PMO's JET Airmen serious about enforcing the law

Published March 8, 2010
By Master Sgt. Darrell Habisch
407th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs

ALI BASE, Iraq -- Providing law enforcement at Ali Base and Contingency Operating Base Adder for trained and disciplined military personnel might seem like an easy task. After all, one would assume that we follow the rules. However, for the Joint Expeditionary Tasking (JET) Airmen of the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Detachment 5, better known as military police of the Provost Marshal's Office, reality is very different from assumptions.

With thousands of military and civilian contractors living and working here, rules are broken. Military police work round the clock to keep the peace, enforce traffic regulations, intercept counterfeit money, respond to unexploded ordinance (UXO) reports and more to ensure everyone is afforded a level of personal safety.

The Airmen work directly for the 4th Brigade Combat Team/1st Armor Division, Garrison Command. According to Capt. Jutta Arkan, Provost Marshal, JET Airmen are filling the need for military police here because, "There's only so many Soldiers to go around. Our being here frees up the Soldier to fight the infantry battle elsewhere."

Duties of military police differ somewhat from security police duties at their home stations, explained Capt. Arkan, deployed from the 97th Security Forces Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.

"We don't do gates," she said. Nor do they provide flight line security. "We're first responders and we enforce law and order."

To that end, more than 100 traffic tickets for various infractions have been issued since January, 2010, according to Senior Master Sgt. Scott Ehling, Provost Sergeant, deployed from Headquarters Air Force Security Forces Center, Lackland AFB, Texas.

Ali Base and COB Adder's road system is littered with potholes and miles of uneven pavement. Maneuvering passenger and large tactical vehicles around pedestrians and road hazards is challenging for any driver. "Safety is our biggest concern," Sergeant Ehling said.
Parking lots are five mph. Ali Base and COB Adder's speed limit is 20 mph. Perimeter Road has been reduced from 40 mph to 25 mph.

Another consideration affecting speed is inclement weather. Sandstorms, smoke and fog may reduce visibility to near zero. Just like back home, reduce your speed to match the visibility and road traction conditions with the headlights on.

If there is ever any doubt about the speed limit on a road where you may be driving, "Keep it at twenty or less," Capt. Arkan commented.

With so many hazards present, such as uneven pavement and no painted lines marking the edge of the road, drivers must slow down and be vigilant. A large vehicle leaving the roadbed and hitting sand can "flip that tactical vehicle immediately," he said.

Convoys of large, tactical vehicles constantly enter and exit COB Adder. In a collision between a passenger vehicle and a tactical vehicle, the tactical vehicle wins. In a collision between a pedestrian and any vehicle, the pedestrian loses.

"It's a question of when, not if, a pedestrian is hit by a tactical vehicle," said Capt. Arkan. Considering the size and weight of a tactical vehicle, the driver may not even know a pedestrian was hit. "We will do everything we can to keep that from happening," she said.

The Provost Marshal recommended keeping vehicle windows clean, performing all vehicle checks associated with the form 1800 and slowing down. "You'll get to where you need to be," she commented. "Whatever that appointment is, it's not worth an injury or death."

Bicycles pose another challenge. Bicycles must be driven with the flow of traffic, not against it, explained Sergeant Ehling. "That's a traffic hazard and we will give you a ticket."

Other common vehicle infractions include running stop signs, improper turns, not yielding the right of way and unsafe driving, according to Airman 1st Class Luke Humphrey, PMO Patrolman deployed from the 633rd Security Forces Flight, Langley AFB, Va.

The most popular excuses for speeding are "I didn't know the speed limit," and "I didn't see a speed limit sign," Airman Humphrey explained. "Garrison policy is twenty miles per hour, unless otherwise posted," he said. "If you don't know, keep it at twenty or slower and no one will give you a ticket," he said.

Some deployed personnel think that what happens in the AOR, stays in the AOR. "Not so," Sergeant Ehling said. Points shaved off your license for a citation will flow back to your home station.

Airman 1st Class Erin Simmons, PMO Patrolman, said that speed control is just one of the many duties they perform while on shift. Compliance inspections for banned items for all personnel, including contractors and third country nations, are also performed, he explained.

"I am performing duties here I would not have the opportunity to do at home," commented Airman Simmons, deployed from RAF Lakenheath, England.

Captain Arkan stated, "We are one hundred percent serious about our duties and we need your help."

"You are our eyes and ears," she said. "Let's get everyone home safely. If we can prevent one person from being injured, then it is all worth it."

The Provost Marshal asks that if you see unsafe driving or speeding, write down the license number and report it. Take notice of anything that looks out of place or suspicious and report it immediately.

Just like stateside, the emergency number to call is 911. To reach the Military Police Desk, call 833-1246.

Clocking the speed