Marine Corps News Release Release #: H13696
Division of Public Affairs, Headquarters, United States Marine Corps, Washington, DC 20380-1775 Commercial: (703) 614-7678/9 DSN: 224-7678/9 FAX: (703)697-5362
Date: 03/22/96 Story by SSgt. Scott Woosley
CID JOINS MEU FOR TEST PERIOD
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY, Millington, Tenn. -- When the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit departs for its scheduled six-month deployment in June, it will have an additional asset aboard. A Criminal Investigation Division agent will be attached to assess the potential for permanent CID support for future deployments.
Naval Criminal Investigative Service support has been available on deployments but NCIS's main effort is force protection intelligence, according to CWO2 Ernest Bedford, the first CID agent to be attached to a MEU. The CID officer's primary focus, however, will be to provide criminal investigative support to the MEU.
According to Bedford, the idea originated between Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Forces Atlantic as a better way for CID to support the MEUs. The attachment of a CID officer is intended to improve the MEU commander's capability to deal with criminal activity while the unit is deployed.
Bedford will work closely with the MEU's Staff Judge Advocate and Masters-at-Arms aboard ship to handle investigations of minor felony incidents, help resolve situations where Marines violate host nation laws, and investigate Law of War violations in combat situations.
"Prior to this, our support of the operational side of the house has been limited to protecting the families and belongings of Marines while they were deployed," Bedford said.
"With a CID officer attached to the MEU, we can now provide the Marine with direct law enforcement protection and support while he is deployed."
Bedford also noted that deploying with a MEU will allow the 160 CID agents within the Marine Corps the opportunity to get a better understanding of the operational necessities a MEU has and therefore provide better support both at home and overseas during a deployment.
As an additional duty, Bedford will also act as the psychological operations officer in the MEU's Command and Control Warfare planning cell.
Having a CID officer aboard will also benefit the MEU Staff Judge Advocate. "The investigative experience Bedford brings with him will make my job as SJA much easier," said Capt. Donald Riley, SJA, 24th MEU. "Instead of assigning an investigation, which may have criminal aspects, to an officer with little or no experience in conducting such inquiries, I now have someone who has vast experience in the area. His capabilities will speed up the process and help me provide the commanding officer with better recommendations in a shorter amount of time."
At the end of the deployment, Bedford; LtCol. Tandy Carter, provost marshal, II MEF; and Col. Richard Natonski, commanding officer, 24th MEU, will assess the value of the support and make recommendations to the Commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Atlantic concerning permanent attachment of a CID agent to each MEU.
"I'm happy to have CWO Bedford on board," Natonski said. "I look forward to evaluating the requirement for CID support for MEUs and the additional depth to our staff that he will provide."
"This is a great opportunity to assess how CID can better support operational forces," Bedford added. "The MEUs are the Marine Corps, and I believe this is a better way for CID to support them."
