Military Police contains information about military police functions in maneuver and mobility support, area security, law and order, internment/resettlement, and police intelligence operations.
Issue link: https://militarypolice.epubxp.com/i/567773
10 MILITARY POLICE E ach military police company in the 759th Military Police Battalion is aligned with a brigade combat team (BCT). As the commander of the 110th Mili- tary Police Company, I am responsible for nurturing a ha- bitual relationship with the 3d Armored BCT, 4th Infantry Division. The 110th Military Police Company recently par- ticipated in the brigade mission readiness exercise (MRX), designated Iron Horse Focus, in preparation for National Training Center (NTC) rotation 15-02. Following the MRX, the 110th Military Police Company supported NTC rotation 15-02. This article describes our efforts in fostering a habit- ual relationship between the 110th Military Police Company and the 3d Armored BCT and summarizes our best practices and lessons learned. The frst step in preparing for the MRX was to identify training objectives. Several facts and assumptions drove the concept of missions that we might expect to execute. Those missions established the parameters of what could reason- ably be accomplished in the time and space allotted. The unit training objectives for the MRX were largely task-based before the start of the exercise. These objectives included— • Tactics, techniques, and procedures validation. • Tactical standard operating procedure validation. • Alert, marshal, and deploy (redeploy) operations. • Zone reconnaissance. • Convoy security. • Corrections. • Police intelligence operations. We knew that training would be executed at less than full strength. The lower numbers forced us to continually adjust the task organization to accomplish several disparate missions with fewer resources. Adjusting the task organiza- tion in a complex, austere environment required successful mission command predicated upon mutual trust between leaders. Relationship Building Before executing the MRX, the supported BCT elected to task-organize the 110th Military Police Company with the brigade engineer battalion (BEB). Through the military de- cisionmaking process, it was determined that the rear area security mission of the battalion would be composed of the following major mission sets: • Host nation engagement. • Route security, including combined arms route clearance. • Detainee operations and displaced civilian control (inter- nally displaced persons). • Critical site security. • Ground response force operations. • Maneuver sustainment. The company command team conducted several capa- bilities briefs with the supported battalion and brigade. We identifed potential military police integration courses of ac- tion to shape methods of employment. Military police unit leaders studied hybrid threat doctrine to identify potential gaps that could be flled in support of rear area security op- erations. The primary focus was security along the lines of communication. With the growth of the rear area, the hy- brid threat would seize the opportunity to attack the lines of communication using unconventional tactics. The goal was to position combat power to identify and eliminate threats while supporting enablers or conducting security operations. With engagement areas clear of threats, we wanted to tran- sition into reconnaissance and surveillance operations to ensure that key terrain remained clear and to restrict the ability of the enemy to move throughout the rear area. We knew that we would fght at less than 70 percent strength. Signifcant factors in the planning process in- cluded the speed at which the rear area was expected to grow, the estimated throughput of detainees, and the way in which the security posture would be adjusted to accom- modate surges in detainees or internally displaced persons. To provide maximum we visualized ourselves as a company of teams that could be shifted between squads or