My name is Mark, and I need some help from you all, especially you MP types. I'm going to join up soon, probably full-time, and hopefully as an MP. I've read the discussions on the 5 MP jobs/duties, and I understand WHAT MPs do, but I want to know the REAL low-down.
First, I've been in the Police Academy before, but I had to leave due to an injury at about the 50% point. There were a few idiots who had no reason to be there, but overall, it was awesome. Everyone helped each other and tried to be professional, so it was great. How do you guys rate your experiences as MPs? Did you like and trust your brother MPs? Did you consider your jobs worthwhile and fulfilling? Or did you feel that your fellow MPs were lazy twits who just wanted to be MPs so they could go on power trips and abuse common soldiers? (I really doubt that's the case, but I need to ask.)
I want to work somewhere where others are like me. I'm a hard-working, diligent, professional. I won't lie, won't hide to avoid work, and I'll be very honest. I'll treat people with respect, even when I'm giving them a ticket or arresting them. I'm not racist or bigoted at all, and I hate people who are.
A friend of mine (an old Vietnam-era Marine) has advised me to go in as an MP, as he says I'm too serious, too straight-laced to go in as an infantryman. I am older, don't drink, don't swear, and try to be a very good husband and father.
Any thoughts? Should I go in as a Reservist, finish my MP training and then get a job as a civilian police officer? Or is being an MP a really good thing?
How honest are the guys? I really can't stand police who break the rules or are on the take. That doesn't happen in the Army MP Corps, right? The stuff we see in the movies about MPs being the worst thieves is all BS, right?
PLEASE tell me your experiences! I don't want to make a huge mistake!
There are very few law enforcement MP's anymore, most are combat support. If you are looking for doing police work...go civilian police, after a couple of years you could join a reserve or guard CID unit. Just my two cents.
You know Kraut is dead on, if you join as a MP you really wont work a Police Function. 90% of that has been handed over to Civilen's called DOD Police. You will work the field and there is a chace that you might end up working in a Corrections Facility. As far as being to serious, We MP's loved to have our fun. Every place I have been I have found that we lived the old saying of LIVE HARD AND PLAY HARD. If you cant deal with those issues you should stay our of the MP's
