Life As A Military Police Officer (MP)

The military has it's own police force that is separate from the Department of Defense Police Force - also known of DoD Police. The military version of law enforcement are known as the MP, or Military Police. 

There is a difference between Department of Defense (DoD) Police and the Military Police (MP). DoD Police are actually civilian law enforcement officers who attend the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) to work for the Department of Defense. You will see them working side by side with Military Police Officers who are in the MP MOS or the Masters At Arms Rating (Navy):

Here are more details about the military police in the difference branches of service:

Army - 31B - Military Police

Navy - Masters at Arms (MA)

USMC - 5811 - Military Police

Air Force - Security Forces Career Field

Also within the communities or career fields of the above are the dog handlers, crime scene investigators, Accident Investigators, Polygraph Examiner, and criminal investigators.

There are also other federal law enforcement officers who work with military police when investigating crimes, crime scenes, and military members. 

Learn more about military investigative service careers:

• Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) special agent careers
• U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command special agent careers
• Air Force Office of Special Investigations special agent careers
• Defense Criminal Investigative Services special agent careers

At Military Police schooling you will learn law, UCMJ, hand to hand (MP style) fighting, weapons, shooting, driving vehicles (boats, trucks, jeeps). MP’s are taught that they are alone in the Army and that they must be the most professional soldiers at all times. They are taught to “Set the standards”. After graduation the new MP heads off to a unit.

Not Just Police Officers
The Military Police and Masters at Arms in the Navy lead, manage, supervise, and perform force protection duties, including use of deadly force to protect personnel and resources. They operate in various field environments, performs individual, and team patrol movements, both mounted and dismounted, tactical drills, battle procedures, convoys, military operations other than war, anti-terrorism duties, and other special duties. MPs and AF Security Forces also protect nuclear and conventional weapons systems and other resources. They also perform air base defense functions contributing to the force protection mission. The MP also controls and secures terrain inside and outside military installations. Most importantly, the MP defends personnel, equipment, and resources from hostile forces. 

Most units rotate through security cycles on a base. For instance, at Ft. Leonard Wood they have an average cycle: one month Law Enforcement, one month Access Control, one month Training. During the Access control month the MPs work the gates checking IDs. The MPs also issue base driving passes and ensure that only authorized personnel and their vehicles enter the post. During the Law Enforcement month they patrol the base in vehicles and on foot. The base MPs also respond to 911 calls and general complaints. The use of RADAR to enforce speed laws and of course watch stop signs for violations is also part of the job description. The Training month is used to prepare for field missions. These can consist of basic soldier skills or advanced unit specific missions. Some units train to escort POWs during war, others train to support forward units in finding their way. A security unit may be tasked with setting up a holding compound (like Camp X-Ray for instance) for prisoners or detainees.

Military Police Personal Difficulties

Military Police are just soldiers doing a different job. They carry weapons with live ammunition everyday. They write tickets for military members and other well above their own pay grades. MPs face combat situations in the front lawns of soldiers homes weekly. Most people are indifferent to MPs typically. While many fellow soldiers and their families sleep or take holidays, they work the roads and gates of the base and base housing areas. 24 hours a day you can find a crew of MPs standing guard or patrolling the base. 365 days a year you can call the MP station and get a dispatcher on the phone. That is the nature of MP work. So, yes, it can be difficult securing a base of your fellow soldiers and families, but in the end, the MP knows that maintaining the peace is part of the job.