Feldjäger

Infobox Law enforcement agency
agencyname = Military Police of the "Bundeswehr"
nativename = Feldjäger
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commonname = Military Police
abbreviation = FJg
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badge = Black Eagle Order star.jpg
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motto = Suum cuique
mottotranslated = To each his own
mission = Military Police
formedyear = 1955
formedmonthday = 6 October
preceding1 = Feldgendarmerie
preceding2 = Feldjägerkorps
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country = Germany
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legaljuris = Soldiers & civil employees of the Bundeswehr and any civilian who enters a military site
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parentagency = Bundeswehr
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reference = The "Feldjäger" are the military police of the "Bundeswehr", Germany's armed forces. The term "Feldjäger", literally meaning field huntsmen, has a long tradition and dates back to the mid-17th century. Their emblem is the historic Order of the Black Eagle which has as its motto "Suum Cuique" (Latin meaning "To each his own," a phrase derived from Cicero).

History

The first "Feldjäger" unit was activated on 6 October 1955 when the bill creating the "Bundeswehr" was signed. The new law called for a military police training company to be established at the former "Luftwaffe" hospital in Andernach. The original intention was to call the military police units of the "Bundeswehr" "Militärpolizei", literally military police. However, objections arose on the part of the federal states which had been given the mission of law enforcement. They wanted the use of the word "Polizei" to be unique to them and so the name was changed to "Feldjäger" in 1956.

Organisation

The "Feldjäger" corps serves all component forces of the German Federal Armed Forces ("Bundeswehr") i.e., German Army, German Navy, "Luftwaffe" (Air Force), "Zentraler Sanitätsdienst" (Joint Medical Corps) and "Streitkräftebasis" (Joint Support Service), under the command of the Joint Support Command in Cologne which is the operational command of the "Streitkräftebasis".The "Feldjäger" have eight battalions of military police. Two battalions are assigned to each of the four Military District Commands in Germany which are subordinate to the Joint Support Service.

Missions

The 30 "Feldjäger" MP Stations located throughout Germany work around the clock to perform the "Feldjägers’" main mission which is to be a central point of contact for all soldiers who need assistance. There is a nationwide emergency phone number (01803-90 9999) so "Bundeswehr" soldiers can contact their nearest "Feldjäger" station at any time.

The "Feldjäger" also have four more missions: Maintaining military discipline and order, military traffic control, security operations and investigations.

Military discipline

To maintain military discipline, the "Feldjäger" perform regular patrols on-post and at places where "Bundeswehr" personnel congregate. They also patrol at large military events, conduct checks in military installations, support the military courts of justice, assist in collecting and returning stragglers and apprehended soldiers, and assist in collecting and transporting prisoners of war.

Controlling military traffic

When directing and controlling military traffic, "Feldjäger" work closely with the civilian police to improve traffic safety and protect soldiers. "Feldjäger" traffic missions therefore include route reconnaissance and marking of convoy routes, preparing reports on road accidents with "Bundeswehr" involvement, directing and controlling military traffic, escorting military oversize or hazardous material vehicles, assisting with the planning and supervision of military traffic, safety checks on military hazardous material vehicles, and setting up military traffic networks.

ecurity operations

"Feldjäger" security operations prevent crimes against the German Federal Armed Forces and prevent illegal disturbances of official "Bundeswehr" ceremonies. In addition, "Feldjäger" can be tasked to protect allied armed forces and provide personal security protection for high-risk "Bundeswehr" officials. They also secure the command posts of large units, escort VIPs, safeguard conferences and exhibitions, secure military property, assist commanders in physical security matters, and perform riot control missions.

Investigations and inquiries

Investigations and inquiries range from reporting serious accidents, analyzing matters of official interest, assisting in the investigation of military offenses, and searching for AWOLs. The "Feldjäger" corps also has military working dog (MWD) teams. The dogs are first trained to be patrol dogs and then as sniffer dogs at the "Bundeswehr" MWD school in Koblenz. Their teams assist in the search for explosives and drugs.

Overseas deployments

On overseas deployments, "Feldjäger" support the respective contingent by performing military police tasks. They are frequently employed in multinational military police units and not only monitor the behaviour of German soldiers in the area of operations, they also cooperate closely with local authorities, police, organizations, or the military police of other states under the Charter of the United Nations. House searches for illegal weapons and explosives are the day-to-day business in foreign deployments. One mission only performed overseas, for example, is the airport security and border clearance mission.

Training

To be able to conduct these varied and challenging missions, "Feldjäger" soldiers are sent to numerous training courses at the "Feldjäger" School in Sonthofen or to specialist courses with the civilian police. One course that all "Feldjäger" must complete is the proficiency test in English, which makes them excellent liaison officers when dealing with other MP forces.

Uniform

The "Feldjäger", although a joint force, wear Army uniforms because they originated as an Army branch of service. They wear red berets with the Prussian Guard Star (Order of the Black Eagle) as their branch of service emblem. The collar patches and shoulder straps are piped in orange which is the "Feldjäger" branch colour.

For routine patrol missions, the "Feldjäger" wear the normal camouflage uniform with "Schwarzzeug" (literally black gear) meaning a black MP brassard, with the legend "Feldjäger" in smaller letters, as well as a black belt with black holster, black handcuff holder etc.. However for representative purposes, e.g. parades, ceremonies and the motorcycle escort for senior officers, "Weisszeug" is worn. This is the older leather "white gear" worn before the "Schwarzzeug", i.e., white belt, white gloves and a white holster worn on the left side of the belt in the tradition of sword carrying soldiers.

Jurisdiction

In Germany, the "Feldjäger" only have jurisdiction over soldiers, civil employees of the Federal Armed Forces and any civilian who enters a military compound and all civilians if this is a matter of security for the German federal army .

Feldgendarmerie

The "Feldgendarmerie" (roughly translating to "Field Police") were the military police units of the armies of the German Empire (including the "Wehrmacht") from post-Napoleonic times to the conclusion of World War II.

ee also

*Feldjägerkorps