Chapter 7

MOBILITY AND SURVIVABILITY

Section III. MILITARY POLICE

7-14. GENERAL

    This section focuses on the functions, missions, capabilities, and employment of military police (MP) on the battlefield. MPs on the battlefield support the combat commander's mission to win the battle. They help the commander achieve his objective of destroying the enemy forces, large or small, wherever and whenever the Army is sent to war.

    Military police provide a wide range of support to contribute to Army battlefield success. They combat enemy forces in the rear area; expedite the movement of critical combat resources; evacuate enemy prisoners of war (EPWs); provide security to critical Army facilities and resources; and provide commanders and soldiers with police and police intelligence services, as needed. MPs on the battlefield operate as a flexible economy of force organization. Organized in small tactical elements, they perform a wide range of support keyed to the echelon commander's priorities.

7-15. MILITARY POLICE FUNCTIONS

    MPs help commanders meet the challenges of today's battlefield. MPs have always provided the Army a wide range of diverse support and are ready to perform this wide range of support with a limited but flexible force. MP support includes--

    a. Combat operations against the rear area threat. The MP role in the rear area may, for short periods of time, become a direct combat role. MPs, based on METT-T and the commander's priorities, have the responsibility to seek out, close with, and destroy Levels I and II enemy forces in the rear area.

    When MPs fight as a combat force, they help keep the enemy from delaying the commander's reinforcing units and disrupting his C². They defeat as much of the rear threat as possible. Level III enemy forces are too large a group to be defeated by MPs, but MPs identify, report, and, if possible, delay and disrupt them until the commander can deploy a TCF to defeat the rear enemy.

    b. Combat support operations expedite the movement of combat resources and the evacuation, internment, and resettlement of enemy prisoners of war (EPWs). MPs reconnoiter routes to and within the battle area. They find alternate road networks to ensure a way is open to move reinforcing troops, fuel, food, and ammunition across the battlefield. They also expedite the rapid movement of units and essential supplies; spot and block off contaminated or damaged areas; and identify bypasses and restore the commander's tactical mobility.

    Military police ensure tactical commanders are not impeded by the burden of guarding and caring for displaced civilians, refugees or EPWs. Military police quickly collect EPWs from combat units. They rapidly move them from the battle area to meet the obligations of international law.

    Military police intelligence operations help provide the tactical commander a doctrinally and operationally integrated MP, Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and MI intelligence systems picture. Police intelligence is the collection, processing and dissemination of information specifically applicable to criminal activities and violation of criminal law. Operational intelligence is the information required to conduct security, control, and other MP activities. Thus, police intelligence operations will include route reconnaissance and surveillance, intelligence collecting and reporting, information disemination, area reconnaissance and surveillance, NBC detection and reporting, and, finally, criminal intelligence operations.

    c. Combat service support operations provide the commander and soldiers with law and order services. When needed, MPs can assist the commanders and fellow soldiers by providing a variety of police services. They may be tasked to prevent diversion of military resources or to investigate criminal activity and deal with military offenders.

    Military Police on the battlefield, with their ability to move, shoot, and communicate can significantly multiply a commander's combat power. They can do this without increasing the commander's total force or diverting resources from more critical operations.

7-16. MILITARY POLICE BATTLEFIELD MISSIONS

    The MPs have five battlefield missions: maneuver and mobility support (battlefield circulation control), force protection (area security), EPW internment and resettlement operations, law and order, and police intelligence operations. These missions are conducted independently or simultaneously. The MPs, in performing these operations, provide a full range of battlefield support.

    a. Maneuver and mobility operations help the commander get the right people and equipment to the right place at the right time. They are conducted using three primary operations: route reconnaissance and surveillance; circulation control and main supply route regulation enforcement and security; and dislocated civilian, straggler and refugee control.

        (1) Route reconnaissance and surveillance:

               - Obtain detailed information on routes and nearby terrain.
              - Provide detailed route reconnaissance overlays.
              - Provide information on enemy activity.
              - Provide information on contaminated areas, damaged areas, traffic delays, obstructions, bridges, and urban areas.

        (2) Circulation control and main supply route regulation enforcement and security:

                - Keep MSRs free of congestion and unauthorized use (enforce commander's highway regulation and traffic circulation plan).
                - Expedite movement of critical assets along routes.
                - Provide alternate routes and temporary route signs.
                - Provide directions and information for units moving along routes.
                - Operate traffic control points (TCP), roadblocks, checkpoints, holding areas, and conduct defiles at critical points.
                - Develop traffic circulation plan.

        (3) Dislocated civilian, straggler, and refugee (primarily the responsibility of the G5 and/or host nation) control:

                - Keep MSRs clear of straggler movement (coordinate with G5/S5 and/or host nation authorities on displaced civilian control operations).
                - Direct stragglers to their units and escort when necessary.
                - Provide and/or direct to medical support as required.
                - Establish straggler control points, mobile patrols, checkpoints, and TCPs to assist in straggler and displaced persons control.
                - Assist, direct, or deny the movement and control of refugees.
                - Provide alternate routes and direction to refugees.
                - Provide / direct to medical assistance as required.
                - Keep MSRs clear for movement by combat and support units.

        (4) Special missions:

            (a) Battle handover and passage of lines.

                - Provide circulation control.
                - Evacuate EPWs and stragglers.
                - Reduce confusion and congestion.
                - Maintain unit integrity during passage.
                - Prevent possible infiltration by enemy units.
                - Provide guides through passages lanes.

            (b) Hasty water crossing.

                - Reduce congestion and increase speed during crossing.
                - Provide security to staging areas and crossing sites.
                - Establish TCPs to maintain crossing flow.
                - Conduct basic signing at sites.
                - Support engineer operations with security and movement.
                - Control movement into and out of the crossing site by units conducting crossing and support units.

    b. Force protection (area security) is a major part of the MP battlefield mission. The MP force protection mission helps the tactical commander provide security and protection for the brigade, division, and corps rear areas. MP employment for area security may become more important than MP employment for maneuver and mobility support. MPs provide combat power to the commander for rear area operations and protection. MP employment in the rear area provides the commander with an available light, mobile force that can shoot, move, and communicate. MPs are a response force to enemy attempts to disrupt and delay friendly operations in the rear.

        (1) Area reconnaissance and surveillance:

                - Monitor likely avenues of approach, LZs, and DZs to give early warning.
                - Seek specific information about local towns, bridges, terrain features, road networks, sites, terminals, and ports designated critical by the commander.

        (2) Security of designated critical assets:

                - Provide security for critical facilities, key personnel, pipelines, railways, bridges, tunnels, and conventional ammunition storage facilities.
                - Provide mobile security for key convoys and escort key personnel.

        (3) Base response force:

                - Provide mobile, flexible force against enemy threat in the rear area.
                - Respond to Levels II and III threats in the rear area. Defeat Level II and delay Level III (base commander is responsible for destroying Level I threats).

        (4) Counterincursion:

                - Provide response force for Level II threat.
                - Delay and disrupt Level III threat as directed.

        (5) Air base ground defense: establish exterior defense against ground attack.

        (6) Terrorism counteraction:

                - Conduct raids and rescues.
                - Conduct show of force and intelligence gathering.

        (7) Area damage control:

                - Secure critical activities and reroute battlefield movement.
                - Report and block off affected rear area.

        (8) NBC detecting and reporting:

                - Provide early warning of NBC use and location.
                - Detect, mark, and report enemy use of NBC.

    c. Military police EPW internment and resettlement operations relieve the tactical commander of the need to use combat forces to conduct this mission. The MP EPW mission is of humane as well as tactical importance. In any conflict involving US forces, safe and humane treatment of EPWs and US prisoners is essential and regulated by law. MPs perform their EPW mission to collect and evacuate EPWs throughout the theater of battle. To the tactical commander, MP support to EPW and US prisoner operations is critical to the commander's ability to focus on combat operations.

        (1) EPW collection:

                - Establish collection point.
                - Segregate and secure EPWs.
                - Secure and safeguard EPWs from retaliation by friendly forces or host nation personnel.

        (2) EPW evacuation: provide security during movement and take accountability of EPWs from combat units.

    d. The MP law and order mission extends the combat commander's C². MPs perform law and order operations to suppress the chance for criminal activity and to confine US prisoners. They conduct law and order operations only when the combat commander requires it and when battle intensity permits. The commander's need for these operations depends on the tactical situation. The four primary law and order missions are-

                - Law enforcement.
                - Criminal investigation.
                - Temporary US military prisoner confinement.
                - Terrorism counteraction.

    e. Police intelligence operations involve MP, CID, and MI intelligence systems that must be doctrinally and operationally integrated with other intelligence information to provide the maneuver commander a complete intelligence picture. Two major categories of police intelligence operations include--

        (1) Criminal intelligence: processed information pertaining to individual and organized criminal activities.

        (2) Operational intelligence: the information required to conduct security, control, and other MP activities.

7-17. MP ORGANIZATIONS

    See wiring diagrams in FM 19-1 and FM 19-4.

    a. MP support to the corps. MP support to the corps is provided by an MP brigade assigned to each corps. The MP brigade provides general support throughout the corps rear area. Thus, subordinate MP units are not assigned to subordinate corps units; instead, they are given AOs by the MP brigade commander that can be quickly shifted as needed to ensure accomplishment of MP missions in accord with the corps commander's concept of the operation. When possible, these AOs coincide with the corps RAOC and corps support areas of responsibility. This flexible employment fulfills the economy of force role that most MPs have on the battlefield. The MP brigade supporting a corps contains a brigade HQ and three to six MP battalions. Each MP battalion has three to six MP CS companies. The brigade commander will employ these companies throughout the corps rear area to provide maximum support to corps operations.

        (1) Command and control. The C² in a corps MP brigade is consistent with that of brigades throughout the Army. The MP brigade commander commands the brigade and attached units and personnel. Battalion commanders work for the brigade commander. CS company commanders work for the battalion commanders. Platoon leaders receive their orders from respective company commanders and direct their platoons to assure mission accomplishment. The C² relationship is altered when corps MP assets are sent forward to augment a division MP company. Corps MP companies are attached to the division and placed OPCON to the division provost marshal (DPM) for as long as the unit is needed in the division area.

        (2) Support relationships. A corps MP brigade provides GS to all US forces operating in its command AO. The MP units assigned to the MP brigade provide GS throughout the corps rear area.

        (3) Capabilities of an MP company (corps support).

                - Maneuver and mobility operations up to 360 kilometers of main, axial, and alternate supply routes.
                - Force protection (area security) for 2,000 km² or 800 km² of high density urban terrain.
                - Security for 12 critical sites or facilities.
                - Escorts for 1,900 EPWs traveling by vehicle: and 3,800 EPWs traveling by train.
                - Guards for up to 2,000 EPWs in a holding area with adequate facilities.
                - Control of dismounted refugee movement of up to 150,000 per day (not including care, shelter, or protection of the same).
                - Battlefield law and order for 75, 000 nondivisional personnel.
                - Security of one major HQ.

    The planning figures presented above represent the maximum capabilities of a corps support MP company when performing each of these missions exclusively. However, since most of these requirements occur simultaneously on the battlefield, it is impossible to perform all of these missions adequately. Accordingly, missions must be ranked in priority based on the commander's guidance and the tactical situation.

        (4) Employment considerations:

                - Size of MSR network.
                - Number and composition of urban areas.
                - Location of CS and CSS facilities and units.
                - Location of critical facilities that may require dedicated security.
                - Expected enemy activity.
                - Degree and frequency of support needed by each division.
                - Current and projected tactical situation.
                - Mission priority as set by the commander.

    b. MP support to divisions. MP support to a division is provided by an MP company assigned to each division. The company provides support in the division and maneuver brigade areas. The company is fully mobile so it can relocate frequently under short notice.

    The organization of MP units supporting divisions is set by the TOE. Division MP companies fall mainly into two categories: those that support heavy divisions and those that support light divisions.

        (1) Command and control of MP units in divisions extends downward from the tactical commander. The division MP company and any other MP assets that have been provided by corps pre OPCON to the division PM. The MP company commander has day-to-day control of the unit. He commands the company and any platoons attached or OPCON from other commands. Each platoon leader directs and supervises his platoon in the execution of its mission.

        (2) The support relationships of an MP unit supporting a division differs with the type of division to which the company is assigned. In a light division, the MP company is not resourced to provide DS to the maneuver brigades. This MP unit provides only GS to the entire division. In a heavy division, the MP company is organized to provide DS to each maneuver brigade as well as to provide support to the division rear area. Usually, once an MP platoon has been assigned a DS mission to a maneuver brigade, it will coordinate to receive all logistical support from that brigade.

        (3) Capabilities of an MP company, heavy division.

                - Coordination and advice on rear area security plans.
                - Maneuver and mobility operations of vehicular traffic and individuals in the division through the establishment of points and the operation of mobile patrols.
                - Force protection (area security) through the use of mobile patrols, reconnaissance, and reaction capability.
                - One EPW / civilian internee (CI) collection point within the division rear area.
                - Area and route reconnaissance in conjunction with mobile patrol operations in the division rear area.
                - Law enforcement operations in the division area.
                - Assistance in securing the division main CP.
                - Support for the brigades as required.

        (4) Capabilities of an MP company, light division:

                - A PM section to exercise OPCON over assigned and attached units.
                - Maneuver and mobility operations to expedite movement of vehicular traffic and individuals in the division.
                - Force protection (area security) operations, reconnaissance, and response forces.
                - Battlefield law and order operations to alleviate major problems endangering the successful accomplishment of the division mission; e.g., war crimes and criminal diversion of war material.
                - One EPW-CI collection point within the division rear area.
                - Temporary detention of US military prisoners.

        (5) Employment considerations.

                - Type of division being supported.
                - MSR size and network.
                - Availability of support assets.
                - Availability of additional MP support.
                - Tactical situation.
                - Enemy situation and potential.

NOTE: The division band will normally be available, at the direction of the division commander, to perform its secondary mission of supporting MP operations in the division rear area. Primarily used to assist in the security and protection of EPWs, the band frees MP assets to perform their five battlefield missions (para 7-16).

    c. MP support to separate brigades. Military police support is provided by an MP platoon assigned to the brigade HHC. A separate PM cell within the brigade HHC serves as the C² element for the platoon. The HHC provides support to the platoon and the PM section for maintenance, supply, mess, etc. As there is no organic support for the platoon or the PM section, close coordination for this support is required. The platoon must compete with other brigade HHC assets for priority of repair for weapons, vehicles, and communications equipment.

        (1) Command and control. The C² for MP units supporting separate brigades extends downward from the tactical commander. Separate brigade MP assets as well as MP assets provided by corps are OPCON to the separate brigade PM the way division MP assets are OPCON to the division PM. The platoon leader directs the execution of the platoon's missions.

        (2) Support relationships. The support relationships of MP units supporting separate brigades differ with the type of brigade to which the platoon is assigned. In a heavy separate brigade, the MP platoon employs all of its squads to provide GS to the entire brigade AO. Thus, the supporting relationship of an MP platoon supporting a heavy separate brigade and that of an MP company supporting a light infantry division are the same. The number of squads employed will vary with the brigade commander' s needs and the size of the brigade.

        (3) Employment considerations.

                - Limited MP assets and resources.
                - Brigade AO.
                - METT-T.
                - MSR network and size.
                - Type of separate brigade.