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8th Military Police Brigade (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 8th Military Police Brigade is a military police
brigade
of the United States Army
based at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. It is responsible for military police units in the Pacific Ocean region.
Activated during the Vietnam War
, the 8th Military Police Brigade was specifically organized to provide planning, direction and supervision for the criminal investigation work required by the US Army in Vietnam. It took over from a provisional Military Police Group (Criminal Investigation) that had been formed on 3 November 1966 in charge of all criminal investigative work in Vietnam, except for the metropolitan Saigon area.
In July 1972, it became the basis for the US Army Criminal Investigation Center, Vietnam Field Office
It served in the region for several years and earning ten campaign streamers before being deactivated during the US forces pullout from the region. The brigade was reactivated in Korea in the 1980s to provide command and control for all US Pacific military police forces, and has since been moved to Hawaii, where much of US Army Pacific is located. The brigade is currently deployed to Iraq
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Currently, the 8th Military Police Brigade consists of one battalion: the 728th Military Police Battalion
in Hawaii. The subordinate units of the 728th MP Battalion are: the 57th Military Police Company, 552nd Military Police Company, 58th Military Police Company, 558th Military Police Company, 39th Military Police Detachment, and 13th Military Police Detachment.
and activated on 26 July at Fort Riley
, Kansas
. After seeing only five months of duty, the group was again deactivated on 18 December of that year.
On 24 August 1968 the group was again activated, this time in Vietnam
. Its activation was part of a larger activation of several military police groups in the region to provide greater command and control for Military Police operating throughout the region. As such, the headquarters element took command of military police units already operating in the country. The Brigade provided policing duties, based in Long Binh
along with the 89th Military Police Group. During that time it was a subordinate unit of the 18th Military Police Brigade. It received its distinctive unit insignia
on 12 November 1969. The group operated in Vietnam until the pullout of US forces from the nation, receiving ten campaign streamer
s for its role in the conflict.
in September 1984 in response to the need for cohesive command and control element in the event of war, for the numerous non-division
al Military Police units on the peninsula
. At the time it consisted of the 94th Military Police Battalion in Yongsan (Seoul) and the 728th Military Police Battalion in Taegu (Camp Walker). However, the brigade would remain provisional and would not be officially activated for another ten years while it operated in this capacity.
In 1995, the concept plan was approved for the activation of a military police brigade headquarters in Korea
. The 8th MP Brigade was officially activated on 16 April 1996 to provide command and control for the 728th Military Police Battalion and the 94th Military Police Battalion in armistice
and to serve as the theater military police brigade during hostilities. The same day, it received its shoulder sleeve insignia.
In July 2006, the 8th MP Brigade Headquarters and the 728th MP Battalion were reassigned to US Army Pacific and moved from Korea to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. It was placed under the command of the newly created 8th Theater Sustainment Command. The command is responsible for preparing the 25th Infantry Division and other 8th Army units for worldwide deployment.
Subordinate units of the brigade's 728th MP Battalion deployed to Iraq
in October 2004 to provide military police duties while the Army formed a clear rotational schedule for MP units coming and going from the country during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In October 2007, the Brigade again deployed elements of the 728th MP Battalion to Iraq
for 15 months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The units suffered several casualties, including soldiers killed in ambushes and vehicle accidents.
Brigade headquarters are scheduled to deploy to Iraq in fall 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In July 2008, the 8th MP Brigade began its move into Iraq with a pre-deployment site survey to support the upcoming deployment into the country. The brigade headquarters was set to replace the 18th Military Police Brigade, which ended its deployment in fall of 2008. The 8th MP brigade will continue the training and expansion of the national Iraqi Police
force in the Baghdad
area. On 2 December, the brigade officially took control from the 18th MP brigade and began its deployment.
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
based at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. It is responsible for military police units in the Pacific Ocean region.
Activated during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the 8th Military Police Brigade was specifically organized to provide planning, direction and supervision for the criminal investigation work required by the US Army in Vietnam. It took over from a provisional Military Police Group (Criminal Investigation) that had been formed on 3 November 1966 in charge of all criminal investigative work in Vietnam, except for the metropolitan Saigon area.
In July 1972, it became the basis for the US Army Criminal Investigation Center, Vietnam Field Office
It served in the region for several years and earning ten campaign streamers before being deactivated during the US forces pullout from the region. The brigade was reactivated in Korea in the 1980s to provide command and control for all US Pacific military police forces, and has since been moved to Hawaii, where much of US Army Pacific is located. The brigade is currently deployed to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Organization
The Brigade is a subordinate unit of US Army Pacific and the Eighth United States Army. It falls under the direct command of the 8th Theater Sustainment Command.Currently, the 8th Military Police Brigade consists of one battalion: the 728th Military Police Battalion
728th Military Police Battalion
The 728th Military Police Battalion performs Military Police operations to allow US forces to move through an assigned area. The 728th Military Police has four line companies, and two Detachments, the 39th MP Det. and the 13th MP Det. The 728th Headquarters is located at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii...
in Hawaii. The subordinate units of the 728th MP Battalion are: the 57th Military Police Company, 552nd Military Police Company, 58th Military Police Company, 558th Military Police Company, 39th Military Police Detachment, and 13th Military Police Detachment.
Vietnam War
The 8th Military Police Group was originally constituted on 8 April 1967 in the regular armyRegular army
A regular army consists of the permanent force of a country's army that is maintained under arms during peacetime.Countries that use the term include:*Australian Army*British Army*Canadian Forces, specifically "Regular Force"*Egyptian army*Indian Army...
and activated on 26 July at Fort Riley
Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in Northeast Kansas, on the Kansas River, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 100,656 acres in Geary and Riley counties and includes two census-designated places: Fort Riley North and Fort...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. After seeing only five months of duty, the group was again deactivated on 18 December of that year.
On 24 August 1968 the group was again activated, this time in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. Its activation was part of a larger activation of several military police groups in the region to provide greater command and control for Military Police operating throughout the region. As such, the headquarters element took command of military police units already operating in the country. The Brigade provided policing duties, based in Long Binh
Long Binh
Long Binh is a ward, in District 9 of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.-Long Binh Post:During the Vietnam War, Long Binh Post was located near Bien Hoa, Dong Nai province. Vietnam, 33km from Saigon . The base functioned as a U.S. Army base, logistics center, and major command headquarters for United...
along with the 89th Military Police Group. During that time it was a subordinate unit of the 18th Military Police Brigade. It received its distinctive unit insignia
Distinctive unit insignia
A Distinctive Unit Insignia is a metal heraldic device worn by soldiers in the United States Army. The DUI design is derived from the coat of arms authorized for a unit...
on 12 November 1969. The group operated in Vietnam until the pullout of US forces from the nation, receiving ten campaign streamer
Campaign streamer
Campaign streamers are decorations attached to military flags to recognize particular achievements or events of a military unit or service. Attached to the headpiece of the assigned flag, the streamer often is an inscribed ribbon with the name and date denoting participation in a particular battle,...
s for its role in the conflict.
Reactivation in Korea
The 8th Military Police Brigade (Provisional) was constituted in KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
in September 1984 in response to the need for cohesive command and control element in the event of war, for the numerous non-division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
al Military Police units on the peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
. At the time it consisted of the 94th Military Police Battalion in Yongsan (Seoul) and the 728th Military Police Battalion in Taegu (Camp Walker). However, the brigade would remain provisional and would not be officially activated for another ten years while it operated in this capacity.
In 1995, the concept plan was approved for the activation of a military police brigade headquarters in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. The 8th MP Brigade was officially activated on 16 April 1996 to provide command and control for the 728th Military Police Battalion and the 94th Military Police Battalion in armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
and to serve as the theater military police brigade during hostilities. The same day, it received its shoulder sleeve insignia.
In July 2006, the 8th MP Brigade Headquarters and the 728th MP Battalion were reassigned to US Army Pacific and moved from Korea to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. It was placed under the command of the newly created 8th Theater Sustainment Command. The command is responsible for preparing the 25th Infantry Division and other 8th Army units for worldwide deployment.
War on Terrorism
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in October 2004 to provide military police duties while the Army formed a clear rotational schedule for MP units coming and going from the country during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In October 2007, the Brigade again deployed elements of the 728th MP Battalion to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
for 15 months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The units suffered several casualties, including soldiers killed in ambushes and vehicle accidents.
Brigade headquarters are scheduled to deploy to Iraq in fall 2008 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In July 2008, the 8th MP Brigade began its move into Iraq with a pre-deployment site survey to support the upcoming deployment into the country. The brigade headquarters was set to replace the 18th Military Police Brigade, which ended its deployment in fall of 2008. The 8th MP brigade will continue the training and expansion of the national Iraqi Police
Iraqi Police
The Iraqi Police Service are the uniformed Territorial police force responsible for the enforcement of civil law within Iraq.The current organisation, structure and recruitment practice was guided by the Coalition Provisional Authority following the 2003 invasion of Iraq...
force in the Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
area. On 2 December, the brigade officially took control from the 18th MP brigade and began its deployment.
Campaign Participation Credit
| Conflict | Streamer | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam War Vietnam War The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of... |
Counteroffensive, Phase V | 1968 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase VI | 1968–1969 |
| Vietnam War | Tet 69/Counteroffensive | 1969 |
| Vietnam War | Summer–Fall 1969 | 1969 |
| Vietnam War | Winter–Spring 1970 | 1970 |
| Vietnam War | Sanctuary Counteroffensive | 1970 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase VII | 1970–1971 |
| Vietnam War | Consolidation I | 1970 |
| Vietnam War | Consolidation II | 1971 |
| Vietnam War | Cease Fire | 1973 |
Decorations
| Ribbon | Award | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.... (Army) |
1968–1969 | for service in Vietnam |
 |
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm | 1968–1972 | for service in Vietnam |