Military police adapt to new duties

Military Police, April, 2004 by Jared Mulloy

Until a few weeks ago, military police personnel stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, relied solely on their on-the-job training to perform their duties. The positions they filled, while related to their primary duty as military police, actually fall under the duties of a separate military occupational specialty--correctional specialist. Military police are responsible for providing battlefield support by conducting area security, prisoner of war, and law and order operations. Correctional specialists are responsible for controlling, supervising, and counseling prisoners and managing confinement operations and correctional treatment programs. To prove that joint task force military police can easily adapt to new duties, military police personnel at Camp Delta are undergoing an intensive weeklong training program to complement their current experience and knowledge with the skills they need to be certified as correctional specialists.

Four instructors from the U.S. Army Military Police School, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, went to Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay to run a 5-week training program called "School of the Guard." The Military Police School noncommissioned officer in charge of the mobile training team stated that it was an honor to train these young warriors--the Army's pioneers for future corrections operations and the pride of the Regiment. He also stated that he feels safer knowing these troops are on the job. The other three noncommissioned officers on the team were all handpicked as the best-of-the-best by the Military Police School commandant to provide the best training possible.

Skill training that was new to soldiers included overseeing dining facilities, processing incoming and outgoing mail, and supervising visitations. Many students found the visitation module to be the most interesting part of the class because it was something not usually included in their training. Students learned unarmed self-defense (USD) techiques and weapon disarmament tactics and how to better understand and control detainees. To complete the School of the Guard, personnel were required to qualify with a shotgun, pass two comprehensive written examinations, and demonstrate hands-on proficiency of required skills. Upon course completion, the Military Police School accredited every soldier as a qualified correctional specialist. Not only did this training benefit the joint task force mission, but it also gave these soldiers credit for working as correctional specialists and validated to the world that joint task force military police are properly trained to do their job. The superintendent of Camp Delta believes that training military police at Guantanamo Bay with a mobile training team produced more versatile soldiers and saved the U.S. government at least $5 million.

The 240th and 303d Military Police Companies completed the course with a passing rate of 100 percent. Students taking the training found it well paced, easy to understand, and very informative. The superintendent of Camp Delta expects a 100 percent passing rate for all soldiers taking the course.

Specialist Mulloy is a broadcast journalist with the 362d Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (U.S. Army Reserve).