24TH MECH INF DIV OPERATION DESERT STORM AFTER ACTION REPORT

File: 080596_jun96_decls21_0200.txt
Page: 0200
Total Pages: 253

Subject: 24TH MECH INF DIV OPERATION DESERT STORM AFTER ACTION REPORT    

Box  ID: BX001437

Document Number:          2

Folder Title: 24 MECH INF DIV AFTER ACTION REPORT                                                             

Folder Seq #:        785

Unit: 24TH ID     

Parent Organzation: XVIII CORPS 







                                       UNCLASSIFIED
                                                                        06/01,
                                     JULLS LONG REPORT

            1. (TJ)    S @ER: 51975-32537 (00002), submitted by PROVOST
            MMSHALL, 24 ID, 870-5516, (912)767-5516.

            2. (U) No type OPN DESERT STORM NOTES conducted by 24 IN DIV (I'
            on 05/20/91.

            3. (U) KEYWORDS: MILITARY POLICE, COMMAND AND CONTROL, CILAIN OF
            COMMAND, .

            4. (U) TITLE: COMMAND AND CONTROL OF MILITARY POLICE

            5. (U) OBSERVATION: Command and control of the military police
            is a Provost Marshal mission.

            6. (TJ) DISCUSSION: The operational control-of the military
            police was an issue throughout the deployment. MP units were
            attached to separate battalion headquarters for command and
            control during various phases of the deployment creating a
            problem with the direction of the MP effort and making it
            difficult to establish a clearly defined chain of command. The
            Division Provost Marshal continued to develop missions for use
            of the MP units, however, command and control was not within his
            purview. While exercising his duties as a special staff
            officer, the Division Provost Marshal exercises a relationship
            tantamount to command over the military police assigned or
            attached to the division. In this deployment the Provost
            Marshal controlled, for a significant time period, two MP
            companies. When "Green Tab" responsibility for command and
            control was deemed appropriate, the Military Police were task
            organized under the operational control of a separate battalion.
            Command and control was exercised by the battalion staff and the
            level of expertise in the use of MP assets was severely
 this task organization, the military
            police were not used to their full capabilities and were not
            effectively deployed as combat multipliers. Mission briefings
            and supervision continued to be a role carried out by the
            Provost Marshal.

            7. (U) LESSON LEARNED:
                 1. Military Police are best led by military police
            officers.

                 2. The loss of operational control by the Provost Marshal
            during two major movements resulted in the military police being
            ineffectively employed.

            S. (U) RECOMMENDED ACTION: The Division Provost Marshal should
            be dual hatted. While continuing to perform his duties as a
            special staff officer, he should also be a battalion commander.
            Establishment of a military police battalion to command and
            control MP units assigned to the division would relieve separate
            battalions of the burden of controlling units with which they

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                                       UNCLASSIFIED

Document 253 f:/Week-22/BX001437/24 MECH INF DIV AFTER ACTION REPORT/24th mech inf div operation desert storm after a:08029615062350
Control Fields 17
File Room = jun96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-22
Box ID = BX001437
Unit = 24TH ID
Parent Organization = XVIII CORPS
Folder Title = 24 MECH INF DIV AFTER ACTION REPORT
Folder Seq # = 785
Subject = 24TH MECH INF DIV OPERATION DESERT STORM AFTER A
Document Seq # = 50
Document Date =
Scan Date = 12-JUN-1996
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 02-AUG-1996