​Greetings, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Home of the Branch - the Canadian Forces Military Police Academy!

​Since our last submission, we have been extremely busy ensuring that we provide the best learning environment and instruction to our students.  The past four months has seen us graduate a Close Protection Officer Course (CPOC); Force Protection Officer Course (FPOC); QL5A Course; Military Police Investigators Course (MPIC); QL3 course; and hosted a Problem Based Learning (PBL) course at our new facility.

Photo above:   QL5 Course 1603, graduated on our first real snow storm of the season (9 Dec 2016) so we thought it would only be fitting to capture this as a class photo.  This course was the very first QL3 course that the Cmdt of the Academy (LCol Battista) had put through during his tenure as the CFMPA Cmdt.

​The CFMPA held the Red Beret ceremony on 12 Dec 16, and we were honoured to have MCpl Klein, (2 CER Petawawa) attend and read the poem “I wear the Red Beret”.  MCpl Klein is the author of the poem and wrote it upon the request of his brother Padre Klein after the death of Matt Dinning and Randy Payne.  The emotional delivery of the poem was truly felt by all and the staff and students were grateful for the opportunity to have him attend the event.  The Red Beret Ceremony also saw the return of two of our CWOs who had been selected for key appointments within the greater CAF.  CPO1 Syl Bolduc and CWO Necole Belanger attended the ceremony and assisted in presenting the red berets to the QL3 course.

​QL3 Course 1602, graduated on 13 Dec 2016.  This was the first graduation in the history of the branch where all elemental Commanders granted permission for the parading members and those MP in attendance to wear the red beret while dressed in parade dress (1As).  We had 79 proud young men and woman on parade; and all parade positions were filled by students.  The parade was quite remarkable and the students proudly represented in front of one of the largest contingents of family and friends the academy has witnessed (well over 350).

​Once the Christmas holidays are behind us the CFMPA will be in full swing once again.  Our next QL3 course will be significantly smaller in numbers with only one platoon.  Under a new initiative to strengthen the ties between students and veterans we are going to trial a mentorship program where the platoon will be named after a veteran.  The veteran selected will then attend the Academy approximately four times throughout the course and will sit and talk with the students for around 30 mins each visit.  We are also going to trial this for the MPOC course.  

​The names of the two veterans selected for the upcoming courses will be announced in the new year once we have notified them.  Should you be interested in taking on the role of a mentor for a future course please contact John Corbett, Bob Smith, Wayne Kendall; or Bob Thomas.  They will then send the names to the Academy for selection.

​On behalf of LCol Battista and all members of the CFMPA we wish you a Merry Christmas and a healthy happy and prosperous New Year.

​Until next time,

​Securitas!

​The first contingent of Canadians, including the newly formed 25 Provost Detachment, arrive in Pusan for combat in the Korean war.  That unit would form 1 Commonwealth Division Provost Company, the only integrated unit of its kind in the Allied Forces.   

No. 1 Provost Company (RCMP), which had formed in Rockliffe, ON, set sail to Great Britain to act as the military police for the First Canadian Infantry Division.  These MP would form the nucleus of the first formation which would later become the Canadian Provost Corps.

Shortly after Canada's declaration of war on September 9th, 1939, the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) recommended to the Canadian Minister of Justice that a "Provost" company be formed from RCMP volunteers and used to provide military police support to 1 Canadian Infantry Division, the first expeditionary element to be deployed overseas since World War 1. This unit, designated No. 1 Provost Company (RCMP), was the first of several military companies that would be formed and mobilized throughout the following months.  

The latest edition of the MP Branch newsletter is now available to read online.  

Get caught up on all the latest news affecting the Branch in this official publication written by and for Canadian Military Police.  

​In this issue, read all about:

You can get caught up on previous issues (both English and French) by clicking here.

​“The bravest warriors are the children of Thunderbird.  Qolos, the younger brother of Thunderbird, lives in heaven and flew down to become the ancestor of the Lalelamin of the Nimkish and also of the Wiwomasgem and the Sisemle.  The daughters of Thunderbird found a box drifting in the sea and one of them married the man who was hidden in the box and later taught him to wear an eagle skin so that he could fly and learn to catch whales like the Thunderbird.  Thunderbird has endowed his people with great gifts which are theirs for evermore.  He appeared to the Qexsem as a person with a face like a bird called Kwakunxbalisela (Thunderbird – at End of World) and gave them supernatural gifts which included the ability to look into the soul of men”.

(As published in The Thunderbird Journal, Summer 1983)