5803 Military Occupational Specialty (MOS)
INTRODUCTION:
The Military Police occupational specialty (5803) provides
the commander with all facets of law enforcement support to include
limited criminal investigative support and Maneuver Mobility Support,
Area Security, Internment, and Law and Order operations. If you desire
this type of work, Officers in the Military Police specialty supervise
and coordinate these activities for base and station provost marshal
offices as well as for operating force military police units.
If you have good communication skills and a general
aptitude for social interaction, you might enjoy the military police
occupational specialty. However, you must posses the following prerequisites:
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Minimum height of 65 inches
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Vision correctable to 20/20
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No convictions by special or general courts-martial
or civil courts (except minor traffic violations)
WHAT WILL I DO AFTER TBS BEFORE I GET MY FIRST TOUR?
If you are selected as a 5803 upon completion of The
Basic School, you will be assigned to a Military Police Basic Officers
Course at Fort Leonardwood, Missouri for a 9 week period of instruction.
There are numerous classes scheduled per year for the United States
Army. For Army Officers in the Military Police field, this course is
combined with their basic officer training. Marine Corps officers are
inserted into the course when the military police program of instruction
(POI) begins. The POI includes; Maneuver & Mobility Support Operations,
Law Enforcement Operations, Enemy Prisoner of War & Civilian Internee
Operations, Police Intelligence, and Area Security.
WHAT WILL MY FIRST TOUR BE LIKE?
As a Marine lieutenant assigned the primary occupational
specialty (MOS) of 5803, you can expect an initial assignment to a
position ranging from the platoon commander or executive officer of
an Operating Force Military Police Company to the Assistant Provost
Marshal at a small Marine Corps installation. You will be assigned
to one of two initial career tracks: base/station law enforcement
support or operating forces support. You will spend approximately
three years in this first assignment. Your duties with the operating
forces would be direct supervision and coordination of military police
units responsible for the following:
Maneuver, Mobility, Support Operations (MMSO): Conducting
motor patrols, main supply route (MSR) reconnaissance and establishment,
traffic control points, support for passage of lines and river crossings
and other MMSO missions as needed.
Area Security: Conducting motor and foot security patrols,
expeditionary airfield security, NBC detection along MSR, and areas
deemed critical.
Internment Operations: Providing support to enemy prisoners
of war (EPW) and civilian internee/refugee (CI) facilities and coordinate
overall EPW mission.
Law and Order: Conducting law enforcement, criminal investigation,
accident investigations, crime prevention and physical security,
U.S. military prisoner confinement, customs support, and MWD missions.
You can expect to be deployed a significant amount
of time if assigned to the operating forces. However, all personnel
assigned to Marine Aircraft Wings and approximately 50% of all personnel
assigned to Division and FSSG are routinely assigned to the installation
Provost Marshal’s Office (PMO) under the fleet assistance program
(FAP). If assigned to a FAP billet, your chances of deploying will
be less; upon completion of FAP duties, personnel are returned to
their parent unit for field training, exercises, and other deployments.
Your primary duties with a base or station provost
marshal office would be direct supervision and coordination of military
police personnel performing the following:
Law Enforcement Operations: patrol, entry control, flight
line security, military working dogs, accident investigation, traffic
control and planning, special reaction teams, and terrorist counter
action operations and plans.
Support Services: administration, records, supply, physical
security, vehicle registration, and base traffic court.
Criminal Investigations: limited to misdemeanors and some
felony related crimes, handling of unruly and delinquent juveniles,
polygraphs, evidence custody, and liaison with the Naval Criminal
Investigative Service
WHERE MIGHT I GO AFTER MY FIRST TOUR?
As a Military Police Officer, the Marine Corps will prepares you
to assume assignments of increased responsibility by sending you to
various military, federal, and civilian law enforcement schools which
may include, Countering Terrorism on Installations (US Army); Anti
Terrorism Instructor Qualification course (US Army); Dynamics of International
Terrorism course (US Air Force), Military Police Captains Career Course
(US Army); FBI National Academy, National Crime Prevention Institute,
the Smith and Wesson Academy, and the Institute of Police Traffic
Management.
Some typical B-billets you may be assigned to on your second tour:
Instructor Staff, United States Army Military Police School; Inspector-Instructor
Staff, Marine Corps Reserve Military Police units; recruiting duty;
Instructor Staff, Marine Corps Recruit Depots; Law-enforcement Section,
Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps; Marine Security Force Battalion;
and Instructor Staff, The Basic School.
WHERE ELSE CAN I LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON THIS MOS?
The Law Enforcement and Physical Security section at
Headquarters Marine Corps has a website ( www.hqmc.usmc.mil/poswebpage.nsf)
with additional information, and the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Manual
(MCO P5580.2) and the Military Police in Support of the MAGTF publication
(MCWP 3-34.1 (DRAFT)) provide you with specific tasks and functions
of the military police in the Marine Corps.
Military Police units and Provost Marshal offices provide a multitude
of capabilities to operating force units as well as bases & stations.
It is a challenging field with tremendous responsibility during war
and peacetime both in the continental United States and abroad. If
you want to lead Marines in the field, be challenged in garrison,
and be in an MOS charged diverse capabilities, Military Police may
be your calling.
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