FM 3-39.40 - Internment and Resettlement Operations 2014-01-08

Field manual (FM) 3-39.40 is aligned with FM 3-39, the military police keystone FM. FM 3-39.40 provides guidance for commanders and staffs on internment and resettlement (I/R) operations. This manual addresses I/R operations across the spectrum of conflict, specifically the doctrinal paradigm shift from traditional enemy prisoner of war (EPW) operations to the broader and more inclusive requirements of detainee operations.

Additionally, FM 3-39.40 discusses the critical issue of detainee rehabilitation. It describes the doctrinal foundation, principles, and processes that military police and other elements will employ when dealing with I/R populations. As part of internment, these populations include U.S. military prisoners, and multiple categories of detainees (civilian internees [CIs], retained personnel [RP], and enemy combatants), while resettlement operations are focused on multiple categories of dislocated civilians (DCs).

Military police conduct I/R operations during offensive, defensive, stability, or civil support operations. I/R operations include military police support to U.S. military prisoner and detainee operations within operational environments (OEs), ranging from major combat operations to humanitarian-assistance missions in support of a host nation (HN) or civil agency. I/R operations are a major subordinate Army tactical task under the sustainment warfighting function. (See FM 7-15.) Placement under the sustainment warfighting function does not mean that I/R operations do not have relevance in the other warfighting functions. While I/R is listed under the sustainment warfighting function, it should be noted this is not a specified or implied mission of all sustainment units or commands. Most sustainment units provide logistics, personnel services, and health service support to I/R operations.

Military police are uniquely qualified to perform the full range of I/R operations. They have the requisite skill sets provided through specific training and operational experience. The skills necessary for performing confinement operations for U.S. military prisoners in permanent facilities are directly transferable and adaptable for tactical confinement of U.S. military prisoners and detention of detainees. All military police units are specifically manned, equipped, and trained to perform I/R operations across the spectrum and those identified as I/R units are the specialists within the Army for this role.

FM 3-39.40 depicts the changes in terminology from the focus on the contiguous battlefield to reflect the types of operations being conducted in today’s OEs. These changes address the modifications made to previous EPW processing operations. The terms division forward, central collection point, and corps holding area no longer apply. They have been replaced with the terms detainee collection point (DCP) (brigade level), detainee holding area (DHA) (division level), theater internment facility (TIF), and strategic internment facility (SIF).This manual recognizes the role of police intelligence operations in I/R operations and enhances the critical importance of military police and military intelligence interaction at all echelons. It further highlights the long-standing requirement to treat all individuals humanely according to applicable U.S. laws and regulations, international laws, execution orders, fragmentary orders (FRAGOs), and other operationally specific guidelines such as Department of Defense (DOD) policies. Moreover, it stipulates that ill treatment of U.S. military prisoners, detainees (EPWs, CIs, and RP), and DCs is strictly prohibited, regardless of any circumstances or the chaos of major operations.