Re: Military Police - uniforms, etc.

HOT DAMN!

ANOTHER TOPIC I CAN PROBABLY IRRITATE JOHN WITH!  <:o)

AS  a former MP REMF (as in combat service support) and also as a former
MP combat soldier and combat support soldier here is the way it worked
in THE GREEN MACHINE of the 60s and  70s.

The uniform worn is the one selected by the area commanding  general .

in peacetime garrisons, armies of occupation or   in  remote rear  areas
in a combat zone, this probably means that every JOE or JOLENE wears a
CLASS A or dress uniform of some  sort off base, some wear CLASS A
uniforms on base  as a work uniform , and others  wear the day-to-day
fatigue, utility, or BDU uniform during work assignments.

For the MILITARY POLICE (US ARMY) this means that the commanding general
may have  MPs working gates and perimeter security wearing  either CLASS
A or BDU/etc. 

CLASS A uniform is the usual dress uniform modified by the wearing of
the following items  WHEN ON DUTY:

a. white cap w/enlisted cap badge, green and yellow cords, and a
chinstrap (sometimes 2 chinstraps-1 infront, that is never lowered, and
1 in back that is lowered to secure the cap to the  back of the head (as
i rmember the POM'S MPs wore redcaps, and AUSSIE's digger hats).

b. the MP brassard. in the US ARMY this is either NAVY BLUE OR BLACK
with big white letters MP on it, and  a unit shoulder patch. it is worn
on the left arm, secured at epaulette and around the arm ( USMC wears a
red with gold MP brassard on the left arm, and if i remember right the
POMs and AUSSIEs wore either red brasards with white o black letters MP
on same. on the left arm also).  all of these were the simpler "armband"
type as seen on WW II AMERICAN ARMY MPs.

c. the grass green MP scarf (usually in winter times instead of a
necktie).

d.  special  issue black leather  SAM BROWNE belt, holster for the
pistol, ammo pouches,  handcuff case, first aid pouch, and baton
carrier. the SB belt shoulder strap goes from the left shoulder to the
right hip to support the weight of the pistol. many soldiers bought
there own patton leather or plastic gear to substitute for this as it
looked better and required less maintenance.

e.  white lanyard worn over the right shoulder and through the
epaulette and then snapped into a lanyard ring on the pistol.  

f. white gloves! 

g. whistle, chain and whistle hook on right  breast pocket (silver or
gold to match uniform coat buttons and cp badge) of the uniform coat. 

h. name plate with white  letters on black plastic rectangle worn on the
righ flap of the right breast pocket.

i.  bloused (pants  folded up above, or tucked into the tops of boots)
highly shined combat bootss.  regular GI boots but again some soldiers
bought spiffy CORCORANS or plastic or patten leather boots.

j. 1 to 3 loaded magazines for the autopistol (in the days of the .45
only 5 rounds were pre-loaded in the arms room, LOL, but most  MPs added
2 more	for a full magazine when on duty and removed them when returning
the magazines to sthe arms room. the trunl of the  MP sedan contained
first aide  kit, blankets,  flares, paperwork, etc, plus a 12-ga pump
shotgun and sometimes  2 pump shotguns with 5 rounds in each and  10
reloads  each. 

that presents  a picture of a CLASS A winter or summer rifle green
uniform. khakis had short sleeves and no neckties (after the long
sleeved khakis went away-thank GOD!)

in a tactical situation, in a rear area or a forward  area but not in
combat, the MP wears the standard BDU/etc uniform, with bloused boots,
a specially painted steel pot and helmet liner,  leather gear attached
to a web belt, the brassard, lanyard, whistle and holder, scarf (winter
time), etc.  

the helmet and helmet liner are painted glossy black, with a red over
white band around it,  interrupted by the white  letters MP in front,
and the division or MP group shoulder patch on the right  side, and the
battalion or company number on the left side in white numbers. 

oh yeh. the brasard is usually OD with black letters  when  worn  in a
tactical  operation.

when the shit is serious,  a camo cover is  worn over the  steel pot and
the helmet liner is inside the steel pot. also body armor is worn. and
an assault rifle or shotgun is added to the MPs armament. 
and it is not unusal to find  a GL as part of the  MP teams armament
either.  

normally, the steel pots, flak jackets, rifles and GL s well as  ammo
for them remain in the jeep and the MP just totes his pistol about.

MPs assigned to static posts as security guards  look just like their
buddies in motor patrols, but always have an assault rifle or shotgun ,
and maybe  even a LMG assigned to the static post inside a warzone.

town motor patrols , in the  RVN carried rifles daily. and were backed
up by jeep patrols with a LMG in addition to small arms carried by the
MPs.

foot patrols are usually just pistol armed unless the situation is
extraordinary. 

in the	field , on convoy duties, highway patrols,  traffic conrol
points, civic action  patrols,	rear area security patrols  and  usually
covered in crap, an MP looks just like any other soldier except for his
brassard, steel pot or helmet liner. he may or may not be wearing a
baton-usually not-but always has  handcuffs.
    
MPs engaged in riverine and convoy duties get shot at regularly like.
ditto for  MPs	manning traffic or population control checkpoints,
escorting engineer mine clearance teams,   or being used as  infantry in
a pinch.

engineer and  MP both work well as infantry a both  are well armed, well
equipped,  mobile, used to operating in small units without supervision
,used to be able to read maps, use comm gear,  and think fast as the
very nature of the MOS	means that every situation encountered is
probably different from the last.  

oh, yeah. MP patrols are always at least 2 men	strong, sometimes 3 or 4
men strong and can be even larger.

static posts are always  1, somtimes 2 or more MPs strong.

MPs can be found  riding about in jeeps, on scooters, in armored cars,
in patrol boats , helicopters,	and aircraft as well as sedans.

i hope this helps out  some.

DAWGIE