The Forensic Exploitation Battalion

Military Police, Spring, 2009 by Martin Rowe

Beginning in 2004, the Multinational Corps--Iraq (MNC-I) established several unrelated, standalone, forensic facilities with limited mission sets. The Combined Explosive Exploitation Cell (CEXC) was the first lab established to conduct technical and limited biometric analyses on all materials related to improvised explosive devices and to develop effective countermeasures based on these analyses. Due to a large number of sniper attacks, a countersniper lab was established in December 2006 to positively identify insurgents through fingerprint and ballistic comparisons. U.S. Marines in the Multinational Forces--West area also stood up their own forensic lab, which had fingerprint capability only. Based on the success of these programs, the commander of the MNC-I directed the establishment of a system of joint expeditionary forensic facilities (JEFFs) to conduct forensic analysis on all materials not related to improvised explosive devices. One forensic lab was established to directly support each multinational division (MND), and all labs were placed under the administrative control of a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (USACIDC) (commonly referred to as the "CID") battalion. The countersniper lab was redesignated as JEFF 3, and the Marine lab was redesignated as JEFF 2. In March 2008, the 733d Military Police Battalion (CID), also known as the Forensic Exploitation Battalion, was deployed to Iraq to assume command and control of the existing labs and to begin standing up three additional labs in support of the commander's intent.

The 733d Military Police Battalion is a CID asset that normally supervises three to six CID detachments conducting general criminal investigations. The mission of overseeing theater forensic assets is new to the Army and to the CID. Based on the needs of the MNC-I commander, the 733d was released from CID command and assigned directly to the MNC-I headquarters under the Corps Provost Marshal's Office. This marked the first time that a CID asset had been released to another command.

The 733d Military Police Battalion--

* Establishes, commands, and controls all JEFF assets in the theater.

* Implements and operates a police intelligence fusion cell that provides real-time intelligence to combatant commanders.

* Establishes a partnership with and serves as a mentor to Iraqi forensic services and the Iraqi Major Crimes Unit.

* Conducts site exploitation, train-the-trainer courses for coalition forces.

* Serves as the executive agent for MNC-I forensic operations staff.

The primary function of the battalion is to establish, command, and control all theater JEFF assets. The 733d currently has administrative control of five geographically dispersed JEFFs in Iraq. The battalion is responsible for ensuring that theater forensic requirements are transmitted to the U.S. Central Command for validation. Once the validation is complete, the 733d executes the administrative and logistical functions necessary to implement the requirements. This includes oversight of all equipment purchases, transportation, and sustainment. In addition, the battalion tracks the contracting of civilian lab examiner personnel, ensuring that personnel hired possess the appropriate skill sets.

The involvement of the 733d in this mission also marks the first time a military police organization has conducted police intelligence operations in a theater of operations. The 733d police intelligence fusion cell is designed to complement and enhance existing systems--not to serve as a stand-alone system. The 733d ensures that all intelligence derived from forensic analysis at the labs is fused with existing intelligence regarding the insurgent or event. The result is then fully integrated into existing military intelligence systems and processes and transmitted directly to the battlespace owner in a timely manner so that the commander can maximize the use of the information. This intelligence information may also be used to prosecute insurgents through the Iraqi judicial system.

Since arriving in the theater, the 733d Military Police Battalion has produced packets on more than 1,200 insurgents who were involved in attacks on coalition forces and for whom positive identifications were made through forensic analysis. These packets include forensic information fused with other available, relevant intelligence regarding the subject or incident. If the subject is at-large, a targeting packet is prepared and information (including information about the significant activity) is entered into the Combined Information Data Network Exchange and sent to the targeting cell and law enforcement professional (LEP) in the area of responsibility. LEPs recently effected the capture of three insurgents identified in targeting packets. If the subject is in U.S. detention, a prosecution packet is prepared and provided to U.S. attorneys who prosecute cases in the Central Criminal Court of Iraq.

The 733d Military Police Battalion established the Investigative Task Force (ITF) to enhance police intelligence operations. The ITF (which consists of one staff judge advocate from the Central Criminal Court of Iraq, two U.S. Navy master-at-arms investigators, and two 733d CID special agents) is assigned in direct support of an MND. The ITF reviews all insurgent detentions and develops the cases into legally sustainable detentions and prosecutions within the Iraqi judicial system. With the recent implementation of the Security Forces Agreement, all detentions in Iraq must now be legally based and result from a violation of Iraqi law. An arrest warrant from an Iraqi court is also necessary before any detention by U.S. forces. This shift from intelligence- and security-based detentions to legal-based criminal cases requires that the MNC-I further develop the ITF capability. Due to the early success of the ITF, the 733d Military Police Battalion is seeking additional assets to expand the concept to all MNDs in Iraq.