The protective services unit of the 701st MP group - CID - Brief Article

Military Police, March, 2002 by Randall L. Trash, Patrick Zangarine

Is that a secret service agent walking with the Secretary of Defense? No! That is a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (USACIDC) agent assigned to the Protective Services Unit (PSU), 701st Military Police Group (CID) located at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The PSU mission is to protect assigned principals and their invited guests from assassination, kidnapping, embarrassment, or injury.

The protective services mission began in 1967 during the height of Vietnam War when senior Army and defense officials became targets of antiwar protesters. The first named principals were the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Army. At that time, the mission was assigned to the Office for the Provost Marshal General.

The mission expanded in 1968 to include the Secretary of Defense. In 1971, the mission was transferred to the USACIDC when all Army CID assets were consolidated for command and control. The mission grew again in 1976 when the Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Department's foreign official guests were added.

In 1986, when Admiral William Crowe assumed the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) position, he directed that the CID undertake the PSU mission permanently. Before 1986, responsibility for protection of the chairman rotated among the military services according to the service of the chairman.

Currently, the PSU is assigned to protect the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense; Chairman and Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; Secretary, Chief of Staff, and Vice Chief of Staff of the Army; and their foreign counterparts on official U.S. visits. The PSU also provides a personal security officer for the deployed task force commanders in Tuzla, Kosovo, and the commander, stabilization force in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.

Since the horrific acts on September 11th, over 100 reserve CID agents have been activated to augment the PSU in support of Operation Noble Eagle.

"One CID" isn't just a concept--it is reality.