| Tribute to Military Police Desk Sergeants |
Pivot man, quarterback, pitcher, desk sergeant.
Each holds the key to his team's victory. The pivot man in
basketball must direct the offense, feed the ball to the
shooters, and determine the plays. He is the play maker on
the hardwood court.
Fingers expertly wrapped around the football pedalling
backward to avoid a tackle, the quarterback is the hero of
the gridiron, the man the cheerleaders cheer .
Whether it's a curve, fast, or spit ball, the pitcher stands on
the mound towering above the batter, peppering in the ball.
The MP desk sergeant, like one of these sports figures,
directs the MP team and handles the problems brought and
called to him. He fields the hot grounders and quickly
decides a course of action.
The desk sergeant controls the location and activity of the
MP patrols. Where the line is less strong, he may send in
additional forces to beef it up. Like the experts on the
football field, the MP desk sarge has his. Traffic accidents
need men experienced in how to handle those touchy
situations. Entrances and civilian personnel checkpoints
require MPs able to meet the day-to-day challenge.
And then there are the workhorses of the team, the motor
patrolmen, who everyday suit up to take on the routine, the
ordinary, and the hard work of simply being where it may
happen. They are the extensions of the PM's eyes, seeing
the usual and being able to spot the unusual; the ears,
listening to the complaints and drawing out the facts from
them; and the voice to explain the rules and regulations
and to correct violations.
The desk sergeant must also control and initiate the proper
paperwork concerning cases brought to the MP Desk. And
here he must plow through the tons of flattened pulp with
the determination of Dick Butkus and the skillful stepping of
O. J. Simpson.
The telephone rings, the desk sergeant records the time,
summary of complaint, action taken on DA Form 19-50,
popularly known as the blotter. As the clock ticks off the
seconds, a desk reference card is filled in. The radio
buzzes with a report and another notation is made in DA
Form 19-43, the radio log.
A short breather and it's off again. Standing before the
brass rail is a detained person. A receipt for property,
19-31, is completed, large property tagged with the 19-23s
and the detainee is released to his unit on a 619, Receipt for
Prisoner or Detained Person.
A jeep load of evidence is carted into the station. The desk
sergeants produced a fistful of DA Form 19-31s, Evidence
Logs, and fishes out a string of vouchers and sub-vouchers
to maintain the chain of custody. Finally, the day is over,
another is shift is arriving.
A jump shot good for two, a bullet pass scoring six, another
shut out game, a smooth military police operation.
Thanks to many multi-talented desk sergeants able to field
anything their way, the MPs continue their perfect scoring
record in Vietnam.
Each holds the key to his team's victory. The pivot man in
basketball must direct the offense, feed the ball to the
shooters, and determine the plays. He is the play maker on
the hardwood court.
Fingers expertly wrapped around the football pedalling
backward to avoid a tackle, the quarterback is the hero of
the gridiron, the man the cheerleaders cheer .
Whether it's a curve, fast, or spit ball, the pitcher stands on
the mound towering above the batter, peppering in the ball.
The MP desk sergeant, like one of these sports figures,
directs the MP team and handles the problems brought and
called to him. He fields the hot grounders and quickly
decides a course of action.
The desk sergeant controls the location and activity of the
MP patrols. Where the line is less strong, he may send in
additional forces to beef it up. Like the experts on the
football field, the MP desk sarge has his. Traffic accidents
need men experienced in how to handle those touchy
situations. Entrances and civilian personnel checkpoints
require MPs able to meet the day-to-day challenge.
And then there are the workhorses of the team, the motor
patrolmen, who everyday suit up to take on the routine, the
ordinary, and the hard work of simply being where it may
happen. They are the extensions of the PM's eyes, seeing
the usual and being able to spot the unusual; the ears,
listening to the complaints and drawing out the facts from
them; and the voice to explain the rules and regulations
and to correct violations.
The desk sergeant must also control and initiate the proper
paperwork concerning cases brought to the MP Desk. And
here he must plow through the tons of flattened pulp with
the determination of Dick Butkus and the skillful stepping of
O. J. Simpson.
The telephone rings, the desk sergeant records the time,
summary of complaint, action taken on DA Form 19-50,
popularly known as the blotter. As the clock ticks off the
seconds, a desk reference card is filled in. The radio
buzzes with a report and another notation is made in DA
Form 19-43, the radio log.
A short breather and it's off again. Standing before the
brass rail is a detained person. A receipt for property,
19-31, is completed, large property tagged with the 19-23s
and the detainee is released to his unit on a 619, Receipt for
Prisoner or Detained Person.
A jeep load of evidence is carted into the station. The desk
sergeants produced a fistful of DA Form 19-31s, Evidence
Logs, and fishes out a string of vouchers and sub-vouchers
to maintain the chain of custody. Finally, the day is over,
another is shift is arriving.
A jump shot good for two, a bullet pass scoring six, another
shut out game, a smooth military police operation.
Thanks to many multi-talented desk sergeants able to field
anything their way, the MPs continue their perfect scoring
record in Vietnam.
| Me on duty as Military Police Desk Sergeant Bien Hoa, Vietnam 1967 |
| From the 18th Military Police Brigade Newsletter September 1970 "Sergeant Leads MP Team in Vietnam" |
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