Hiya,
I know some of you listers (and your sig others, IIRC) are MPs or were. Help
me out here: What uniform do MPs usually wear when on combat ops or when doing
LEA? I ask because I've got a set of 2 MPs walking plus 2 in
a jeep from GZG and I'm wondering how to paint them up - should I be
putting them in standard cammie jammies for the force they represent (in this
case, probably NAC or Independent to accompany my Gurkhas) or should they be
wearing some sort of plainer garrison dress? And should I be worrying about
brassards? And what would be an appropriate colour for NAC Berets? (Red(ish)
for brit, IIRC, but what colour for US?)
The fact these guys are carrying self-loader pistols (rather than ARs)
and wearing berets may suggest that they are garrison guys... for combat MPs,
maybe I should be using standard NAC infantry figures in helmets with ARs,
SAWs, etc.? And maybe the Jeep I should be using should be a NAC combat jeep
with tribarrel MG?
And are there or are there not such a thing as airborne MPs? I seem to recall
hearing something to that effect once, but it could have been urban (military)
legend.
Thanks for the info. I'm sort of thinking of a scenario involving MPs, some
prisoners being transfered or picked up from an infantry unit, and an enemy
counterattack that thus forces the MPs to be involved.....
Tomb.
> At 12:35 PM -0500 4/2/02, Tomb wrote:
Standard uniforms plus shoulder tabs/brassards or arm bands. As they
are NAC, I'd say you be sure you differentiate from the Airborne guys with a
scarlet vs maroon beret. I've seen some pics of WWII Brit MPS with several
things making them stand out. US MPs I've always seen with White bands and MP
on a Helmet.
> The fact these guys are carrying self-loader pistols (rather than ARs)
Depends on what they are doing. If they are coordinating traffic headed to the
FEBE, then they could be more lightly armed. Ideally, I'd place an extra rifle
or two on the jeep nearby or slung on one of the guys.
> And are there or are there not such a thing as airborne MPs? I seem to
They are part of the Divisonal Command organization. They go in with the HQ
just like other support elements do.
> Thanks for the info. I'm sort of thinking of a scenario involving MPs,
Or they'd be at a moderately rear area junction.
MPs in the US Army wear the same uniforms/equipment (albeit with
different weapons) as other combat arms with the following exception:
Brassards. They're basically an armband worn on the left arm. When on tactical
ops they are subdued colors and in garrison they're black with the letters
"MP" in white. Also, they usually had either the US flag above the letters
"MP" or the unit patch the MP was assigned to or the
Provost Marshall's Office (equiv: Police Station/precinct) they were
working out of.
Note that the brassards are only worn during Law-Enforcement duties or
out on REAL tactical ops. Very rarely were brassards worn during training,
when they were it was usually because we were working our MP missions training
with another unit, so they needed to know we were the MP's and not OPFOR. They
were never worn as a part of the uniform during routine duties in garrison.
--Flak
> On Tue, 2002-04-02 at 12:35, Tomb wrote:
> On Tue, 2002-04-02 at 12:41, Ryan M Gill wrote:
For reference: The MP on the helmets went away with the steel pot and liners.
Unless something changed since I got out in '98.
> Depends on what they are doing. If they are coordinating traffic
Nope, nowadays they take all the toys/guns. One team (three MPs) has a
LMG, SAW, Automatic Grenade Launcher, two rifles, one rifle-mounted
grenade launcher and 3 pistols each, oh, and a truck. Some units have a HMG
per squad (or even truck). (I avoided listing nomenclatures for those who are
likely to be ignorant of what they are, acronym clarification available free
upon request.*grin*)
> They are part of the Divisonal Command organization. They go in with
When I was in Germany (1995-1998) there was at least one Airborne MP
company. Not hearsay, I saw them, resplendent in their berets and every
swinging richard wearing jump wings. Rumor was that they were being reduced to
"legs" and that the unit jump status was going away. I don't know how that
shook out.
> Or they'd be at a moderately rear area junction.
MP's in a "peacekeeping" or "humanitarian" mission (at least the three I was
part of) were more "foreward" and active than other units that were
participating in the mission (in Haiti this caused the infantry commanders no
end of frustration as they were "reduced" to perimeter guards). Likewise, in
such mission, MP companies were maintain in alert status as quick reaction
forces more like Mechanized infantry than MPs. So "forcing" MP's to be
involved can be as simple as the scenario (dissident riots, etc) or a break
through in the lines that only the MP's are in a position to attempt to delay
until reinforcements can be brought to bear. Of course, the initialconcept of
moving prisoners to the rear is perfectly valid as well, and much more likely
in a
full-blown conflict vs. a humanitarian mission.
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