Global Engagement With Partner and Allied Military Police

As we continue to move through the postpandemic period and a period of turmoil occurring throughout the world, we find that our Nation’s political and military leadership is still very much needed around the globe. Many senior military leaders may remember the initial stages of the Global War on Terror in 2003 and the initial disconnects—some small, some large—that we had with our joint Service partners and our allies. In some cases, the problems involved the lack of a common language, understanding of capabilities, and equipment compatibility. We quickly adjusted our joint doctrine to improve interoperability and to ensure that our military remained the most lethal in history. However, in many cases, our allies may have been left behind with regard to human capital, capabilities, and interoperability. Fast forward 20 years; and although many of the lessons learned were documented, they have not been culturally integrated into our national or allied operations.

In the global military police arena—specifically, in the area of detention operations—we have recently been making plans and taking action to address these deficiencies. In the past 24 months, the 200th Military Police Command, Fort Meade, Maryland, initially under the leadership of Major General John F. Hussey (now retired) and now under the leadership of Major General Cary J. Cowan, has identified the need to reengage with our allies to foster operational military police relationships with our international partners. We are doing this so that when called upon to resolve armed conflicts, we have a shared understanding of our capabilities, strengths, and limitations. Major General Hussey (Retired) stated, “We want to meet the team in the locker room, not as we walk on the football field.”[1] Ironically, when referring to “football,” most Americans automatically think of American football. However, when our European partners hear the word “football,” they think of what we refer to as “soccer.” Regardless, Major General Hussey’s comment crosses cultural norms. The message is clear: Know your team!

With this concept in mind, the 200th Military Police Command has begun to “meet the team.” The effort started in June 2022, with command leaders traveling to Vicenza, Italy, to visit the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Stability Policing Centre of Excellence (CoE). The visits continued this year, and we immediately identified a new partner in the NATO Military Police CoE, Bydgoszcz, Poland. Empowered by our commanding general, Sergeant Major Anthony A. Kresta, operations sergeant major of the 200th Military Police Command, and I contacted the NATO Military Police CoE to begin initial discussions between the 200th Military Police Command and NATO Military Police CoE senior noncommissioned officers (NCOs).

In October 2022, Sergeant Major Kresta and I facilitated the 5-day NATO Senior Military Police NCO Course. The NATO Military Police CoE taught the course, which focused on the role of a senior military police NCO. During the course, each NATO member nation presented capabilities briefings in which they identified and defined the varied roles and responsibilities of the NCO corps within their formations. Terminology often differed among nations, resulting in some confusion. We overcame that confusion through direct communication. As a result, interpersonal and organizational relationships began to develop, generating international crosstalk and shared understanding.

After completing the course, a conversation with NATO Military Police CoE and other partners regarding a NATO senior military police NCO meeting continued. This resulted in an April 2023 Command Senior Enlisted Leader Working Group in which 13 NATO and Partners for Peace nations convened at the NATO Military Police CoE headquarters. During the working group meeting, it was determined that while the NATO Military Police CoE had a robust military police officer curriculum, programs for enlisted and NCO cohorts were lacking. The need for junior NATO military police NCO professional development was subsequently identified. Plans are underway to develop a Junior NCO Course. Other working group considerations included transportation of enemy prisoners of war or detained personnel via air, rail, or sea and the need to integrate other Services such as the Navy and Air Force. These engagements have fostered an even closer working relationship with Sergeant Major Brice D. Rae, protection and provost marshal sergeant major, U.S. Army Europe and Africa, and Sergeant Major Antonio J. Soto, operations sergeant major, 18th Military Police Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany, as we attempt to build capacity and capability for our NATO allies. These senior NCO engagements have prompted an invitation to Major General Cowan from the director of the NATO Military Police CoE to meet at the NATO Military Police CoE headquarters in mid-2023. Further discussions with the NATO Military Police CoE and our partners regarding future seats in the NATO Senior Military Police NCO Course as well as future NCO course development are additional topics for the military police community to tackle.

To find out more information about the NATO Senior Military Police NCO Course, visit the NATO Military Police CoE Centre website at https://www.mpcoe.org. Assist! Protect! Defend!