Operations of the U.S. Army MP School - USAMPS

Military Police, March, 2002 by William A. Oberholtzer

Overview

After 25 years at Fort McClellan, Alabama, USAMPS, the Law Enforcement Center of Excellence settled in its new home at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Joining USAMPS are the U.S. Army Chemical School, also from Fort McClellan, and the U.S. Army Engineer School. This triad of schools is the heart of the Maneuver Support Center (MANSCEN) that falls under the control of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). The operational structure of MANSCEN is unlike the typical TRADOC school structure because USAMPS shares some organizational structure with the other two schools, thus allowing the consolidation of resources and functions. Nevertheless, USAMPS continues to produce branch-specific products in the form of doctrine, training, leader development, organization, materiel, and soldiers (DTLOMS). MANSCEN's commander provides command and control for the triad, as well as the installation, while the school commandants provide the strategic direction for their individual regiments and manage individual operations.

USAMPS Mission and Organization

USAMPS's mission is to--

* Provide the Army with MP doctrine, systems, training, and personnel management that improves readiness and modernizes the force.

* Train MP leaders and soldiers who are well-grounded in warfighting doctrine and capable of performing the five MP functional areas across the spectrum of conflict.

* Design organizations and equipment that facilitate function accomplishment, now and into the future.

Commandant

The commandant is the chief of the MP Corps Regiment. He also does the following:

* Ensures that MP units and soldiers are prepared to support warfighters through the proper development of concepts, organizational designs, materiel requirements, doctrine, tactics, techniques, training programs, and manpower requirements, now and into the future.

* Fosters esprit de corps and maintains the history of the branch.

* Serves as the proponent for the corps (chartered by TRADOC).

* Overses the MANSCEN commander's specific focus areas.

Assistant Commandant (AC)

The AC acts for the commandant in directing and administering daily USAMPS operations. Additionally, he--

* Exercises direct staff supervision over elements assigned or attached to the school and coordinates staff activities among USAMPS, MANSCEN, the installation, and other higher-headquarters, agencies, or services.

* Serves as the USAMPS DTLOMS integrator.

* Is the principal liaison with the Chemical and Engineer Schools.

* Serves as the commandant's principal link to the directors of the MANSCEN Battle Lab, MANSCEN Directorate of Combat Developments, and MANSCEN Directorate of Training Development.

* Manages USAMPS internal controls.

Regimental Command Sergeant Major (RCSM)

The RCSM is the primary advisor to the commandant and AC on all enlisted matters pertaining to the MP Corps, to include assignments, awards, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, initial entry training, and noncommissioned officers education system. He also--

* Co-chairs or serves as a member on boards, councils, and committees involving enlisted personnel.

* Authors the proponent guidance to the Department of the Army (DA) and senior enlisted promotion boards.

* Manages the assignment of battalion, group, and brigade CSMs, key staff sergeants major, first sergeants, and master sergeants throughout the Regiment.

Army Reserve (AR) and National Guard (NG) Deputy Assistant Commandants (DACs)

The two DACs oversee total-force integration by--

* Serving as the senior USAR and ARNG subject-matter experts to the commandant and AC.

* Participating in the development of policies, doctrine, plans, regulations, force structure, and programs influencing the AR and NG.

* Reviewing training and doctrine materials intended for the AR and NG.

* Verifying training materials and equipment with AR and NG units.

* Maintaining the connectivity among ARNG MP, USAR MP units, and the MP School through liaison among USAMPS, TRADOC, National Guard Bureau, Combined Arms Center, Army Personnel Command, and Forces Command.

* Advising and briefing USAR and ARNG personnel on Reserve and NG programs and missions.

* Advising USAR and ARNG students on education, retention, and promotion.

14th MP Brigade

The 14th consists of three battalions: the 701st, 787th, and 795th. Its mission is to provide command and control and administrative/logistical support to its units. Also, it trains and provides disciplined, motivated, physically fit, technically and tactically proficient values-based MP soldiers to units worldwide. These soldiers can contribute to their unit's mission immediately and are able to survive in any environment.

Directorate of Training (DOT)

The DOT advises the commandant and AC and exercises staff supervision over MP institutional-training matters. Additionally, it is responsible for--

* Managing all MP officer and functional-area courses.

* Training technically competent, confident leaders, soldiers, and civilians in the full spectrum of MP functional capabilities.

* Developing and executing technical leader training strategies.