Military Police Brigade, Operational Art, and the Army Operating Concept, 2016-2028

The purpose of this monograph is to illuminate the role in, and support to, operational art by military police brigades and demonstrate their viability as a bridging mechanism to the operating concepts of wide area security and combined arms maneuver. Historical case studies from World War II, the Vietnam War, and early Operation Iraqi Freedom demonstrate that military police brigades not only supplement operational art but also are well suited to support the Army Operating Concept, 2016-2028. In particular, the Vietnam War served as the formative experience for the military police brigades. The key elements of operational art that military police continually support are: protecting friendly operational centers of gravity, performing stability mechanisms as part of the theater operational approach, sustaining tempo of operations, supporting simultaneity and depth by generating momentum in the rear area, and by enabling operational reach through preservation of lines of communication. Most importantly are the stability mechanisms that military police brigades support through the application of law enforcement expertise and capability. As part of the Army Operating Concept, 2016-2028, military police brigades enable combat forces in conducting combined arms maneuver by supporting operational reach, tempo, and simultaneity and depth. Military Police brigades also support wide area security through the performance of stability mechanisms, protecting friendly operational centers of gravity, protecting lines of communication, and preventing culmination during counter-insurgency operations. Most importantly, military police brigades bring law enforcement expertise critical to building a nation's police forces during stability operations. This expertise is currently cultivated throughout the active duty military police corps using the annual law enforcement field training and certification program for all company grade military police Soldiers, NCOs, and Officers. Military