers. Learning their craft as officers.
MP Captains are either BN, BDE, or DIV staff. They may be rotated through non MP units authorized MP officers such as Sustainment BDE Stafff. Staff Officers regardless of branch supervise their expertise area, work issues for units, track information, write plans and orders, conduct staff studies, and manages projects at the direction of the BN/BDE XO within the Commander's intent.
MP CPTs aspire to command MP Companies. They are responsible for everything the company does or fails to do. Company Commanders are responsible for the training, readiness, morale and welfare of the soldiers in their unit and their daily duties revolve around that.
MP Majors are staff officers, but most notably senior staff officers that are Provost Marshal, S3 Operations Officers, and BDE/BN Executive Officers (XO). S3 direct operations within the commander's intent, direct training, and resource training. One of the principle outputs is writing and publishing operations orders, plans, and fragmentary orders. The XO is the pinnacle. They direct the efforts of the staff primaries (S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S8) and the special staff (Chaplain, SHARP, EO, Reenlistment Counselor, etc).
MP Captains and Majors may go to instruct at PME schools or serve as Service level, Joint, and Allied staff positions for broadening assignments.
Lieutenant Colonels are either senior staff at the General Officer level commands (Corps/Division/Combatant Commands) or in the institutional Army. Those selected, Command Battalions or selected Garrisons. Similar to what all branches LTCs do.
Colonels also service in similar staff assignments but are director level staff officers. Selected Colonels command Brigades and Army Garrisons.
There are a handful of GO positions ear marked for MP officers that become GOs. They culminate with the two star that is the Army's Provost Marshal who is the lead MP that advises the Chief of Staff of the Army. https://www.army.mil/opmg#org-about
The LEO is going on at each Army Installation with MP units. They work with the Director of Emergency Services and answer to the Provost Marshall (a senior MP officer who may or may not be the Battalion Commander of the MP BN). The PM assists the Senior Commander maintain good order and discipline.
MP LTs are doing what their CO Commander tells them to do. Usually leading MP Platoons. Training, tracking LEO patrols, dealing with soldiers. Learning their craft as officers.
MP Captains are either BN, BDE, or DIV staff. They may be rotated through non MP units authorized MP officers such as Sustainment BDE Stafff. Staff Officers regardless of branch supervise their expertise area, work issues for units, track information, write plans and orders, conduct staff studies, and manages projects at the direction of the BN/BDE XO within the Commander's intent.
MP CPTs aspire to command MP Companies. They are responsible for everything the company does or fails to do. Company Commanders are responsible for the training, readiness, morale and welfare of the soldiers in their unit and their daily duties revolve around that.
MP Majors are staff officers, but most notably senior staff officers that are Provost Marshal, S3 Operations Officers, and BDE/BN Executive Officers (XO). S3 direct operations within the commander's intent, direct training, and resource training. One of the principle outputs is writing and publishing operations orders, plans, and fragmentary orders. The XO is the pinnacle. They direct the efforts of the staff primaries (S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S8) and the special staff (Chaplain, SHARP, EO, Reenlistment Counselor, etc).
MP Captains and Majors may go to instruct at PME schools or serve as Service level, Joint, and Allied staff positions for broadening assignments.
Lieutenant Colonels are either senior staff at the General Officer level commands (Corps/Division/Combatant Commands) or in the institutional Army. Those selected, Command Battalions or selected Garrisons. Similar to what all branches LTCs do.
Colonels also service in similar staff assignments but are director level staff officers. Selected Colonels command Brigades and Army Garrisons.
There are a handful of GO positions ear marked for MP officers that become GOs. They culminate with the two star that is the Army's Provost Marshal who is the lead MP that advises the Chief of Staff of the Army. https://www.army.mil/opmg#org-about
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LTC Jason Mackay
Del Core understand MPs have several core missions:
- Area Security
- Traffic Control / Route management
- EPWs/Detainees
- Law Enforcement and investigation
- corrections
- Area Security
- Traffic Control / Route management
- EPWs/Detainees
- Law Enforcement and investigation
- corrections
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LTC Jason Mackay
Del Core I have seen RC MPs used for battle assembly AWOL collection
I have also seen AD MPs used to return AWOL/Deserters to military control
I have also seen AD MPs used to return AWOL/Deserters to military control
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Del Core
Sir,
Thank you for going into so much depth with your detailed response. It seems like the branch is very multi-purpose and always finds a way to put its soldiers to use beyond policing. I'll be looking at units in Reserve Component, and I feel a lot more confident now in what I'd be getting myself into having learned this information.
Thank you for going into so much depth with your detailed response. It seems like the branch is very multi-purpose and always finds a way to put its soldiers to use beyond policing. I'll be looking at units in Reserve Component, and I feel a lot more confident now in what I'd be getting myself into having learned this information.
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LTC Jason Mackay
Del Core - you should review DA PAM 600-3 and the accompanying Smartbook that describes the branch pathway.
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They appear to drive around base all day here. Sometimes I see them parked in certain areas monitoring traffic. I suppose if there's an emergency that requires MP support they go. I see them fly by with lights flashing once in awhile or hear the sirens at night (live on base). I'm sure they have people who do admin stuff too.
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LTC Jason Mackay
SFC Stephen Hurst - they do investigation and go to different LE PME school to have the skills and manage the people.
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MAJ Donald Luce
All depends if they are at that Corp, Division, Brigade or Battalion Level. I spent a few years in a Corp MP BN and conducted a lot of Corp Rear Area Battle exercises. Law Enforcement Operations was usually up to Division level MP Companies. Brigade level provided command and control and general support mostly for of their BN's level operations. Can be busy.
I also served as a Provost Marshal for a Garrison Installation Command. Back to L&O and Physical security operations. Bottom line, a 31A is a good secondary MOS for officers. I enjoyed the Rear Battle... however, I'm a 11B00 Light Infantry Officer first... Field grades 31A's usually become 54A's. Hope this helps.
I also served as a Provost Marshal for a Garrison Installation Command. Back to L&O and Physical security operations. Bottom line, a 31A is a good secondary MOS for officers. I enjoyed the Rear Battle... however, I'm a 11B00 Light Infantry Officer first... Field grades 31A's usually become 54A's. Hope this helps.
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SGM Steve Wettstein
SFC Stephen Hurst - Once in a while company grade O's will pull MP Duty Officer (E-6P - O-3) during none duty hours. That is about the only time they do LEO stuff.
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MAJ Ronnie Reams
SFC Stephen Hurst - SFC Stephen Hurst - Some hands on. When I was at Bragg as a 31A LT it was hands on when there were brawls at the NCO clubs. 82d MPs were always calling 503rd MPs to quell the disturbances at the 82d NCO club which was often quite a melee. Town Patrol on Hay Street got exciting sometimes, too. Also, had to attend traffic stops and domestics involving officers. If you were a good LT, you take calls when they are stacked up. This was in the 1970s.
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