Sgt. 1st Class Scott Johnson
CT FEATURE
US Army Corrections:
A Model Program
By Mark N. Taggart and Curtis M. Schroeder
Trainees from Class 8-12 prior to graduating from the Army Corrections/Detention School on Oct. 5, 2012
T
he U.S. Army’s corrections and detention specialist training program at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., is
well-known, not only by the U.S. Department of
Defense (DOD) but also within the civilian corrections community. In the Army, a corrections and detention
specialist has a military occupational specialty referred to
as 31E, which falls under the Military Police (MP) Corps.
The 31E training program is comprised of a highly-trained
and experienced cadre, state-of-the-art training facilities
and a validated training program; teaching critical life
skills, values and a code of ethics. Since corrections and
detention specialists are responsible for day-to-day operations in a military correctional facility or detention/internment facility, this foundation is vital to the success of the
31E MP profession. It all starts at Fort Leonard Wood, home
of the MP Corps and Charlie Company, 701st MP Battalion
— the only advanced individual training (AIT) company in
the U.S. Army with the mission to transform entry-level soldiers into 31E corrections and detention specialists.
Basic Combat Training
Corrections and detention specialists begin their Army
career with 10 weeks of basic combat training (BCT) at one
of the several initial entry training companies from around
which the U.S. drill sergeants teach, coach and mentor
their trainees on resiliency; educate them on the Seven
Core Army Values (loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service,
honor, integrity and personal courage); and reinforce the
importance of working as a member of a team. Overall,
trainees develop an appreciation for what it takes to succeed as a soldier in the U.S. Army. BCT is separated into
three phases of training — red, white and blue phases —
where basic Army fundamentals and tasks are taught,
laying the framework for all potential corrections and
detention specialists.
The red phase consists of three weeks of “total control”
basic Army indoctrination. The typical day begins at 4:30
a.m. and ends at “lights out” at 9 p.m. Trainees are given
Drill Sgt. Kari Adams
Sgt. 1st Class Scott Johnson
Staff Sgt. Debra Myers instructs trainees from Class 8-12 as they participate
in riot control training.
Drill Sgt. Genn DeSimon Jr. instructs Spc. Stephan Hicks prior to rappelling
operations.
haircuts; issued uniforms and equipment; and taught about
Army heritage and the Seven Core Army Values. They also
undergo daily physical fitness and are tested on pushups,
situps and a two-mile run. The white phase consists of
basic rifle marksmanship with an M4 Carbine, tactical foot
marches, obstacle courses and rappelling exercises. This
training teaches vital skills needed to be a soldier and
instills confidence. The third and final phase is the blue
phase. As the trainees continue their physical fitness every
morning, this phase focuses on additional weapons training, hand grenade training and a five-day field training exercise. This exercise leads to certification for all major tasks
taught throughout the previous nine weeks, consisting of
essential basic combat skills necessary to survive on the
battlefield. The final training event in BCT is the night infiltration course (NIC). Immediately following the NIC, these
new soldiers are indoctrinated into the Army with a special
ceremony, known as a Values Tag Ceremony, which commemorates the completion of basic training and the beginning of a career as a soldier.
Corrections and Detention Specialist
Training
After graduating from BCT, all 31E soldiers are transferred to Charlie Company, 701st MP Battalion to begin a
seven-week AIT — equivalent to a civilian corrections training academy. It is here that soldiers will endure their technical training; complete several hands-on and written tests
in order to graduate; and move onward to their first duty
assignment in an Army correctional facility.
As an all-volunteer force, initial entry soldiers arrive at
Charlie Company from a variety of backgrounds. They
come from small towns, large cities and anywhere in
between, with a broad range of values and beliefs. As members of the millennial generation, their desire for instant
gratification can be overwhelming and many do not know a
world without cell phones, cable television or high-speed
internet. With such a diverse group of soldiers, it’s imperative that they are trained and learn to live in accordance
with the Seven Core Army Values and the MP Code of
Ethics. If they are not able or not willing to abide by these
standards, they will fail the course and, as nongraduates,
be sent home.
What makes the Army corrections training program
unique is that it uses the platoon training concept, which is
the same concept the soldier will experience at an Army
correctional facility. Sergeants are the “backbone of the
Army,” and the primary trainer in a military platoon that
consists of a platoon sergeant and several squad leaders.
Corrections instructors are assigned as platoon sergeants
and squad leaders, known as “instructor/squad leaders.”
Instead of the traditional student-instructor structure, the
instructor/squad leader has the responsibility to not only
train, but also provide necessary teaching, coaching and
mentoring to their soldiers. These responsibilities have significantly lengthened the number of hours an instructor
traditionally dedicates to their soldiers, and have proven to
be critical in preparing a trained professional corrections
and detention specialist.
The instructor/squad leader must ensure that all soldiers understand the MP Code of Ethics, which is recited
by every soldier on graduation day. But it’s more than just
words. As MP professionals, it is the duty of every corrections and detention specialist to obey and enforce the laws
and regulations that govern the U.S. Army. Charged with
this responsibility, it is imperative that they are devoted to
the profession and clearly understand their obligation. The
instructor/squad leader has a difficult challenge instilling
these values during the seven short weeks of 31E MP training. All soldiers are entrusted to do the right thing, both on
and off duty, and the Army values provide them with the
moral compass that directs their actions. The introduction
Sgt. 1st Class Scott Johnson
The Barr Confinement Facility was named after Brig. Gen. Thomas F. Barr in 2002.
of the platoon concept as well as the edification of the
Seven Core Army Values and MP Code of Ethics assists
them in preparing for the Army corrections profession.
One of the many highlights of the U.S. Army’s correctional training program is its mock training facility. Charlie
Company has a state-of-the-art training facility known as
the Barr Confinement Facility, named after Brig. Gen.
Thomas F. Barr — the “father of the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks.” As a member of a commission, Barr supported a bill
that was signed on May 21, 1874, establishing the first military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. The Barr Confinement Facility was completed in 2002 and consists of a fully
equipped control room, classroom, several segregation
cells, a dining facility, sleeping areas, perimeter towers and
sally port. The control room consists of an integrated camera and audio system equipped with continuous recording
capability. This provides trainees the opportunity to
review all practical exercises and training events from a
third-person perspective, thereby allowing the instructor
to share lessons learned to improve the training and learning experience.
Charlie Company trains up to 80 soldiers per class —
about 700 soldiers per year — in the Barr Confinement
Facility, ranging from schedule-of-calls to forced cell movements and disturbance exercises. It is truly the center for
all technical training of every Army corrections and detention specialist. This facility also serves as a special place
for many, especially the family of Master Sgt. Wilberto
Sabalu Jr., who was killed in Afghanistan on May 6, 2007,
while serving as a corrections advisor to the Afghan corrections mission. His sacrifice will always be remembered. The
main classroom of the Barr Confinement Facility is dedicated to he and his family.
Program Accreditation
All instructors adhere to a strict program of instruction,
but do so in accordance with accreditation requirements
from both the U.S. Army and the American Correctional
Association. The U.S. Army Military Police School
(USAMPS) has received accreditation from its headquarters, the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
(TRADOC) on its design and development of all training
and education for MP personnel. TRADOC accreditation
process requires that more than 500 tasks be inspected
every three years, requiring thousands of hours to ensure
compliance. USAMPS devotes the necessary time and
money to this accreditation as an additional investment for
all MP soldiers and officers. Corrections and detention
operations, when performed incorrectly, can have negative
implications. As a “rule of law” society, the U.S. is expected
to treat all incarcerated/detained personnel with dignity
and respect, regardless of circumstance and location.
In August 2011, the USAMPS Corrections Training Academy, which is managed by Charlie Company’s noncommissioned officers, achieved initial ACA accreditation. When
the accreditation audit was complete, Patrick Keohane, one
of the ACA auditors, stated, “This is only one of three
audits of 75 that has achieved a 100 percent overall rating
during accreditation. In the 45 years I have been auditing,
the Army is one of the best that I have witnessed.” This
completed the last area for accreditation of the entire Army
corrections system, leading to the ACA Golden Eagle Award
— which covers all facilities, the Army Corrections Command Headquarters, Corrections Training Academy and
the Clemency and Parole Board. Receiving such a prestigious award further validates the success of the Army’s
corrections system and its training of all 31E corrections
and detention specialists.
ACA accreditation of USAMPS’ corrections training program could not be possible without its highly trained and
professional cadre. The U.S. Army ensures that only the
most qualified 31E sergeants are assigned to its corrections
training program, as they are charged with the responsibility of transforming initial entry soldiers into the future leaders of Army corrections. These sergeants have multiple
years of experience working in various leadership positions
in the corrections field, from an entry-level housing unit
supervisor to a shift supervisor of an Army corrections
facility. Most instructors have been assigned to the Joint
Task Force-Guantanamo Detention Facilities, in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks,
DOD’s only maximum-custody facility, at Fort Leavenworth,
Kan. They also have combat experience since being
deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan and conducting detention operations.
USAMPS is working toward provisional certification for
graduating 31E soldiers. The soldiers are provided the
opportunity to enroll in the ACA correctional certification
program. Once they complete the ACA certification
process, they are recognized with a “provisional certification.” The certification is provisional because a newly graduated corrections and detention specialist does not yet
have the one year of experience required by ACA. Once the
year of experience is complete, the soldiers are officially
certified as certified corrections officers. The commandant
of USAMPS, Brig. Gen. Mark Inch stated, “My intent is to
institutionalize professional certification in our training
base for our corrections and detention specialists. I want
our new soldiers to be recognized as professionals by
linking to the Commission on Professional Certification
for Corrections and ACA certified corrections professional
program.” Doug Dretke, who served as commission chair
at the time this program was implemented, stated, “We are
very excited about your initiative to include provisional
certification for your graduating 31E soldiers and I look forward to highlighting your efforts as a model for state systems across the country as we continue to strengthen our
focus on professionalizing our discipline.”
The high demands on today’s Army — the rigor of maintaining a structured and professional correctional/detention program with the necessity of treating inmates and
detainees humanely — highlights how important it is that
all 31E soldiers adhere to strict standards. With just 17
short weeks, this can only be accomplished with exceptional
cadre as instructors/mentors, state of-the-art-training facilities and a training program that is capable of instilling the
critical values and training techniques necessary to be a
certified MP corrections and detention specialist. With the
vision of USAMPS and philosophy and training techniques of
Charlie Company, 701st MP Battalion, new soldiers are given
the opportunity to be a part of a professional corrections
specialty capable of guarding high profile and dangerous
criminals, not only in DOD correctional facilities, but
around the world.
Capt. Mark N. Taggart is commander for Charlie Company,
701st Military Police Battalion; and Lt. Col. Curtis M.
Schroeder is commander of the 701st Military Police Battalion at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.