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89th Military Police Brigade (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 89th Military Police Brigade is a military police
brigade
of the United States Army
based at Fort Hood, Texas. It is a subordinate unit of III Corps.
Activated in Vietnam
in the midst of the Vietnam War
, the unit provided military police services for two corp-sized
forces operating in the region. It played a supporting role throughout the entire conflict, staying in theater
for the entire war and earning fifteen campaign streamer
s.
Since then, the brigade has seen duty in numerous areas of operation throughout the world and performed numerous duties including disaster relief for Hurricane Hugo
as well as service in Guantanamo Bay. It also played supporting a role in the Gulf War
. Recently the brigade served two tours of duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Brigade contains three subordinate battalions of military police:
", roughly the size of a modern regiment. The 89th Military Police Group was constituted in the Regular Army on 19 February 1966 and activated on 15 March of that year in the Republic of Vietnam
. The mission of the 89th Military Police Group was to provide general military police support for the III Corps and IV Corps
Tactical Zones. The group stayed in Vietnam in support of the two corps' areas of operation. As the group was a supporting unit, it never saw front line combat. However, it did receive all 15 campaign streamer
s that could be earned for Vietnam service. With the removal of US forces from Vietnam, the organization was inactivated on 21 December 1971.
On 13 September 1972 the unit was activated at Fort Lewis
, Washington. The 89th Military Police Group was designed to command and control the operations of three to five military police battalions and other assigned or attached units. Additionally, it provided a Provost Marshal
staff section to the corps
headquarters while assigned as their senior military police organization.
The 89th Military Police Group remained at Fort Lewis until 21 February 1976 when the colors were transferred to Fort Hood, Texas. On 16 July 1981 the 89th Military Police Group was reorganized as the 89th Military Police Brigade.
The 89th Military Police Brigade has deployed around the world in support of US Army missions in numerous places, seeing both wartime
and humanitarian service roles. The soldiers of the 89th MP Brigade supported operations in Honduras
, Panama, Cuba
, Somalia, Virgin Islands
, Bosnia
and Hungary
.
The Brigade played a supporting role during the Gulf War
. It was sent to Kuwait
and Saudi Arabia
as part of operations include Desert Shield and Desert Storm during 1990 and 1991. During the action, it provided military police duties for XVIII Airborne Corps. The Brigade was one of numerous units thought to have been exposed to chemical weapons following the Khamisiyah Pit Demolition
. The long term effects of this exposure are not clear.
The brigade participated in disaster relief after Hurricane Hugo
1989, and Operation Sea Signal
in support of Joint Task Force
160 in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from June to November 1994.
Personnel from the 89th Military Police Brigade were deployed in January 2002 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to serve as the headquarters element for Joint Task Force 160. They were replaced in May 2002 by personnel from the 43rd Military Police Brigade from the Rhode Island
Army National Guard
. The subordinate unit of the 89th MP Brigade that deployed for this mission was the 401st Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion.
The 89th Military Police Brigade deployed to Iraq
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom early 2004, where it took over the mission previously tasked to the 18th Military Police Brigade on 31 January 2004. At that time the brigade assumed responsibility for the Iraqi Police training mission as well as the majority of all the Military Police Units in Iraq at that time. The unit returned to Fort Hood in December 2004.
The 89th Military Police Brigade deployed for a second tour in August 2006 to the Iraqi theater of operation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 2006–2008. During the deployment, it was composed of over 5,000 military police soldiers in the theater. Brigade responsibilities included corrections and security operations. It deployed K-9
units during some operations. The brigade's primary responsibility, though, was the training of Iraqi police units. The brigade focused on local police units throughout the country, as another MP brigade handled the national police. The brigade commander would brief US Department of Defense officials in The Pentagon
on the current situation, live from Iraq. It suffered several casualties, including a soldier killed by sniper
fire, a soldier killed by a suicide car bomb, and two soldiers who died of non-combat related causes. The brigade returned home in October 2007, replaced again by the 18th Military Police Brigade. After this, the brigade resumed its policing roles at Fort Hood.
During its second deployment, one of the unit commanders, William H. Steele
, became infamous for being accused of breaching military law
by aiding the enemy. He was acquitted of the charges, though he was convicted of other charges and subsequently dismissed from the military.
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 Fort Hood, Texas. It is a subordinate unit of III Corps.
Activated 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 –...
in the midst of 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 unit provided military police services for two corp-sized
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
forces operating in the region. It played a supporting role throughout the entire conflict, staying in theater
Theater (warfare)
In warfare, a theater, is defined as an area or place within which important military events occur or are progressing. The entirety of the air, land, and sea area that is or that may potentially become involved in war operations....
for the entire war and earning fifteen 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.
Since then, the brigade has seen duty in numerous areas of operation throughout the world and performed numerous duties including disaster relief for Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
as well as service in Guantanamo Bay. It also played supporting a role in the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. Recently the brigade served two tours of duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Organization
The brigade is subordinate to III Corps. It is headquartered at Fort Hood, Texas. Almost 1,000 soldiers of the brigade are stationed there.The Brigade contains three subordinate battalions of military police:
- 93rd Military Police Battalion, at Fort BlissFort BlissFort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
- 97th Military Police Battalion97th Military Police Battalion (United States)The 97th MP BN is a Military Police Battalion of the United States Army based at Fort Riley, Kansas. Activated in Europe during World War II, the unit provided military police support and during the Korean War, the 97th MP BN conducted internment operations throughout the duration of the conflict...
, at Fort RileyFort RileyFort 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... - 720th Military Police Battalion, at Fort Hood
Vietnam War
The 89th Military Police Brigade was originally activated as a "groupMilitary organization
Military organization is the structuring of the armed forces of a state so as to offer military capability required by the national defence policy. In some countries paramilitary forces are included in a nation's armed forces...
", roughly the size of a modern regiment. The 89th Military Police Group was constituted in the Regular Army on 19 February 1966 and activated on 15 March of that year in the Republic of Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. The mission of the 89th Military Police Group was to provide general military police support for the III Corps and IV Corps
IV Corps (United States)
The IV Corps replaced the VI Corps in the Fifth United States Army's order of battle in Italy after Allied forces liberated Rome in the summer of 1944 when VI Corps was withdrawn to take part in Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern France. Initially the Corps had two divisions, U.S...
Tactical Zones. The group stayed in Vietnam in support of the two corps' areas of operation. As the group was a supporting unit, it never saw front line combat. However, it did receive all 15 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 that could be earned for Vietnam service. With the removal of US forces from Vietnam, the organization was inactivated on 21 December 1971.
On 13 September 1972 the unit was activated at Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington. The 89th Military Police Group was designed to command and control the operations of three to five military police battalions and other assigned or attached units. Additionally, it provided a Provost Marshal
Provost Marshal
The Provost Marshal is the officer in the armed forces who is in charge of the military police .There may be a Provost Marshal serving at many levels of the hierarchy and he may also be the public safety officer of a military installation, responsible for the provision of fire, gate security, and...
staff section to the corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
headquarters while assigned as their senior military police organization.
The 89th Military Police Group remained at Fort Lewis until 21 February 1976 when the colors were transferred to Fort Hood, Texas. On 16 July 1981 the 89th Military Police Group was reorganized as the 89th Military Police Brigade.
Post-Cold War
Wartime
The term wartime could refer to:* Wartime, Saskatchewan, a small community in Saskatchewan, Canada.* Wartime Station, Saskatchewan, a small community in Saskatchewan, Canada.* A formal state of war, as opposed to peacetime...
and humanitarian service roles. The soldiers of the 89th MP Brigade supported operations in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, Panama, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Somalia, Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
, Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
The Brigade played a supporting role during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. It was sent to Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
as part of operations include Desert Shield and Desert Storm during 1990 and 1991. During the action, it provided military police duties for XVIII Airborne Corps. The Brigade was one of numerous units thought to have been exposed to chemical weapons following the Khamisiyah Pit Demolition
Khamisiyah
Khamisiyah is an area in southern Iraq located approximately 350 km south east of Baghdad, 200 km north-west of Kuwait City and 270 km north of Al Qaysumah. Khamisiyah is under the administration of the province of Dhi Qar. The area contains a few small towns, including Khamisiyah...
. The long term effects of this exposure are not clear.
The brigade participated in disaster relief after Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
1989, and Operation Sea Signal
Operation Sea Signal
Operation Sea Signal was a United States Military humanitarian operation in the Caribbean in response to an influx of Cuban and Haitian migrants attempting to gain asylum in the United States. As a result, the migrants became refugees at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. The operation took place from...
in support of Joint Task Force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
160 in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from June to November 1994.
Personnel from the 89th Military Police Brigade were deployed in January 2002 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to serve as the headquarters element for Joint Task Force 160. They were replaced in May 2002 by personnel from the 43rd Military Police Brigade from the Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
. The subordinate unit of the 89th MP Brigade that deployed for this mission was the 401st Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
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 early 2004, where it took over the mission previously tasked to the 18th Military Police Brigade on 31 January 2004. At that time the brigade assumed responsibility for the Iraqi Police training mission as well as the majority of all the Military Police Units in Iraq at that time. The unit returned to Fort Hood in December 2004.
The 89th Military Police Brigade deployed for a second tour in August 2006 to the Iraqi theater of operation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 2006–2008. During the deployment, it was composed of over 5,000 military police soldiers in the theater. Brigade responsibilities included corrections and security operations. It deployed K-9
Police dog
A police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
units during some operations. The brigade's primary responsibility, though, was the training of Iraqi police units. The brigade focused on local police units throughout the country, as another MP brigade handled the national police. The brigade commander would brief US Department of Defense officials in The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
on the current situation, live from Iraq. It suffered several casualties, including a soldier killed by sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
fire, a soldier killed by a suicide car bomb, and two soldiers who died of non-combat related causes. The brigade returned home in October 2007, replaced again by the 18th Military Police Brigade. After this, the brigade resumed its policing roles at Fort Hood.
During its second deployment, one of the unit commanders, William H. Steele
William H. Steele
Former Lieutenant Colonel William H. Steele is a former U.S. Army Reservist from Prince George, Virginia. He was charged with aiding the enemy and other breaches of military law, mostly in connection with his role as commander of the 451st Military Police Detachment and Camp Cropper, a holding...
, became infamous for being accused of breaching military law
Military law
Military justice is the body of laws and procedures governing members of the armed forces. Many states have separate and distinct bodies of law that govern the conduct of members of their armed forces. Some states use special judicial and other arrangements to enforce those laws, while others use...
by aiding the enemy. He was acquitted of the charges, though he was convicted of other charges and subsequently dismissed from the military.
Unit 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) |
1967–1968 | for service in Vietnam |
|
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) |
2004–2005 | for service in Iraq |
 |
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm | 1965–1970 | for service in Vietnam |
Campaign streamers
| 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... |
Vietnam Defense | 1965 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase I | 1965–1966 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase II | 1966–1967 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase III | 1967–1968 |
| Vietnam War | Tet Counteroffensive | 1968 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase IV | 1968 |
| Vietnam War | 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 |
| Gulf War Gulf War The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf... |
Defense of Saudi Arabia | 1990 |
| Gulf War | Liberation and Defense of Kuwait | 1990 |
| Gulf War | Cease-Fire | 1991 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom | Iraq | 2004–2005 |
| Operation Iraqi Freedom | Iraq | 2006–2008 |