SPMAGTF(X) MOUT Training Program of Instruction

Screening Operations and Checkpoints

INTRODUCTION

GAIN ATTENTION

PURPOSE

Screening operations and checkpoints are forms of population and resource control measures. Screening operations are generally associated with an influx of refugees into the tactical area of operations. Checkpoints generally impact upon the local populace within the tactical area of operations.

INDIVIDUAL TRAINING STANDARDS

MISSION PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE

Given a tactical scenario, the student will properly plan and conduct screening operations and checkpoints as contained in FM 34-60 and FMFM 3-25.

ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. State the three main purposes of screening operations and checkpoints.
2. List the friendly elements desired in a screening operation and the particular role of each element.
3. State the areas of knowledge with which Marines must be familiar with to adequately support screening operations and checkpoints.
4. List the basic types of checkpoints.

METHOD AND MEDIA

TESTING

TRANSITION

BODY

1. Purposes of Screening Operations:

a. Identify personnel of an intelligence interest.
b. Exploit information of immediate tactical value.
c. Exploit information not otherwise available to intelligence assets.

2. Categories of Personnel of Intelligence Interest:

a. Target personalities on the Automatic Apprehension List.
b. Refugees and displaced persons.
c. Deserters from enemy units.
d. Former Civil prisoners.
e. Former inmates of concentration camps.
f. Repatriated prisoners of war and escapees.
g. Members of underground resistance organizations.
h. Enemy collaborators.
i. Volunteer informants.

3. General Indicators of a Person of Potential Hostile Intent and of Intelligence Interest (called a "profile" by law enforcement):

a. Persons (especially males in most countries) of military age.
b. Persons travelling alone or in pairs.
c. Persons without identification.
d. Persons with unusual documents.
e. Persons with large amounts of money or valuables.
f. Persons displaying peculiar activity.
g. Persons trying to avoid detection or questioning.
h. Persons using enemy modus operandi.
i. Persons with a pro-enemy background.
j. Persons with a suspicious story.
k. Persons with family in enemy areas.
l. Persons with technical skills or specialized knowledge.
m. Persons who violate regulations in enemy areas.

MOUT Homepage Note to the MOUT POI Indicators:

It must be kept in mind at all times; that during a time of war, or natural or man-made disaster; that behavioral patterns of non-combatants may change for innocent reasons. Also remember that there are cultural considerations to account for. Do not fall into the trap of "mirror imaging": what you may consider normal behavior onto the local populace. For a Marine manning a checkpoint or conducting a screening operation, identifying personnel of intelligence interest or of hostile intent may be one of the most difficult tasks assigned. However; the longer "in country", the more our Marines will become accustomed to what is "normal" and what is "abnormal" in the urban area of operations. Additionally, the better pre-briefed our Marines are on the cultural aspects of the urban area, the more likely they are of conducting these operations successfully.

5. Friendly Elements in a Screening Operation:

a. Combat/Infantry Unit: Provide security and elements to detain personnel who attempt to avoid the screening point.
b. Military Police: Provide security and control the evacuation of refugees.
c. Interrogator/Translator Personnel: Provide language support, document translation, assist in processing/questioning, and conduct immediate tactical interrogations as necessary.
d. Civil Affairs: Provide for facilitating the proper evacuation/relocation of refugees.
e. Psychological Operations Personnel: Facilitate conveying to the local populace and refugees that Marine Corps personnel will move them to an area of "safe haven" and "why we are here". May also conduct tactical interrogations as necessary.
f. Counterintelligence Personnel: Identify personnel of intelligence interest, assist in processing as necessary.
g. Host Country Assets: If available and when feasible, host country personnel should be integrated into each of the above elements and operations.

6. Required Areas of Knowledge:

a. Detailed information on hostile organizations to include infrastructure, personalities and modus operandi.
b. Legitimate documentation, regulations and restrictions placed upon the population in enemy controlled areas.
c. Enemy order of battle.
d. Geographical information pertaining to an area of operations (MOUT Homepage Note: special attention to urban areas that have been subjected to heavy combat, not contained on available maps or where current maps are not available).
e. Satisfying the Commander's Critical Information Requirements (CCIRs)

7. Physical Layout of a Screening Point:

a. Controlled and organized for processing.
b. Perimeter security.
c. External positions concealed along avenues of approach into the screening point.

8. Conduct of a Screening Operation: To facilitate a smooth screening operation, the screening point should be organized into specific stations and in a specific order with the following activities conducted at each:

a. Holding Station: The outermost station of the screening point, purpose is to gather and control refugee/displaced persons prior to processing.
b. Search Station: The first processing station, located at a reasonable distance from friendly elements and the holding station. Here, the immediate search of refugees/displaced persons is conducted.
c. Administrative Station: Where refugees/displaced persons fill out administrative forms (these will be provided, they contain the basic information required to process the refugees/displaced persons).
d. Questioning Station: Selected refugees/displaced persons are questioned here concerning identity, background and recent activities.
e. Immediate Exploitation Station: A semi-isolated station for the immediate exploitation of personnel of intelligence interest.
f. Detention Station: Confines personnel who warrant subsequent exploitation.

9. Basic Types of Checkpoints:

a. Mobile: Either mounted or on foot, Marines manning mobile checkpoints either randomly or systematically select personnel for screening.
b. Static: Marine Military Police Officers (or other Marines designated) man these checkpoints at stationary positions located at a strategic point within the urban area and select personnel for screening.
10. Purpose of Checkpoints:

a. Same as screening operations.
b. Static checkpoints also serve a security purpose.

QUESTIONS

SUMMARY

The MOUT Homepage Hot Links:

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