Hi. I'm signing up for the Army and have chose mos 31E. I was wondering when deployed to a forward area how will being a 31E differ from being a 31B?

I know that regular MP's are tasked with police work at base and providing security at checkpoints and in convoys. So what would a corrections specialist be doing in Iraq? I was told since Abu Gharib was shut down that there are no US operated prisons in the middle east. So would the jobs be similar? What I mean is that would I be doing the exact same thing as a 31B anyway? (Guarding gates, manning checkpoints, providing convoy security?)

Or is there even that high of a demand for a 31E in Iraq? The way my recruiter put it, there are a number of military prisons around, and it's probably more likely that I'll be stationed at one of those then go to the middle east. But I also know that 31 series all deal with law enforcement, and since MP's are in such high demand, I couldn't see why 31E couldn't perform the same task. Afterall, isn't AIT similar for both?

Another recruiter in the office told me that picking a 31 series mos is a waste of an opportunity for me since I got an 86 on my ASVAB and have a lot of other options. Tried telling me I'd be a lot happier in a more technical field. I know the choice is ultimately mine and no one elses, but I'd just kind of like to get an idea of what 31E is actually going to be like. I've read all the job descriptions I can find from about.com and the Army's website, but I was hoping for someone with first hand experience to answer.

I heard/read that there's a building boom in U.S. Command Prisons. A 'Big One' planned for Wackystan (for al-kitetatypes)
and some smaller ones in Iraq and Saintelsewhere.

see these media pieces:

http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/5207

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060226/news_1n26terror.html

When the Army trains a soldier for a specific MOS it is done to provide him with appropriate training in specific schools. When the soldier reaches the field his specific and exact MOS is broadened. What do I mean? The Army will not send a signal soldier to be tank driver, as an example, BUT the Army uses like MOSs as THE NEED ARISES. This means that you could very well end up on patrol in city xyz in Iraq or Afghanistan because, after all, you are an MP. Leaders have to do that or they couldn't fulfill their mission. Please understand that dilemma.

Gone are the days when everything was cut and dried as to what one could reasonably expect. Inject war scenrios into the mix, things really start changing. Both Mastertanker and Weatherman are correct. You could very well end up on patrol, convoy guard, checkpoint, working a prison, or even working stateside as an MP.

Good luck with your choice. Just so you know, technical fields are good options to consider.

Here's my 2cents. I was an MP in Iraq assigned to the 800th Military Police Brigade. My 1st assignment was to drive a 1 star General ( Gen Hill)around Iraq. I wasn't diggin the job because I was no brown noser.So I started driving for my company commander. She knew I was getting bored with that so she sent me to the "Green zone". Aside from getting mortared every now and then my job was to be a "Shooter" for high ranking civilians. The guy I helped protect was a retired correction officer in the states. His civilian rank was equavilant to a 1 or 2 star General. We were in charge of ALL EPW camps and civilian criminal internees(regular jails). I also did a some time training Iraqi Corrections officers. They can't turn these jails over to the Iraqis because they will let people go free. One time an Iraqi C.O. said he didn't know anyone escaped because he said "I was sleeping". So there you have it these are the things you can expect to do along with guard duty and Convoy security.

I was gonna say two letters...."C" and "D". But these are much better answers...