16th Military Police Brigade (United States)

Last updated

16th Military Police Brigade
16th Military Police Brigade SSI.jpg
Active20 May 1966 – present
CountryUnited States of America
Branch United States Army
Type Active duty
Role Military Police
Size Brigade
Part of XVIII Airborne Corps
Garrison/HQ Fort Liberty
Motto(s)Long Arm of The Dragon
Engagements Vietnam War
Operation Urgent Fury
Operation Just Cause
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Commanders
Current
commander
COL Charcillea A. Schaefer
Command Sergeant MajorCSM David L. May III
Insignia
Combat service identification badge with and without Airborne Tab
16th Military Police Brigade CSIB.jpg
US Army 16th Military Police Brigade CSIB-without tab.png
Distinctive unit insignia of the brigade
16th Military Police Brigade DUI.jpg

The 16th Military Police Brigade is a military police brigade of the United States Army headquartered at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. This brigade has the only airborne-qualified military police units in the U.S. Army, outside of the 82nd MP Company [1] of the 82nd Airborne Division. It provides law enforcement and police duties to Fort Liberty, and for the XVIII Airborne Corps when deployed. As a brigade with organic airborne units, it is authorized a beret flash and parachute wing trimming, [2] and the shoulder sleeve insignia was authorized to be worn with an airborne tab. According to U.S. Army's Institute of Heraldry, the shoulder sleeve insignia "was amended to delete the airborne tab effective 16 October 2008" when jump status of the brigade was terminated; [3] however, various elements of the brigade remain on jump status.

Contents

Insignia

Shoulder Insignia

Description

Symbolism

Distinctive Unit Insignia

Description

Symbolism

Lineage

History

Vietnam War

The brigade dates back to the Vietnam War when it was constituted on 23 March 1966 as the 16th Military Police Group and activated on 20 May 1966 at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. [4] Shortly thereafter, the brigade deployed to Vietnam to help fight the Vietnam War. The Group provided command, control, staff planning, and coordination for military police units assigned and attached to the I and II Corps Tactical Zones.

The 93rd, 97th, and 504th Military Police Battalions were under its control.

The unit participated in thirteen campaigns to include nine counteroffensives and two consolidations during the Vietnam War receiving two Meritorious Unit Commendations and the Republic Of Vietnam Cross Of Gallantry With Palm for their outstanding effort and dedication. [4]

Cold War Era

On 16 July 1981 the group was reorganized and redesignated as the 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne). [4] Since Vietnam, the brigade headquarters has deployed around the world in support of XVIII Airborne Corps and on-going Army operations. In October 1983, the headquarters was sent to Grenada in support of Operation Urgent Fury. [4] In March 1988, the brigade went to Panama in support of southern command's operation to secure US civilians and property and to protect the canal. In September 1989, the brigade was sent to Saint Croix in the US Virgin Islands to restore law and order and protect property following hurricane Hugo. [4] In December 1989, the brigade again went to Panama this time in support of Operation Just Cause and Promote Liberty during which the brigade was instrumental in standing up the Panamanian police force. [5] in August 1990, the brigade deployed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in support of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The brigade was later recognized for its hard work in the desert with their third Meritorious Unit Commendation. [5] September 1992 the brigade went to Florida to assist in disaster relief following Hurricane Andrew. In September 1994, the brigade was sent to Haiti to support Operation Uphold Democracy. [5]

War on Terrorism

In August 2006, the brigade deployed for 15 months to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where they were responsible for detainee operations and convoy security at Camp Bucca, along with detainee operations at The Baghdad Correctional Facility (Camp Cropper). The Unit also worked with Task Force 134 at Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq. The brigade was awarded its fourth Meritorious Unit Commendation for the outstanding mission accomplishments in Iraq.

The soldiers of the brigade have consistently been sent first to worldwide hot spots and crisis locations. Other operations that brigade units have supported were:

  1. May 1981 Cuban Refugee Relief, Florida,
  2. Civil disturbance operations at Seneca Army Depot, New York,
  3. Rotations to the Sinai for multinational force and observers duty,
  4. Presidential inaugurations,
  5. Joint Task Force Bravo in Honduras, Somalia, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Bosnia, Kosovo,
  6. Albanian refugee support at Fort Dix,
  7. Pentagon security following the attacks of 11 September 2001,
  8. Uzbekistan.

Afghanistan

The 91st MP battalion, 385th MP Battalion, and 503rd MP Battalion were deployed to Afghanistan, conducting operations in Kandahar and Nangarhar provinces. Unique to military police units, each battalion contains a Military Working Dog Detachment, which certifies military working dog teams to help support both MP and non-MP units worldwide. [6]

Units

Administratively assigned:

Honors

Campaign participation credit

  1. Summer-Fall 1969;
  2. Winter-Spring 1970;
  3. Counteroffensive, Phase II 1966–1967;
  4. Counteroffensive, Phase III 1966–1967;
  5. Tet Counteroffensive 1968;
  6. Counteroffensive, Phase IV 1968;
  7. Counteroffensive, Phase V 1968;
  8. Counteroffensive, Phase VI 1968–1969;
  9. Tet/69 Counteroffensive 1969;
  10. Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1970;
  11. Counteroffensive, Phase VII 1970–1971;
  12. Consolidation I 1971–1972;
  13. Consolidation II 1971–1972
  1. Panama 1989–1990
  2. Southwest Asia:
    1. Defense of Saudi Arabia 1990–1991;
    2. Liberation and Defense of Kuwait 1990–1993
  3. Iraq:
    1. Transition Time 2003–2004;
    2. Iraqi Governance 2004–2005;
    3. National Resolution 2005–2007;
    4. Iraq Surge 2007–2008
  4. Afghanistan:
    1. Consolidation II 2006–2009;
    2. Consolidation III 2009–2011
  1. Panama – Law and order 1989–1990
  2. Saint Croix – Hurricane Relief
  3. Florida – Hurricane Relief
  4. Haiti – Operation Uphold Democracy
  5. Africa – Operation United Assistance 2014–2015 (194th MP CMBT SPT CO.)

Decorations

  1. Meritorious Unit Commendation for VIETNAM 1966–1968
  2. Meritorious Unit Commendation for VIETNAM 1968–1969
  3. Meritorious Unit Commendation for SOUTHWEST ASIA
  4. Meritorious Unit Commendation for IRAQ 2004–2005
  5. Meritorious Unit Commendation for IRAQ 2006–2007
  6. Meritorious Unit Commendation for AFGHANISTAN 2009–2010
  7. Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1966–1971

Related Research Articles

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, also known as the Dagger Brigade, is a maneuver brigade combat team in the 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">503rd Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army

The 503rd Infantry Regiment, formerly the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, is an airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army. The regiment served as an independent regiment in the Pacific War during World War II; at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; in Okinawa, Japan; and in Germany. Regimental elements have been assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division, the 11th Airborne Division, the 24th Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division, the 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Regimental elements have participated in campaigns in the Vietnam War, Operation Enduring Freedom–Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The regiment claims 15 Medal of Honor recipients: two from World War II, ten from Vietnam, and three from Afghanistan. A parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System. The regiment's 1st and 2nd Battalions are active, assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, based at Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy. The 3rd and 4th Battalions as well as Companies E, F, G, H, and I have been inactived.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">II Field Force, Vietnam</span> Corps-level command of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War

II Field Force, Vietnam was a United States Army Corps-level command during the Vietnam War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">27th Engineer Battalion (United States)</span> United States Army engineer battalion

The 27th Engineer Battalion(Combat) (Airborne)"Tiger Battalion" is an engineer battalion of the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">87th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 87th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the United States Army. The regiment's 1st and 2nd Battalions are light infantry units assigned to the 1st and 2nd Brigade Combat Teams respectively of the 10th Mountain Division located at Fort Drum, New York. The 3rd Battalion was active in the U.S. Army Reserve in Colorado. The 4th Battalion was a Regular Army unit assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 25th Infantry Division (Light) at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">17th Cavalry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 17th Cavalry Regiment is a historical organization within the United States Army that began as a regiment of cavalry after the Pancho Villa Expedition. The unit was constituted on 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as the 17th Cavalry at Fort Bliss, Texas and originally inactivated 26 September 1921 at the Presidio of Monterey, California. Formerly a part of the 1950s Combat Arms Regimental System, it was reorganized as a part of the U.S. Army Regimental System, an ongoing effort to maintain the lineage and history of the U.S. Army through its units. Today, the 17th Cavalry Regiment is found across the army within the combat aviation brigades, where the squadrons, now constituted as attack/recon helicopter squadrons, carry on the legacy of the 17th Cavalry Regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7th Field Artillery Regiment</span> Military unit

The 7th Field Artillery Regiment is a United States Army field artillery regiment, whose lineage traces back to the early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">52nd Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 52nd Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment is an active duty airborne infantry battalion in the United States Army, assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team and stationed at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy. The battalion has served with the 2nd Infantry Division, the 11th Airborne Division, the 24th Infantry Division, The 25th Infantry Division, the 82nd Airborne Division, the 101st Airborne Division, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade; has been stationed in Korea, Germany, Italy and the United States; and earned campaign credits in World War II, the Vietnam War, Operation Enduring Freedom—Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">864th Engineer Battalion (United States)</span> Military unit

The 864th Engineer Battalion is a combat engineer battalion of the United States Army based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The battalion is a subordinate unit of 555th Engineer Brigade.

The 46th Engineer Battalion is a military engineer unit in the United States Army that was formally established in 1917.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">319th Field Artillery Regiment</span> Military unit

The 319th Field Artillery Regiment, more commonly referred to as the 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, is a parent regiment in the U.S. Army Regimental System. Four battalions of the regiment are currently active. The first three battalions 1st Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment are in the 82nd Airborne Division and the 4th Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment is in the 173rd Airborne Brigade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Transportation Battalion (United States)</span> Military unit

The 11th Transportation Battalion is a transportation battalion of the United States Army first formed in 1936. The 11th Transportation Battalion is a subordinate unit of the 7th Transportation Brigade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">14th Engineer Battalion</span> Military unit

The 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion is a Combat Engineer Battalion of the United States Army based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The battalion is a subordinate unit of the 2nd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, and I Corps. The battalion's official motto is "Gong Mu Ro" and battle cry "Rugged!".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade</span> Military unit

The 11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade is a Combat Aviation Brigade in the United States Army Reserve. The unit's lineage can be traced to the prior lineage and insignia of the 11th Aviation Group which was last headquartered in Illesheim, Germany in 2005. It is one of two aviation brigades of Army Reserve Aviation Command. The brigade consists of a headquarters company, two Black Hawk assault battalions, and one fixed wing battalion. The brigade was activated in its current formation on 16 September 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">10th Aviation Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 10th Aviation Regiment is an aviation regiment of the U.S. Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">525th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade</span> Military unit

The 525th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade (Expeditionary) is a unit of the United States Army specializing in the acquisition and analysis of information with potential military value. On 28 October 2014, the unit was reflagged from the "525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade" to an expeditionary military intelligence brigade, the first of its kind.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">101st Airborne Division Artillery</span> Military unit

The 101st Airborne Division Artillery (DIVARTY) is the force fires headquarters for the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The DIVARTY has served with the division in World War II, Vietnam, Operations Desert Shield and Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and in peacetime at Camp Breckinridge and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The DIVARTY was inactivated in 2005 as part of transformation to modular brigade combat teams, but was reactivated on 16 October 2014 to provide fire support coordination and mission command for the training and readiness of field artillery units across the division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment</span> US army unit

The 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment is an inactive field artillery battalion of the United States Army. The battalion has been assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, 11th Airborne Division and 101st Airborne Division. The battalion has participated in World War I, World War II, Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. The battalion deactivated in July 2015 as part of ongoing force reductions, and its personnel and equipment were reflagged as the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment</span> Military unit

The 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment is an active duty airborne infantry battalion in the United States Army, assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team and stationed in Vicenza, Italy. The battalion has served with the 2nd Infantry Division, the 11th Airborne Division, the 24th Infantry Division, the 82nd Airborne Division, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade; has been stationed in Korea, Italy and the United States; and earned campaign credits in World War II, the Vietnam War, Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

References

  1. "82nd Military Police Company".
  2. "16 Military Police Brigade: Beret Flashes and Background Trimmings". The Institute of Heraldry. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  3. "16 Military Police Brigade: Shoulder Sleeve". The Institute of Heraldry. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 16th Military Police Brigade: History, 16th Military Police Brigade Staff. Retrieved 28 July 2008.
  5. 1 2 3 GlobalSecurity.org: 16th Military Police Brigade, GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 28 July 2008.
  6. "Taking cover". flickr.com. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  7. 16th Military Police Brigade, U.S. ARMY FORT LIBERTY, home.army.mil, last accessed 31 December 2020

https://www.fayobserver.com/photogallery/NC/20190712/NEWS/712009971/PH/1