14th Military Police Brigade
The men and women of the 14th Military Police Brigade began deploying to Southwest Asia from Europe in early December 1990. Seventh Corps units of the deployed brigade consisted of HHC, 14th Military Police Brigade and the 793rd MP Battalion with the 212th and 218th MP companies. The 93rd MP Battalion from V Corps came with the 92nd and 109th MP companies, while the 59th and 66th MP companies represented 2 1 st TAACOM.
In January, the 118th MP Battalion (National Guard) from Rhode Island arrived and joined the brigade in deploying to its tactical assembly area where units concentrated on training and weapons maintenance. The 372nd MP Battalion from Washington D.C. came into country in February.
Providing port security
On their arrival in Saudi Arabia, 14th MP Brigade soldiers began providing port security by patrolling and manning checkpoints in the vicinity of troop and equipment staging areas.
When VII Corps began its deployment from the port to assembly areas several hundred kilometers away, brigade MPs took up positions along the MSRs. 14th MP Brigade soldiers provided assistance to convoys and provided area security to deploying forces along the entire route. MPs also joined with Saudi MPs and established joint checkpoints.
As VII Corps soldiers and equipment first arrived in their TAAs, brigade military police concentrated their efforts on area security. Military police conducted area recons to identify units and their locations as well as integrating them into a corps rear area security plan.
Setting up TAA security
As the number of VII Corps forces flowing from the port to the TAA increased, 14th MP Brigade soldiers continued with the area security mission and assisted in guiding units to their TAA positions.
Logistical base area security became an integral part of MP operations in this phase and lasted far beyond the cease fire. The MP Brigade also assumed security of logistical bases and Hawk and Patriot sites.
MP patrols acted as a mobile screening force outside sites and bases beyond enemy weapon "stand-off' range. MPs also evacuated nomadic Bedouin tribesmen with their sheep, camels or goats from the VII Corps TAA since armored forces maneuvering through the desert made the region unsafe.
Assisting the divisions
Before the ground war started, the brigade sent a corps MP company to each division and to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment. These five MP companies assisted with controlling and evacuating prisoners of war.
At one point, the brigade operated two corps POW sites and three forward holding areas in Iraq and Kuwait. Throughout Desert Shield and Desert Storm the 14th MP Brigade processed more than 22,000 POWs, including more than 3,000 taken by the 1st (UK) Armoured Division.
Corps MPs placed direction signs on the MSRs with the help of corps engineers. They also played an important role in the peace process.
At the site of the "Cease-fire" talks, the 66th MP Company secured the route to the talks and searched Iraqi representatives.
Protecting soldiers
MPs from the 14th MP Brigade, helped confine all traffic to main supply routes in Iraq and Kuwait to protect the force from unexploded ordnance. Throughout the corps area of operations, MPs manned corps MSRs and established safety checkpoints along them to ensure soldier safety was first in all vehicular movements.
MPs also provided refugee and humanitarian assistance to refugees by providing food, water and medical assistance.
Fourteenth MP Brigade soldiers handled customs inspections for all deploying VII Corps forces, inspecting the corps' equipment and containers being sent home.
The brigade's history
The brigade was first activated in Mannheim on June 25, 1965 as the 14th Military Police Group. Seven years later it was deactivated until Nov. 16, 1981, when it reactivated as part of the VII Corps family. The 14th MP Group was redesignated the 14th MP Brigade on July 24, 1985.