 weapons coupled with the fighting skill of the American soldier stand ready on the alert all over the world to defend this country you the American people against aggression this is the big picture an official television report to the nation from the United States Army now to show you part of the big picture here is Sergeant Stuart Queen if you care about someone inducted into the service perhaps you have asked yourself what happens to our youthful citizen soldiers when they are away from their army camp does the army provide any agency for advising and assisting these young Americans in uniform for guarding and guiding them when they need a more experienced viewpoint on the entertainment world of strange towns and cities of course the great majority find ways of entertaining themselves in good company and good surroundings but for those in the minority who follow their youthful curiosity toward other directions who steers them straight that's the story of this big picture the guidance mission of the military police corps these two young men are dressing for an important assignment until recently they were civilians untrained untested undecided now they have under their stout leather belts a solid background of indoctrination in the psychology of handling men and of handling them with understanding consideration courtesy and firmness these youthful servicemen are members of the army's military police corps and the greater part of their period of service in the army will be devoted to advising assisting and protecting their fellow soldiers perhaps you have seen military policemen like these on foot patrol or on motor patrol in an American town the MPs go everywhere the troops go in peace or war stateside or overseas you'll find them in Europe the Far East Alaska on the same mission guiding and guarding and stopping trouble before it starts military policemen learn to know their patrol areas like the palms of their hands that means knowing all the places soldiers are likely to visit and some unlikely places to the young MPs established good working relations with the city policemen on their feet some cases will come under his soldier addiction also he can tell them plenty about the trouble spots and what to watch for because he knows the city he knows the business people in the district and those who need watching he knows the jailbirds the ex-convicts the riff-riff both male and female who may try to victimize soldiers the city policemen is more than willing to alert them he knows the MPs are trained to take a lot of trouble off his hands it's part of the military police routine to check public places but they do it quietly some of the employees like Dorman and bell hops may be good sources of information a friendly acquaintance with them can be helpful these are not nosy the army is not concerned with how a soldier spends his free time just so he doesn't discredit the armed forces it's easy enough to see what a place looks like from the front but an MP has to know the back doors to and where they lead to they become just as familiar with the back alleys as with the main streets more familiar in fact because at night it's darker back here batches second division no less remember them Joe oh boy do I hey you guys got something to say about the second division yeah we know their outfit from way back don't we Joe yeah and just what do you know about our outfit should we tell them Joe might hurt their feelings yeah come on speak up we want to hear this yeah the MPs find that this sort of inner outfit needling isn't too uncommon they want to make something out of it what do you say about that Joe yeah look you guys if you're looking for a fight or something we now they want to play you started the talking direct interference by the MPs might have the wrong effect take it easy fellas take it easy it was only needling a little okay okay but if you guys think you're gonna start the MPs have learned the psychology of merely making themselves conspicuous here's a soldier who just missed the last bus to camp technically he's going to be AWOL unless he gets another ride what to do that's where the MP steps in there's a bus line over on First Avenue the soldier didn't know about as for his pass that expires in half an hour if he goes to the MP station first he'll get a provisional pass it pays the military policeman to be well informed and he passes on that information take these two soldiers for another example they're not out looking for trouble but they've gone into a part of town where trouble comes mighty easy I guess three stripes ought to be worth a time a kid let's look in this joint well let's go in couple yeah you're out for it's new around here isn't yeah why well I just thought maybe you'd like a little tip yeah there's some pretty tough places around here we had a couple of guys roll just last night so I'd be a little careful where you go and who you make friends with just for your own protection yeah a lot of these places are off limits oh okay we'll keep our eyes open well if you're just looking around the best part of towns over that way about two blocks Sutter Street yeah you'll get a much better deal over there than you who blocks right okay let's go on over okay by me I told you it's just a friendly tip to keep the young men out of trouble it's part of the MP's job of stopping trouble before it starts but sometimes soldiers get into trouble when the military police aren't around then they may need the MP's badly what you hear that sounded like you're grown come on let's take a look right you'll remember that the MP's reconnoitered this alley during the daytime now in the darkness they're alert for a possible ambush notice how each man has been trained to hold his flashlight away from his body in case somebody aims at it his right hand is free to grab his pistol over here it's a soldier you better take a look down there and then come back and give me a hand the MP's know the alley and they're glad they do because in the dark every corner could be an ambush first aid is part of an MP's equipment and training but only a medic can tell how badly hurt the soldier really is no didn't find anything okay you better call the station and get an ambulance okay this soldier is now in what the MP's call protective custody their phone call to the station alerts the military police criminal investigators it may be a case for the civil police too but the MP's first concern is for the soldier's welfare you just take it easy until the ambulance gets here you think you can talk enough to tell me your name I'm Jim Jim form B company 23rd they got all the information they can as soon as they can the man's identity first name outfit and service number they note the time and place they found him his position on the ground appearance visible injuries all these vital facts form the basis for their report you think you can tell me a little bit about what happened this girl on the bar over on Fifth Street we met a guy chances are this soldier has been rolled by professionals the MP's report may help to catch the hoodlums before they can dump another GI in another alley it's 10 o'clock what time does your bus leave when you say I said what time does your bus leave not till 11 why well if you're gonna stay here you better police up that uniform oh yeah sure you fix up your sleeves too okay now you look like a soldier you weren't doing the army or yourself any good looking like that okay sorry friendly but firm is the way they do it and because they are friendly most of the time there is no resentment a soldier knows when he is sloppily dressed and when he should shape up an important part of the MP's duty is apprehending AWOLs these goof offs come in all sizes and conditions from the chronic gold brick to the green youngster who merely stayed home too long and now fears he'll be shot at sunrise if any soldier jumps at the site of an MP that's a pretty good sign of a guilty conscience if he can't show a valid pass the MP must take him in but suppose he has a pass that looks legitimate it could be a forgery the MP asks him to name the officer who signed it if he does but there's still an atmosphere of larceny about it the MP asks him to come to the station for verification this is called detention for questioning at the station he'll empty his pockets for the desk sergeant maybe he's not trying to hide a thing but then again maybe there's one little pocket he'd just as soon keep closed passes he's got a million of them and all his phony is a three dollar bill the MP finds that experience helps him to spot the earring gi's who are playing hooky AWOL for one thing they usually run out of money and some of them are likely to hang around pool rooms and places of this sort picking up a dollar or two as best they can AWOLs may show up in civilian clothes or mixed uniforms we know how an ostrich hides well an AWOL may think a sports shirt completely covers his identity but an alert MP spots those gi boots absentees really wanted are posted on the bulletin board in the military police station and every team checks names and faces before going on patrol well is a good guy temporarily in a jam some are a little unbalanced to begin with or their predicament tips them off balance a man in this mood may use a gun to get money or he may use it on the first MP who tries to apprehend him yet the MP's job is to protect this soldier against himself the MP's spotted the soldier in the doorway and saw his hand go to his middle as if ready to draw a weapon by seemingly continuing their patrol they give the fugitive a false sense of security keep your hands at your sides all right turn around face the wall move over the wall move I put your hands on the wall the search is professionally thorough every possession is examined and placed in one pile later the soldier's personal belongings will all be returned to him put your right hand in the middle of your back palm out I move up put your head against the wall put your left hand the middle your back palm out study of this soldier's case may include psychiatric health another familiar site to you near army camps is the military police motor patrol which extends the boundaries of the foot patrol and keeps in touch with it and these men through their up-to-date two-way radio also keep in constant touch with the MP station here they receive instructions to investigate an accident involving a military vehicle the motor patrol gives first aid to the injured whether they be soldiers or civilians and its reports are coordinated with those of the civil police every motor patrol practices courtesy on the road and consideration for others then there's the reckless driver yes the military has him too the motor patrolman operates on the idea that it's better to let the reckless driver get away than to cause an accident chasing him but in most cases he gets his man punishment well the sergeant's company commander will take care of that and now we come to an extremely active part of a motor patrolman's duty in the outlying parts of town among cafes dance halls and roadside taverns of course they let the station know where they are they check all amusement places from time to time especially at night and on weekends normal routine inspection is made quietly soldiers sometimes think that by going to taverns outside of town they are free of all restraint when they see the MPs they realize their mistake also the MPs visits make the proprietor realize his tavern is under observation the MPs even give him their station's phone number then he can call them fast if any soldier gets out of hand because they know the town so well the MPs frequently check certain resorts especially on payday night and they often run into soldiers who were in a festive mood unusual about that except that it's 11 30 p.m. when most soldiers are heading in the direction of the bus station to get back to camp this taxi is heading in the opposite direction it's time for the MPs to act this roadhouse has been listed at camp as off-limits to all soldiers maybe they forgot to check the off-limits list before leaving camp maybe they don't know how late it is they've even failed to remember how to stay in uniform anyway it's a lot better to spoil their fun now than to have to pick them up for violations later on and when an MP tells a taxi driver to take his passengers to the bus station you can be sure they'll get there a military policeman's authority extends to officers as well as enlisted men and there is something about this major's manner as he talks to two friends that seems to warrant questioning him officers as well as G eyes must carry with them identification cards telling who and what they are so curiously the MPs request a look at the majors papers and also at the G eyes credentials which proves satisfactory but the major protests that he has left his identification in his hotel room that may be true but the military police are not permitted to accept such an explanation for all they know this may be a civilian or soldier impersonating an officer firmly they explain their duty they must conduct the officer to the MP station where he will be given every opportunity to prove his identity and end the investigation the MPs continue their patrol most of their attention is given to the type of entertainment place where a soldier may meet with trouble they don't waste much time on the higher-class hotels or high-priced nightclubs these places generally have little trouble and when they do they call the station Prada so the MP motor and foot patrols continue their mission cities towns and villages stateside and overseas day and night it's all part of the military policeman's duty toward his fellow soldiers to assist and advise and protect them well you have seen another duty of the army's colorful military police corps the rank and file of military policemen are only young soldiers like the men they serve but selected for training in the self discipline needed in order to become counselors for their fellow servicemen they form a bright design in the army's big picture this is sergeant steward queen inviting you to be with us again next week for another look at the big picture the big picture is a weekly television report to the nation on the activities of the army at home and overseas produced by the signal core pictorial center presented by the United States Army in cooperation with this station you too can be an important part of the big picture you can proudly serve with the best equipped the best trained the best fighting team in the world today the United States Army