Sgt Jason Vietch, 13 MP Pl, speaks with the driver of a vehicle passing through his checkpoint Photo by Pte John Wellfare, Army newspaper

Traffic under control

By Pte John Wellfare
BEFORE, during and after Croc 03, MPs established and maintained Traffic Control Points (TCPs) throughout the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

Working at various times both within the exercise scenario and without, MPs from 13 MP Pl monitored and directed traffic from frequently moving TCPs.

Sgt Ian MacMinn, a section commander with 13 MP Pl, said the MPs in his platoon had deployed on Croc 03 during a busy year.

"We were in Bougainville prior to deploying [on Croc 03], we were at home for a week and then we came down to Shoalwater Bay," he said.

"We're a traffic control post and what we do is just monitor traffic throughout the area so that people don't head anywhere we don't want them to go and impinge on the exercise."

As Australian and US forces advanced through Legais MPs were deployed as part of the scenario to monitor traffic movements within captured areas.

Elements of the Force MP Coy were also responsible for PW handling and back-loading throughout the exercise.

During the live-fire phase, 13 MP Pl established TCPs to keep traffic from moving into danger areas and maintained a traffic control role for the extraction of forces at the conclusion of Croc 03.

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