Chief, Military Police Corps Regiment and Commandant, United States Army Military Police School - Brief Article

Military Police, May, 2000 by Donald J. Ryder

The Military Police Corps epitomizes the Chief of Staff of the Army's Vision: "Soldiers on Point for the Nation ... Persuasive in Peace, Invincible in War." Men and women of the Military Police Corps continue to be on point for their nation-we are on point in the mountains of Korea, standing guard at the regional confinement facilities at places like Fort Knox and Fort Sill, protecting the peace in Bosnia, investigating felony crimes in Kosovo, and providing force protection at Fort Meyer. Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to see these military police soldiers in action throughout the world. Nowhere is General Shinseki's vision better represented than in the men and women of the Military Police Corps.

Responsive--Deployable--Agile--Versatile--Lethal--Survivable --Sustainable

Military police are uniquely qualified for those situations where the human dimension of conflict can quickly range from a peacetime, low-conflict setting to a hostile and life-threatening one.

We can accomplish this uniqueness because we train our soldiers to react to and with the appropriate level of force which we deal with on a daily basis. More important, and what sets us apart, is that the skill set required for these missions is one which must be learned--it cannot merely be taught. Military police, under the mentorship of great noncommissioned officers and with experience gained performing law-enforcement duty in garrison, develop an instinct that allows them to assess the situation, understand what's going on, do not accept things at face value but find out by using their interpersonal skills and, in the end, take the appropriate action with respect to human rights and dignity.

I also have had the opportunity to host our Military Police Corps senior leadership during the War-fighter Symposium 2000 here at Fort Leonard Wood. We wrestled with some tough issues: reenlistment, retention, conversion of 95Bs to 95Cs--but the bottom line is that I have complete confidence in the outstanding officers, noncommissioned officers, and soldiers that are leading and performing Military Police Corps missions throughout the world. Our future is bright because of the light our Military Police Corps soldiers are shedding throughout the world--on point for our nation.

Chief, Military Police Corps Regiment and Commandant U.S. Army Military Police School Brigadier General Donald J. Ryder