thedrifter
09-03-07, 03:30 PM
24th MEU military police secure supply chain
By Cpl. Randall A. Clinton, 24th MEU
FORT PICKETT, Va. (Sept. 3, 2007) -- History books are stock full of unsuccessful yet brilliant and powerful armies with a fatal flaw – failure to keep their front line troops supplied.
The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s supply chain protectors are military police attached to Combat Logistics Battalion 24. Driving armored HMMWVs, they escort the heavy vehicles bringing beans, bullets and band-aids to Marines who need it. HMMWV’s are disbursed throughout every convoy team, ensuring the convoy commanders can safely deliver their cargo.
“They are responsible for making sure no civilian cars get in my convoy, that I’m protected, and if we get engaged they put themselves in front, between the enemy and my convoy, so my convoy can push forward, while they neutralize the threat,” said Capt. Christina Frederick, transportation support platoon commander, CLB-24. “My vehicles don’t neutralize threats, they have gunners so they can help with fire, but they are not going to stop and neutralize threats, that is what the MPs are for.
Detecting potential threats, the lead team acts as the eyes and ears for the ensuing convoy.
“The scout element needs to work as a team, they are up to 2000 meters in front of the rest of the convoy,” said Sgt. Timothy Willis, military policeman, CLB-24 . “They need to have the knowledge up there to see potential IEDs and risks and they also need to work together, because until the main body of the convoy can get up and assist them they need to be mature enough to take care of whatever happens to them before the rest of the convoy can come up and assist them.”
Frederick explained a likely scenario, “Let’s say we get ambushed. As these trucks are going, the military police are going to come and get right in front, between the enemy and the trucks, and lay suppression fire allowing these trucks to go forward.”
From his perch on top of one such HMMWV, Lance Cpl. Nathan Barron, military policeman, CLB-24, scans the surrounding area for danger.
“When I see something I let everyone else know, so they know what to watch out for when they try to push through it,” he explained.
Despite having a multitude of weapon system options including the M249 squad automatic weapon, 240G machine gun, M2 .50 caliber machine gun and MK19 automatic grenade launcher the scouts’ observation ability may be their most critical weapon.
“It’s up to that lead vehicle, that recon vehicle that pushes up – he is most important. If he can find an IED or potential threat before we get to it, the convoy commander can make a decision whether to stop the convoy or divert,” said Frederick.
Conducting countless situational awareness drills helps military police Marines hone such skills.
“We will put stuff in a room and bring them in, take them right back out, and then we ask them ‘What did you see in the room that is different from when you went in the first time,’ explained Willis, an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran. “We will put a lock in the middle of the floor, a rock in a corner, something that is not normally there. That way, they can look and say ‘Ok, well that’s normally not there.’
The military police also work with explosive ordinance and disposal Marines to learn about any localized threats to their vehicles.
“Before we (went in) Fallujah, we did an IED lane. They put stuff they had found in the city of Fallujah on the course, we mounted up on our HMMWVs and rode around,” Willis said. “Once we went around the course once, we walked the course and they said ‘You marked an IED here, what did you see.” Then they would break down exactly what that IED they found was.”
As the 24th MEU works towards its deployment, the CLB-24 military police tirelessly work to perfect their marksmanship and observation, ensuring that when the troops on the ground need supplies, they’ll get them. Lead by the military police.
Ellie
By Cpl. Randall A. Clinton, 24th MEU
FORT PICKETT, Va. (Sept. 3, 2007) -- History books are stock full of unsuccessful yet brilliant and powerful armies with a fatal flaw – failure to keep their front line troops supplied.
The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s supply chain protectors are military police attached to Combat Logistics Battalion 24. Driving armored HMMWVs, they escort the heavy vehicles bringing beans, bullets and band-aids to Marines who need it. HMMWV’s are disbursed throughout every convoy team, ensuring the convoy commanders can safely deliver their cargo.
“They are responsible for making sure no civilian cars get in my convoy, that I’m protected, and if we get engaged they put themselves in front, between the enemy and my convoy, so my convoy can push forward, while they neutralize the threat,” said Capt. Christina Frederick, transportation support platoon commander, CLB-24. “My vehicles don’t neutralize threats, they have gunners so they can help with fire, but they are not going to stop and neutralize threats, that is what the MPs are for.
Detecting potential threats, the lead team acts as the eyes and ears for the ensuing convoy.
“The scout element needs to work as a team, they are up to 2000 meters in front of the rest of the convoy,” said Sgt. Timothy Willis, military policeman, CLB-24 . “They need to have the knowledge up there to see potential IEDs and risks and they also need to work together, because until the main body of the convoy can get up and assist them they need to be mature enough to take care of whatever happens to them before the rest of the convoy can come up and assist them.”
Frederick explained a likely scenario, “Let’s say we get ambushed. As these trucks are going, the military police are going to come and get right in front, between the enemy and the trucks, and lay suppression fire allowing these trucks to go forward.”
From his perch on top of one such HMMWV, Lance Cpl. Nathan Barron, military policeman, CLB-24, scans the surrounding area for danger.
“When I see something I let everyone else know, so they know what to watch out for when they try to push through it,” he explained.
Despite having a multitude of weapon system options including the M249 squad automatic weapon, 240G machine gun, M2 .50 caliber machine gun and MK19 automatic grenade launcher the scouts’ observation ability may be their most critical weapon.
“It’s up to that lead vehicle, that recon vehicle that pushes up – he is most important. If he can find an IED or potential threat before we get to it, the convoy commander can make a decision whether to stop the convoy or divert,” said Frederick.
Conducting countless situational awareness drills helps military police Marines hone such skills.
“We will put stuff in a room and bring them in, take them right back out, and then we ask them ‘What did you see in the room that is different from when you went in the first time,’ explained Willis, an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran. “We will put a lock in the middle of the floor, a rock in a corner, something that is not normally there. That way, they can look and say ‘Ok, well that’s normally not there.’
The military police also work with explosive ordinance and disposal Marines to learn about any localized threats to their vehicles.
“Before we (went in) Fallujah, we did an IED lane. They put stuff they had found in the city of Fallujah on the course, we mounted up on our HMMWVs and rode around,” Willis said. “Once we went around the course once, we walked the course and they said ‘You marked an IED here, what did you see.” Then they would break down exactly what that IED they found was.”
As the 24th MEU works towards its deployment, the CLB-24 military police tirelessly work to perfect their marksmanship and observation, ensuring that when the troops on the ground need supplies, they’ll get them. Lead by the military police.
Ellie