Special Forces Military Police... wow...

[Draco771]

I don't know if this is the right forum to put this, but I thought it was very interesting...

http://www.wood.army.mil/mpbulletin/...atson-SFMP.pdf

Do SF units still have MPs that operate in this kind of fashion?

I never knew MPs ever operated in that kind of a capacity. (550th MP Detachment [SF] )

[Pete]

They were an MP detachment (company) assigned to an SF Unit for a specific mission/reason.

Page 2 covers their training. "50% legs" - that was a good one.

Anyway - it shows they could get training and some schools, worked with and around SF - but were not SF.

But still an interesting bit of history - both MP and SF.

[Draco771]

Originally Posted by Pete

They were an MP detachment (company) assigned to an SF Unit for a specific mission/reason.

Page 2 covers their training. "50% legs" - that was a good one.

Anyway - it shows they could get training and some schools, worked with and around SF - but were not SF.

But still an interesting bit of history - both MP and SF.

Thank you for clarifying QP Pete.

Personally I didn't even know SF units ever had MPs attached to them at all...

(I always thought SF Groups were totally autonomous in regards to MPs being assigned to them etc. )


I was browsing the MP School and ran across that article.

[Jack Moroney (RIP)]

Back in the 60s it was doctrinal to form a Special Action Force (SAF) for the command and control of counter-insurgency operations. It was built around a SF group and had various units attached directly to it under the command and control of the Group CDR. MPs, MI, EN and other units provided a comprehensive force with which to address counter-insurgency issues providing trainers, combat troops, combat support and combat service support to work all aspects with and for the host nation under the control of the ambassador. At the time it was felt that it gave the SF Group Cdr all the tools he needed under his control to design and execute a counter-insurgency campaign without having to go out and beg for supporting troops to help in the execution of a strategy for which he was best qualified to plan, organize and execute. That concept faded away over the years as SF missions matured and the doctrine became more solidified. It was just one way of task organizing for mission accomplishment prior to the branch and the various command structures that have evolved over the years. The same sort of task organization happens today for various missions and deployments with the primary difference being that these organizations do not belong as assigned personnel and organic units of the group but are "chopped" to the group for specific purposes, under various command and control lash ups, but remain part of their organic organizations from which they were chopped.

[Richard]

We had a few MPs organic to Group until around the time the TO&E changed from A, B, C Teams to A Teams, Companies, and Battalions--circa late 71 or early 72 IIRC.

Richard's $.02

[ZonieDiver]

Originally Posted by Draco771

I don't know if this is the right forum to put this, but I thought it was very interesting...

http://www.wood.army.mil/mpbulletin/...atson-SFMP.pdf

Do SF units still have MPs that operate in this kind of fashion?

I never knew MPs ever operated in that kind of a capacity. (550th MP Detachment [SF] )

The 550th was part of the 8th Group's SAF through deactivation. While I was with the 8th, USARSO was having a difficult time getting enough MP's assigned (due to VN). So, they had some basic trainees shipped down and the 550th was tasked with training them, instead of MTT's to CA/SA countries to train their MP's. On Ft. Gulick's not very busy "main drag" they had little groups of MP trainees waiting their turn to 'direct traffic'. We'd see them in the "Snack Bar" after our morning formation and police call, where they were totally intimidated by not only the many E-7 and 8's, but by newby E-5 me.

Once I let three slick-sleeved PV1's share my table. Flash forward a year when I am now with an infantry battalion on the Pacific side, coming up on a MP's vehicle inspection checkpoint in my POS '61 Corvair. DR incoming! Who comes up to my window, but one of those former PV1's. I got waved through. For me, that was a very SF day!

[longrange1947]

If I remember correctly, 1st SAFAsia had MPs, MI, Eng, and Aviation assets assigned to 1st SFG(A) when I got there in 70.

As stated above, it allowed teams to deploy with internal assets and not have to coordinate for them. This was critical for some or the rapid deployments we had at the time.

[Blitzzz (RIP)]

Yep, I was also in 1st at that time and seem to remember having some MPs assigned when we transported or convoyed some "equipment" during annual testing of it's deployment. You remember the S--M teams. Dave (Blitz)

[longrange1947]

Unfortunately, yes.

There and 10th.