Military Police

Spring 2013

Military Police contains information about military police functions in maneuver and mobility support, area security, law and order, internment/resettlement, and police intelligence operations.

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Zamarai fresh in my mind, I prepared for my frst battlefeld circulation visit. Major General Zamarai wanted to visit some of his units to the north near Mazar-E-Shariff, so with one armored vehicle and about 10 pickup trucks, our group set off on the 9-hour ground movement. Major General Zamarai was the only passenger in the armored vehicle. For most of the trip, I sat alongside a linguist in one of the pickup trucks—our gear stowed in the cab of the truck. Even with my 9-millimeter pistol tucked away in my uniform, I was somewhat anxious. Some of the Afghans appeared to be curious about whether I would don my armored gear for the trip, but with Major General Zamarai's comment deeply ingrained in my mind, I knew that I could not. I had only a scarf that had been provided by an Afghan for the trip. About 5 or 6 hours into the trip, our group came upon an American roadblock. Major General Zamarai seemed frustrated, and he looked to me to do something. I got out of my vehicle and approached the roadblock. The Soldiers who were operating the roadblock were armed "to the teeth" and fully decked out in body gear, and they were stunned to see an American colonel approach them in only his uniform. After some discussion, our group was soon on its way. The advising mission requires a unique mind-set. I could have easily worn my armored gear for the entire trip, but what kind of message would that have sent to the ANCOP personnel? Would they have inferred that I did not trust them? I think so. The statement that Major General Zamarai made to me during the early days of my deployment helped me realize that I needed to reach beyond the basic culture of language and norms. Yet in many ways, that statement was Major General Zamarai's way of letting me know that my protection and my security also rested on his shoulders. The soldiers of his protective security detail watched my back, knowing that their honor, their integrity, and their reputations were on the line. To them, my safety was just as important as that of any other rankand-fle member of the ANCOP—maybe more so. A few months into my deployment, I learned that the deputy commanding general of ANCOP (who had lost his wife to an automobile accident months earlier) was planning to get remarried in Kabul. The advisors were eager to present him with an appropriate wedding gift; so with the big day quickly approaching, I asked Major General Zamarai what type of gift would be suitable. Without hesitation, he replied, "Coming to the wedding would be the greatest gift!" Thus, after obtaining the necessary permission from NTM-A leaders, we began making preparations to attend the ceremony, which included being ftted for traditional Afghan wedding attire. On the day of the celebration, armed with our 9-millimeter pistols, we joined the convoy to the wedding hall. The hall, which was elaborately decorated, was flled with dozens of family members and other guests; and our presence drew some attention. However, our attendance meant the world to the groom. And the ANCOP offcers were also pleased that we were there. We had moved beyond sharing small bits of language while drinking tea in the mornings. We had taken extra steps to connect in a much more personable way. In addition to sharing in Afghan losses on the MILITARY POLICE . 19-13-1 battlefeld, we were now sharing in Afghan joy and happiness as well. Our simple gesture of recognition meant so much to the ANCOP leaders. Army and joint publications and research institutes recognize the important effect of cultural understanding on military operations. A lack of awareness or respect for the culture of a host nation could clearly have far-reaching, possibly even deadly, consequences. Conversely, cultural awareness, understanding, and respect could positively impact current and future tactical and strategic operations. The importance of developing cross-cultural competencies—including general cultural knowledge, skills, and attributes—is stressed in Field Manual (FM) 3-24.2, Tactics in Counterinsurgency.1 Furthermore, Joint Publication (JP) 3-0, Joint Operations, describes an understanding of culture and customs as a force-multiplying capability that can save lives and prove essential to mission success.2 From an institutional perspective, the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences has identifed three metacompetencies that provide a solid basis for civil-military collaboration:3 ● Adapt across organizations and cultures. ■ Understand the cultural context of situations. ■ Assess new cultural environments, and adjust appropriately. ■ Understand multiple perspectives. ● Build partnering relationships. ■ Understand capabilities of partners and systems. ■ Establish effective partnerships and teams. ■ Develop positive relationships. ■ Build common ground and a shared purpose. ■ Manage confict. ■ Manage the fow of communication. ● Collaborate to solve problems. ■ Use integrative methods for planning and for solving problems. ■ Synchronize tactical actions, operational objectives, and strategic goals. ■ Apply available resources and expertise. Through doctrinal and institutional confrmation, our leaders recognize the importance of cultural knowledge and they understand how cultural skills and attributes relate to mission success. And through years of confict and deployments, our military police offcers and noncommissioned offcers also understand it. However, improvements could be made in the cultural awareness of Americans, as illustrated during an incident in which I was riding with Major General Zamarai when our entire convoy was pushed to the side by four American mine-resistant, ambush-protected armored fghting vehicles moving at an incredible speed. Defantly controlling the road, (Continued on page 19) 15

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