Office of the Provost Marshal General

ASSIST. PROTECT. DEFEND.

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Welcome to the OFFICE of the PROVOST MARSHAL GENERAL

OPMG news

Military Police corps news

Learn more about

  • The Provost Marshal General (PMG) is the principal military advisor to the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army on policing matters and the principal Army staff officer for the development and execution of the Army policing functions. As the Army's senior military police officer, the PMG provides leadership and direction to the Military Police Corps. The Director of the Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency directly reports to the PMG.

    The PMG also serves as the Commanding General of Army Corrections Command. Additionally, the PMG serves as the functional chief for Army Civilian Career Program 19—Security and Law Enforcement.

  • The Office of the Provost Marshal General (OPMG) is responsible for the policy, plans, programs, oversight and budget for the Army’s policing functions – to include law enforcement, criminal intelligence fusion, corrections, biometrics & forensics, physical security, high risk personnel security, antiterrorism, and detention operations – in coordination with Department of Defense and the greater law enforcement community.

    There are 13 divisions of the OPMG.

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  • Army Corrections Command (ACC) exercises mission command of Army Corrections System facilities and assigned units providing care, custody, control, and rehabilitation of U.S. military prisoners. ACC develops and administers corrections policy, plans, programs, budgets, and resources. ACC provides oversight to facility design, standardization, and modernization. ACC coordinates the disposition of all prisoners to include transfers and designation, mandatory supervised release, clemency and parole, as well as the execution of condemned military prisoners. ACC provides trained internment/resettlement units, leaders, and Soldiers to conduct detainee operations in support of combatant commander requirements worldwide, and executes the Secretary of the Army’s Executive Agent responsibilities for long term corrections and detainee operations.

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Leaders

  • Brig. Gen. Sarah Albrycht
    Provost Marshal General
    Brig. Gen. Sarah Albrycht
  • Command Sgt. Maj. Shawn Klosterman
    Provost Sergeant Major
    Command Sgt. Maj. Shawn Klosterman
  • Mr. Geoffrey Stewart
    Principal Deputy to the Provost Marshal General
    Mr. Geoffrey Stewart
  • Col. John Curry
    Deputy Provost Marshal General
    Col. John Curry

OPMG Videos

Command Sgt. Maj. Shawn Klosterman, sergeant major of the Office of the Provost Marshal General and command sergeant major of Army Corrections Command, welcomes Brig. Gen. Sarah Albrycht as the 20th Provost Marshal General of the Army (PMG). The two senior Army leaders present their three priorities for the Military Police Corps aligned with the Chief of Staff of the Army focus areas. (U.S. Army video by Army Multimedia and Visual Information Division)

  • The Army Threat Integration Center integrates, analyzes and disseminates all-source threat information for commanders and force protection officials at all levels to enhance Army operational capabilities and provide shared situational awareness, enabling effective risk-based decisions and the protection of Army personnel, assets and information worldwide.

  • The Army Antiterrorism division develops, coordinates, and implements an antiterrorism communication synchronization plan to instill Army-wide heightened awareness and vigilance to protect personnel, critical assets, and information from acts of terrorism in support of Army readiness.

  • The Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency (DFBA) leads, consolidates and coordinates forensics and biometrics activities and operations for the DoD in support of identity operations and activities across the range of military operations. DFBA carries out the DoD Executive Agent responsibilities for both forensics and biometrics on behalf of the Secretary of the Army and the Provost Marshal General. DFBA coordinates biometric data-sharing between U.S. government agencies and foreign partner nations, as well as other executive duties. DFBA also operates DoD’s Automated Biometric Identification System (DoD ABIS) in Clarksburg, West Virginia, and provides worldwide biometric technical support.

  • The Knowledge Management division assists senior leaders and support staff by getting the right information, to the right people, in the right format, at the right time, to aide in balancing the art of command with the science of control by enabling the most important leadership task: decision making.

  • The Law Enforcement division directs, develops and monitors implementation of Department of the Army policies pertaining to law enforcement, military working dogs, police intelligence, military police investigations, military police offense reporting, U.S. Army Deserter Information Program, and other provost marshal activities.

  • The Physical Security division promulgates policy through eight Army regulations and one Department of the Army pamphlet. Physical Security provides oversight of Army physical security initiatives, and validates and advocates for resources to secure Army property, installations, activities, Soldiers, Family Members, and Army Civilians. The division also serves as the functional manager for Army Management Decision Package — Physical Security, and as the Functional Chief Representative for Army Career Program 19.

  • The Strategic Initiatives Group coordinates across all of the PMG’s roles and responsibilities when actions involve policing functions under the responsibilities of the PMG, in support of special initiatives and strategic engagements. This group serves as the immediate action agent for short suspense requirements and develops and disseminates the principal’s strategic communications.

  • The Security Management Office provides security guidance, assistance, and a full range of security and protection program services to the PMG. The office works in concert with both internal and external partners to promote: integrity in the security process, accountability for DoD network and information system access, and Army Staff readiness to meet warfighter and America’s national security requirements. Security Managers provide oversight to the Defense Forensics & Biometrics Agency (DFBA) while serving as a liaison to the DFBA-supported agency security elements, as well as to the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, thus supporting 24/7 security during crisis events.

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Mission

The Department of the Army Antiterrorism Division – part of the Office of the Provost Marshal General – develops, coordinates, and implements an antiterrorism communication synchronization plan to instill Army-wide heightened awareness and vigilance to protect personnel, critical assets, and information from acts of terrorism in support of Army readiness.

Vision

The Army Antiterrorism Strategic Plan (ATSP) is synchronized with both the Army’s Campaign Plan and the Office of the Provost Marshal General’s Priorities as a readiness to prevent or respond effectively to terrorist-related events. The ATSP articulates antiterrorism principles and guides Army actions to prevent or respond to terrorist-related events. The end state of this implementation strategy is an army capable of sustaining warfighter readiness. It inculcates Army antiterrorism principles into mainstream planning to execute antiterrorism protection in a way that allows Army missions and activities to proceed without divergence from the objectives assigned by National Command Authority. This enterprise entails participation from the entire Army community, guided by Army leaders who constantly review and adjust antiterrorism procedures, to produce an active and comprehensive layer of protection with the stated goal of preventing terrorism, protecting our people, and ensuring Army readiness.

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iWATCH Army

iWATCH Army is the Army’s neighborhood watch program. iWATCH Army encourages and empowers the Army community to identify and report suspicious behavior. The program toolkit includes an informational brochure, poster series, a 15-series awareness video library, and new iWATCH Army training for contractors and family members.

RESOURCES & LINKS

Antiterrorism Enterprise Portal, a CAC-access online portal, includes the iWatch Army toolkit and other helpful products from the Department of the Army Antiterrorism Division. The series of iWATCH Army videos are available for download here. Please contact your local antiterrorism officer or the HQDA Antiterrorism Division at usarmy.pentagon.hqda.list.aoc-at-division@army.mil for more information.

Overview

Forensics and biometrics are separate disciplines that, when combined, are powerful tools in support of innovative security initiatives for a continuously transforming industry. The ability to identify individuals using their physical characteristics has game-changing implications for military operations as well as internal functions: access control for bases and computer networks.

"Forensics and biometrics enable a defense in depth equally capable of detecting threats on the battlefield and in our own facilities." – Mr. Glenn D. Krizay, former DFBA Director

The Department of Defense established the Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency (DFBA) in September 2012 to provide a permanent body that could take advantage of rapidly-evolving technology. Biometrics – after being confined to a series of ad hoc organizations formed in response to the Global War on Terror – found a permanent home alongside forensics within the OPMG. As a component of OPMG, DFBA executes the responsibilities of the Executive Agent for DoD Forensics and Biometrics on behalf of the Secretary of the Army.

DFBA Leadership

  • Mr. Geoffrey Stewart
    Director
    Mr. Geoffrey Stewart
  • Mr. Peter Baber
    Defense Intelligence Senior Leader
    Mr. Peter Baber

About

  • "Commanders in the field have acknowledged two tactical 'game changers': constant surveillance from advances in manned and unmanned aircraft, and the application of law enforcement forensic and biometric techniques on the battlefield. These capabilities remove violent extremists' greatest defense - anonymity." - Lt. Gen. Michael Barbero (Ret.), Former Director, Joint IED Defeat Organization, 2011-2013

    Purpose

    Enhancing Readiness Through Identity Activities

    DFBA carries out the DoD Executive Agent responsibilities for both forensics and biometrics on behalf of the Secretary of the Army and the Provost Marshal General.* In this role, DFBA leads, consolidates and coordinates forensics and biometrics throughout the DoD in support of Identity Activities across the range of military operations.

    25,000,000+ Enrollments

    17,000,000+ Unique Identities

    400,000+ Watchlist Hits

    A Versatile Tool

    The ability to identify individuals using biometric technologies and forensic exploitation enables and enhances many different mission areas, including:

    Prosecution Support

    Forensics supports host nation rule of law through the provision of warrant-based targeting and criminal prosecution by providing material evidence linking, or denying linkage of, a person to a hostile act or crime.

    Counter­insurgency

    Terrorists, foreign fighters, and insurgents utilize anonymity to shield themselves from U.S. Forces. Biometric information collected through screening operations and through forensic exploitation are critical to separating threatening individuals from the general population, identifying potential adversaries at border crossings and other transit points, both abroad and within the United States-while also authenticating credentialed individuals.

    Support to Civil Authorities

    The DoD ABIS helps protect U.S. borders through biometrics support to joint, interagency, intelligence, and international partners. DFBA's ability to share biometric information collected abroad enables the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify hostile actors should they arrive in U.S. territory.

    Credentialed Personnel

    Biometric technology increases the effectiveness of physical and logical access control. Approved individuals can gain access without cards or badges, while unauthorized persons are flagged when they present their biometrics. DFBA supports biometric access control implementation throughout DoD.

    An Enduring Asset

    In a fast-changing world, forensics and biometrics offer an assured means of identifying friend from foe. While the technology may change, individuals' biometrics remain. Adversaries encountered years ago will be denied anonymity for years to come, protecting the border, preventing attacks and enhancing national security.

    A Critical Capability

    The wide and varied use of forensics and biometrics, from gathering fingerprints left on the battlefield to enrolling individuals seeking base access, enables multiple mission sets and results in increased security through the ability to identify individuals.

    Enable the Mission

    U.S. Forces apply forensics and biometrics to a multitude of combat and peacetime missions, from compiling watchlists of known and suspected terrorists to enabling base access for cleared individuals.

    Protect the Nation

    The DoD stands as the United States' first line of defense against nefarious actors and their activities globally. Threat actors, such as known or suspected terrorists, transnational threats, and international criminal organizations, are increasingly determined and adaptive, using advanced technology to avoid U.S. surveillance, reconnaissance systems and precision munitions across many different areas of responsibility. DFBA works to mitigate these challenges by providing proof of identity through military and business mission area biometrics and forensics, sharing information with its interagency and international partners. These capabilities and the information sharing process enable the U.S. to deny anonymity, ensure greater threat deterrence and defeat U.S. adversaries before they even reach the border.

    *Ref: DoD Directives 5205.15E and 8521.01E and DAGO 2016-08

  • 1. What is the role of the Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency?

    The Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency (DFBA) is charged with executing the Secretary of the Army's Executive Agent responsibilities for DoD forensics and biometrics. In this role, DFBA leads, consolidates, and coordinates forensics and biometrics activities across DoD in support of the National Security Strategy.

    2. Who does DFBA work with in support of its mission?

    DFBA works with Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, Military, and Academic partners to achieve the goal of greater unity of effort in the enterprise.

    3. In what ways does DFBA and other agencies work together?

    An example of DFBA interagency and intelligence community collaboration is the file sharing between FBI, DHS, and TSC databases, which supports a whole of government approach for identifying terrorists. Another example is DoD assisting the DHS refugee vetting missions with analytic support to the biometric screening of applicants.

    4. What is the brief history of DFBA?

    DFBA represents the synthesis of Department of Defense (DoD) capabilities in forensics and biometrics. The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (USACIDC) has maintained forensics labs since World War II, which in 1996 were consolidated into a single facility, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL). In contrast to forensics' long history in DoD, biometrics is a recent addition. Congress designated the Secretary of the Army as the Executive Agent (EA) for biometrics programs within DoD in 2000. The Biometrics Management Office was initially established under CIO/G-6 oversight, but transitioned to the Biometrics Task Force (BTF) under G-3/5/7 in 2006. The BTF continued changing to better serve mission requirements, becoming the Biometrics Identity Management Agency (BIMA) in 2010. In 2012, BIMA was shifted from G-3/5/7 to OPMG. In 2013, SecArmy approved the General Order redesignating BIMA as DFBA and as a Field Operating Agency (FOA) incorporating both forensics and biometrics capabilities.

  • DFBA was officially designated a field operating agency by the Secretary of the Army as of 18 June 2013. Department of the Army General Order No. 2013-08 ensures that forensics and biometrics will remain an enduring capability within the Army and Department of Defense. As such, it became eligible for official heraldry, designed by The Army's Institute of Heraldry, which was completed in early 2014.

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    Blazon

    Shield

    Per pale Sable and Or two heads conjoined and armed with helmets, that to dexter displayed visor open and that to sinister shown visor closed, within a narrow bordure, all counterchanged of the field.

    Crest

    On a wreath Or and Sable, in front of a stylized globe of the first, gridlined and edged Vert and shaded of the second, an American bald eagle head Proper.

    Motto

    A scroll Vert, doubled Or, inscribed "SPOLIARE HOSTEM PERSONAE" in gold letters.

    Symbolism

    Shield

    Gold is a color for excellence and illumination, and Sable represents the unknown and the mysterious. The conjoined knights represent the Agency denying criminals and adversaries anonymity through their forensic and biometric research. The gold chain forms a circular shape around the design, representing the world-wide capabilities of the Agency, and the combined links in the chain suggest the need to process casework through search and perseverance to achieve the mission. The scroll is green and gold, representing the lineage the Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency has to the Army Military Police Corps and is inscribed with the Agency's motto, "SPOLIARE HOSTEM PERSONAE" ("Deny the Enemy Anonymity"), in gold letters.

    Crest

    The heraldic torse or wreath is colored gold and black. The American bald eagle is a symbol of the United States. The emphasis on the "eagle eye" is to symbolize the investigative nature of the Agency. The background globe of gold/yellow stands for the unit's worldwide mission with green grids inferring the ordered pattern of forensics with the black dark side in eclipse symbolizing hidden danger.

    Seal

    The coat of arms is blazoned in full color on a white circular field with a gold chain and outer rim and a black designation band inscribed "DEFENSE FORENSICS AND BIOMETRICS AGENCY" in gold letters.

    Text Source: The Institute of Heraldry, Department of the Army

Functions

  • DFBA develops, maintains and manages strategic architecture models, information and data that describe the current and future DoD Forensics and Biometrics operational landscape and its intergovernmental, interagency and international relationships.

    Core Objectives

    Facilitate Interoperability:

    • Capture and communicate data by implementing approved technical standards, enabling compliance assessments and providing a mechanism for governance and enforcement. Describe and model the enterprise capabilities necessary to enable an interoperable and agile enterprise.

    Coordinate and Collaborate Architecture:

    • Establish, facilitate and manage a chartered architecture working group consisting of Forensics and Biometrics stakeholders across DoD and U.S. Government agencies. This is the Forensics and Biometrics Enterprise Architecture Working Group (FBEAWG).

    Ensure Information Sharing:

    • Assess and ensure DoD Forensic and Biometric Acquisition Program of Record (PoR) architectures within their Information Support Plans (ISPs) align and conform to the DoD Forensics and Biometrics Reference Architecture (FBRA). Ensure DoD and Service-level Forensic and Biometrics program initiation or procurement actions conform to the DoD FBRA, do not duplicate other programs and are in compliance with DoD-approved standards.

    Identify Capability Gaps:

    • Through analysis of the strategic and operational-level architectural artifacts of the DoD Forensics and Biometrics Enterprise, identify any capability gaps in satisfying requirements and/or mission needs; and provide recommendations for closing those gaps.

    Improve Effectiveness:

    • Analyze Forensics and Biometrics programs' contributions to satisfying Enterprise or Joint Forensics and Biometrics requirements. Coordinate Forensics and Biometrics programs across the DoD and eliminate unwarranted duplication, overlap of technology development and information management efforts.

    Intent

    The Architecture Branch (ARB) manages the strategic and operational-level architectural artifacts of the DoD Forensics and Biometrics enterprise to enable the Executive Agent (EA) to integrate, coordinate, and synchronize enterprise capabilities, activities, resources and services in accordance with DoDD 8521.01E and DoDD 5205.15E.

    Mr. John D. Padgett | Architecture Analyst | john.d.padgett7.civ@army.mil

  • The Biometric Interoperability and Standards Compliance Office (BISCO) serves as the DoD’s biometric standards conformance assessment capability. The BISCO provides the Biometric Enterprise an authoritative means to assess conformance throughout the development and fielding of biometric collection capabilities. Standards conformance assessment and certification is a significant step towards interoperability.

    Core Objectives

    Conformance Testing

    • The BISCO conformance assessment is designed to evaluate a system’s conformance to Department of Defense (DoD) Electronic Biometrics Transmission Specifications (EBTS), NATO STANAG 4715, and Interpol biometric data transmission specifications. During the assessment process the BISCO provides feedback to industry and capability developers on ways to improve data quality and interoperability of biometric collection devices.

    Conformance Products List

    • Provide the DoD with a list of products that have been evaluated for conformance and proven their ability to generate data in a standardized format; this will streamline acquisition.

    Certification

    • Provide letters of certification signed by the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) validating devices are compliant with published standards. Provide sponsors with engineering reports detailing the BISCO test team’s findings that may be used to make modifications or corrective actions to the biometric collection device and software.

    Intent

    The BISCO’s intent is to ensure our military’s biometric collection devices—fingerprint, facial, voice and iris produce high quality data that can be exchanged seamlessly with our allies and other U.S. government agencies.

    This capability establishes the procedures and processes for compliance testing of biometric systems that operators use to quickly and accurately identify National Security Threat Actors anywhere in the world.

    Mr. Ryan Triplett | BISCO Laboratory Director | ryan.l.triplett.civ@army.mil

  • DFBA Capability Portfolio Management (CPM) tracks the status of all Department of Defense Forensics and Biometrics capabilities in order to support future DoD investment decisions that will minimize risk and redundancy.

    Core Objectives

    Match Investments with Capability Gaps:

    • Integrate, synchronize and coordinate DoD capabilities needs with current and planned investments within a capability portfolio to better inform decision making and optimize defense resources.

    Reduce Costs:

    • Reduce the cost of forensic-related military and business operations and enhance the use of current resources that maximize value and manage risk.

    Minimize Risk:

    • Optimize capability investments across the Forensics and Biometrics Enterprise (both materiel and non-materiel) and minimize risk in meeting DoD's capability needs in support of strategy.

    Intent

    As part of its DoD-wide mission to coordinate requirements and acquisition efforts for the Forensics and Biometrics Enterprise, DFBA manages the portfolio of capabilities currently in the field and under development. By tracking all such programs centrally, DFBA is able to spot redundancies, identify gaps, and demonstrate them to leadership.

    Ms. Rachel Borhauer | Requirements Analyst | rachel.d.borhauer.civ@army.mil

  • DFBA leads the development and implementation of strategic plans and concepts for the DoD's Biometrics Enterprise and Forensics Enterprise. Well-designed plans keep the Enterprises functioning within higher-level strategic guidance from its higher headquarters and civilian leadership.

    Core Objectives

    Support National Strategic Planning:

    • Incorporate Forensic and Biometric capabilities into national strategic documents such as the National Military Strategy and National Security Strategy.

    Ensure Consistency:

    • Ensure that Enterprise-level plans are consistent with higher-level strategic guidance from the services and above.

    Implement Plans:

    • Follow strategic plans and campaign plans with implementation plans in order to translate mission, vision and goals into measurable, achievable actions and objectives.

    Intent

    DFBA is responsible for developing and leading implementation of a continuous strategic planning process for the DoD Forensics Enterprise and Biometrics Enterprise. Through its Plans Function, DFBA closely collaborates with Enterprise leadership to integrate Forensics and Biometrics capabilities into new revisions of strategic planning documents, and review existing ones for ways in which Forensics and Biometrics can help meet national objectives. Strategic plans and campaign plans written and approved by DFBA will guide how the Enterprise meets these objectives.

    Mr. Albert Given | Plans Analyst | albert.k.given2.civ@army.mil

  • The DFBA Policy function assesses, develops, and coordinates DoD forensics and biometrics policies governing joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational identity activities.

    Core Objectives

    Enable Biometric Data Sharing:

    • Support efforts to engage with DoD agencies, federal, state, local, tribal, and other mission partners to enable both military operations and business functions through robust information-sharing guided by applicable law and policy.

    Build Policy Foundations:

    • Encourage the adoption and employment of biometrics through development of policies that assign unambiguous roles and responsibilities, support mission goals, and conform to strategic plans.

    Enable Partners:

    • Provide advice and assistance to partners seeking to use DoD biometrics data across the range of military operations. Assistance may take the form of subject matter expertise, best practices, lessons learned, identification of existing policy gaps, policy letters, and memos.

    Protect Privacy:

    • Develop and adhere to policies ensuring biometric data is stored securely and treated in accordance with applicable privacy and data protections.

    Intent

    Policy is critical for the assignment of roles and responsibilities across the DoD forensics and biometrics enterprise in order to ensure those responsibilities are carried out in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and directives. Through policy, DFBA acts to protect the integrity of biometric data it holds, by maintaining a System of Records Notice and Privacy Impact Assessment to ensure compliance with requirements deriving from the Privacy Act and the DoD Privacy Program. In addition, DFBA manages the interagency and international information-sharing agreements critical to harnessing biometrics as a force multiplier.

    Mr. Russell Wilson | Policy Analyst | russell.l.wilson6.civ@army.mil

  • DFBA captures, analyzes, integrates, oversees and participates in the validation process of biometrics and forensics requirements across DoD's Warfighter, Intelligence, and Business mission areas. The Requirements Function also provides oversight and management of Service-validated forensic and biometric operational requirements and identifies capability shortfalls and/or redundancies.

    Core Objectives

    Implement Standardization Across the Enterprise:

    • Ensure DoD Components' Forensic and Biometric products, systems, and services adhere to applicable standards, protocols and reference architecture to support interoperability.

    Coordinate Operations Requirements:

    • Coordinate with Acquisition Executive to ensure Forensic and Biometric capabilities support the operational requirements of the Joint Force commander, while integrating with the Forensic and Biometric architectures.

    Architecture Conformity:

    • Ensure all DoD Forensic and Biometric acquisition programs conform to an overall DoD Forensic and Biometric architecture that enables interoperability with DoD-approved national, international and other consensus-based standards.

    Intent

    DFBA facilitates and coordinates DoD-wide requirements and acquisition efforts through its Requirements Function. This responsibility includes supporting the delivery of materiel and non-materiel solutions that conform to Enterprise standards and architecture. The Requirements Function utilizes the DoD Biometrics Enterprise governance structure to coordinate and integrate common, joint biometrics requirements and to increase awareness of individual organization or military service requirements.

    DFBA's requirements repository tool supports web access for selected stakeholders and the traceability feature enables the management, impact assessment, and tracking of full-spectrum forensics and biometrics requirements efforts across the Enterprise, including awareness of funding and acquisition activities.

    Ms. Rachel Borhauer | Requirements Analyst | rachel.d.borhauer.civ@army.mil

  • DFBA advocates DoD interest, facilitates formal adoption, provides consistent implementation guidance, and accelerates the development of forensic and biometric standards both nationally and internationally on behalf of the Forensic and Biometric Enterprises in order to enhance interoperability among joint, interagency, international and multinational (JIIM) partners.

    Core Objectives

    Enhance Data Standardization:

    • Provide for the standardization of forensic and biometric data formats, technical interfaces, conformance and performance methodologies, cross-jurisdictional and societal issues, and other identity-related areas in order to promote interoperability, both internal and external to DoD, and to maximize utilization of DoD resources.

    Ensure Consistency:

    • Ensure consistency with approved national and international forensic, biometric, and identity standards applicable to the Enterprise to influence and accelerate development.

    Prioritize Member Needs:

    • Ensure membership and voting at the Joint Enterprise Standards Committee meets mission needs and the Director's guidance.

    Build Consensus:

    • Maintain a DoD Forensics and Biometrics Standards Working Group to coordinate and build consensus on forensics and biometrics standards development, recommend standards for DoD adoption, and provide guidance for consistent standards implementation.

    Provide Recommendations:

    • Submit recommendations for DoD adoption of published standards to DISA for review and approval per Section 534 of Title 28, United States Code (U.S.C.); and DoD 5400.11-R, Department of Defense Privacy Program, 14 May 2007.

    Intent

    DoD forensic, biometric, and related identity standards are prescribed to enable the U.S. government and international partners to efficiently and effectively exchange information across DoD mission areas - warfighter, business, and intelligence. DFBA's Standards Function champions the standards development and adoption at DoD, national, and international levels by coordinating with DoD components, U.S. government agencies, and international organizations to develop national and international forensic and biometric standards.

    DFBA advocates DoD interests through active participation in national and international standards bodies. Nationally, it leads the DoD Forensics and Biometrics Standards Working Group (FBSWG) and co-chairs the Forensics and Biometrics Technical Working Group (FBTWG) to coordinate and build consensus on biometrics standards development, recommend standards for DoD adoption, and provides guidance for consistent standards implementation. Internationally, the Standards Function participates in the International Organizational for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) Joint Technical Committee (JTC-1) Subcommittee on Biometrics (SC-37) and ISO Technical Committee (TC) 272 Forensics Sciences to represent U.S. interests in the development and promulgation of Biometric Standards and Forensics Standards respectively. Biometric standards agreements are also coordinated with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the American, British, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand (ABCANZ) Armies to ensure interoperability among alliance nations. DFBA works with the test and evaluation (T&E) community to develop biometrics testing and evaluation methodologies and tools. It registers all approved biometric standards and profiles with the DoD Information Technology Standards Registry (DISR) and the Intelligence Community Standards Registry (ICSR) or Enterprise Registry and Repository (ER2). Within the forensics standards community, DFBA also participates in several Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) to develop process standards governing forensic activity. Additionally, DFBA coordinates with multiple Defense Forensics Enterprise (DFE) organizations, including the Military Criminal Investigative Organizations (MCIOs), to maximize interoperability and efficiency when exchanging forensic data within the DoD.

    DFBA is leading an effort to analyze, prioritize, evaluate, advocate and migrate mandated national standards to approved international standards to mitigate: (1) the disparity that exists between forensic and biometric standards adopted by DoD and U.S. government agencies; (2) compatibility issues between national and international biometric standards; (3) the development of interoperable forensics standards to be used across the enterprise.

    DFBA is actively participating in the development of Identity Management standards to ensure compliance with enterprise requirements and mandated policies (e.g., HSPD-12, HSPD-24) and will help DFBA adopt standards that are essential to the DoD mission.

    Mr. Ryan Triplett | Standards Analyst | ryan.l.triplett.civ@army.mil

  • Biometrics and Forensics doctrine, training, and leadership and education must keep pace with material solutions, and must be institutionalized across the Services to ensure an enduring capability in support of current and future military operations. Biometrics and Forensics practices and processes must be fully integrated into Joint and Service doctrine, school curriculum, home station training, training at the Combat Training Centers, and joint exercises.

    Core Objectives

    Update Doctrine:

    • Integrate the discussion of biometrics, forensics, and identity activities into Joint and Allied Doctrine publications, where appropriate, and integrate biometrics, forensics, and identity into appropriate Universal Joint Tasks (UJTs).

    Train the Force:

    • Integrate biometrics, forensics and identity into Service and Joint training and exercises, to include pre-deployment training. Integrate the discussion of biometrics, forensics, and identity activities into school curricula at every level to provide leaders an understanding of how biometrics, forensics, and identity activities enable and support operations at the tactical, operational, and strategic level.

    Institutionalize Procedures:

    • Institutionalize Service individual and collective training tasks and integrate into appropriate Service tactics, techniques, and procedure publications. Publish Multi-Service Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (MTTP) focused at the tactical level, that capture current best practices for collecting biometrics and forensics and can be used to train Partner Nations.

    Intent

    DFBA is the Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) for both the Biometrics and Forensics DOTmLPF-P Change Recommendations (DCR). Both DCRs include recommendations to institutionalize training, integrate biometrics and forensics into joint doctrine, UJTs, and Service and joint curricula. We have already made some significant progress in accomplishing these recommendation with enduring solutions, but more needs to be done. DFBA will continue to oversee and manage the DCR recommendations in accordance with the timelines approved by the Force Protection Division, the Joint Staff's J7.

    Pre-Deployment Training

    Below is a non-exclusive list of training offered by Department of Defense organizations for members of the Armed Forces. Members should always consult with the cognizant authority to ensure that their training program meets Service and/or Combatant Commander requirements.

    Ms. Rachel Borhauer | Training & Education Analyst | rachel.d.borhauer.civ@army.mil

Documentation

DFBA 101

  • Forensic techniques used by law enforcement have also proven valuable on the battlefield. Many threat actors and enemy combatants rely on anonymity as a main enabler to carry out their activities. Exploitation of sites and recovered materials can produce forensic evidence, such as fingerprints, critical to identifying hostile individuals, negating their advantage, and mapping threat networks. Fingerprints developed by DoD forensic scientists can also be used in conjunction with biometric collections to prevent threat actors from gaining access to US Military installations or the Homeland. DFBA helps DoD stay one step ahead of their adversaries by providing the support necessary for the warfighter to deny the enemy anonymity.

    What is it?

    Forensics is the application of multi-disciplinary scientific processes to establish facts, and has traditionally been used to support law enforcement and medical domains. The asymmetric warfare that characterized military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan made it difficult to identify the enemy. The Department of Defense (DoD) demonstrated that the same forensics techniques used to identify, apprehend, and convict criminals could be leveraged to deny anonymity to threat forces. The DoD expanded its forensics capabilities to aid the warfighter in the expeditionary environment and across the full spectrum of operations.

    What does DFBA do?

    Director, Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency is the Secretary of the Army and Provost Marshal General's designee to fulfill DoD Executive Agent responsibilities. In this capacity, DFBA leads, consolidates, and coordinates DoD forensic activities in support of identity activities, as specified in DoD Directive 5205.15E (DoD Forensic Enterprise (DFE)).

    Why is this important to the Joint Force Commander?

    Forensics provides the Joint Force Commander (JFC) with a unique capability, creating a significant operational advantage by denying the enemy anonymity and demonstrating a compelling return on investment. Defense Forensics also enables critical Homeland Defense initiatives in addition to providing information that informs tactical through strategic decision-makers.

    Forensic Links

    CID

    DFSC

    NCIS

    Ms. Elizabeth Marrero | Forensic Analyst | elizabeth.m.marrero2.civ@army.mil

  • Since 2004, biometrics has quickly proven itself as a critical capability in the field. Biometric devices and information sharing allow U.S. troops and partners to identify anonymous threats no matter where or when they appear. Similar technology offers myriad applications to DoD internal processes, as well, such as access control.

    What is it?

    Biometrics is the process of recognizing an individual based on measurable anatomical, physiological and behavioral characteristics. This process generally involves a biometric enrollment device, a network that can store and share enrollee's information, and a system that can compare and match individuals to identities in a database.

    What does DFBA do?

    Director, Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency is the Secretary of the Army and Provost Marshal General's designee to fulfill DoD Executive Agent responsibilities. In this capacity, DFBA leads, consolidates, and coordinates DoD biometric activities in support of identity activities, as specified in DoD Directive 8521.01E (DoD Biometrics).

    Why is this important to the Joint Force Commander?

    Biometrics (especially when mated with forensics) supports decision making by providing information on individuals and threat networks. When shared with interagency and international partners, the information gathered can be applied to force protection and homeland defense, as well.

    Ms. Rachel Borhauer | Lead, Business Mission Area | rachel.d.borhauer.civ@mail.mil

Media

  • DFBA Photos

    140321-N-FJ200-027 NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN (Mar. 21, 2014) – LT. Gen. John A. Toolan Jr. (left), commanding general, I Marine Expeditionary Force, speaks with Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technicians and assigned laboratory...
    140321-N-FJ200-027 NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN (Mar. 21, 2014) – LT. Gen. John A. Toolan Jr. (left), commanding general, I Marine Expeditionary Force, speaks with Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technicians and assigned laboratory technicians of the Naval Central Command Exploitation Lab (NEL) Combined Explosives Exploitation Cell (CEXC) about the capabilities and benefits of CEXC to the deployed warfighter. The NEL provides theater technical and operational analysis of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), collects and exploits technical intelligence and forensic evidence from explosive related incidents, and provides construction and techniques in order to determine enemy tactics, identify trends, and enable both offensive and defensive counter measures. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Clifford L. H. Davis/Released) (Photo Credit: MC1(AW/SW) Clifford L. H. Davis) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Ed Drohan) VIEW ORIGINAL
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    (Photo Credit: Ed Drohan) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Jerry Saslav) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Sgt. Kimberly Hackbarth) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Sgt. Kimberly Hackbarth) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Shane Hamann) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Erica Fouche) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Cpl. Robert Reeves) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Sgt. Benjamin Tuck) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Shane Hamann) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Spc. Brian Smith-Dutton) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Sgt. John Rohrer) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Spc. Brian Smith-Dutton) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Spc. Brian Smith-Dutton) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Senior Airman Christopher Willis) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Theresa Gualdarama) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Petty Officer 2nd Class Ernesto Hernandez Fonte) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Sgt. Christopher Bonebrake) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Sgt. Christopher Bonebrake) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Sgt. Nevada Jack Smith) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Spc. Tyler Meister) VIEW ORIGINAL
    (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Daniel Yarnall) VIEW ORIGINAL

References

Links

Crime Prevention Month

  • When we contemplate how to reduce and prevent crime in our communities, we often default to police’s role in resolving crime problems. However, one of the most consistent lessons learned and best practices emerging from successful crime prevention programs has been the role of residents, private businesses, schools, and grassroots organizations in resolving crime and disorder within their communities.  Shifting the emphasis from police-centric approaches to a community-based approaches to prevent crime has proven to be an effective paradigm shift for many communities.

    By providing citizens, businesses, and community organizations a voice in crime prevention efforts, police empower them to take on active roles in protecting their communities. These groups tend to have intimate knowledge of the underlying conditions driving crime in their living, work, and recreational spaces. Also, they likely know some of the actors committing the crimes within their communities.

    Their on-the-ground perspectives and insights are essential for designing effective crime prevention strategies and programs, ensuring police and their partners are targeting the root causes promoting criminal opportunities and the correct criminal offenders. Effective community engagements and involvement also provide police with access to expertise, resources, and authorities that may prove critical to resolving crime problems. Without their communities’ active support and involvement, police risk wasting time and resources examining countless options before they find an effective solution to a specific crime problem.

    In turn, police can share educational resources and training to improve residents’ and businesses’ crime prevention measures around their homes, workplaces, and gathering spaces. Police can share latest trends on certain types of crimes such as counterfeit medicines and goods, hate crimes, bullying, and property crimes to help community members to avoid becoming a victim of such crimes.

  • Protecting our home and family from crime is a top priority for many of us. Unlike past generations, we need to account for crime not only in the physical domain, but now crime in the cyber domain. The following ideas offer cost-efficient, effective measures you can implement to safeguard your homes from crime:

    1. Get to know your neighbors and work together to protect your neighborhood
    2. Upgrade locks (replace push button locks and pad locks with deadbolts and/or smart locks) on doors, windows, fences, and sheds
    3. Use your locks! A vast amount of stolen property is taken from unlocked cars, sheds, etc.
    4. Consider installing a security systems in your home and smart/video door bells and motion sensor lighting on the exterior of your home
    5. Keep curtains and/or shades closed and use timers to turn stereos, televisions, and lights on when not at home
    6. Park your car and store other items, such as bicycles and tools, in garages; if your home does not have a garage, ensure your car and other items are secure when you are not outdoors
    7. Do not leave ladders, tools, spare keys, and other items that could assist a person to gain unlawful entry into your home
    8. Maintain an inventory of your property; consider marking your high-value possessions such as televisions, stereo systems, and computers
    9. Maintain your landscaping, such as trimming back trees and bushes, to improve natural surveillance and to deny criminals concealment
    10. Ensure you password protect your internet/wi-fi connections, computers, tablets, phones, and online accounts; practice using different passwords for different accounts
    11. Be cautious when answering your door when not expecting visitors; you are not under any obligation to open your door if someone unexpectedly rings your doorbell

  • When left unchecked, bullying has a detrimental impact on children’s physical and mental well-being, academic success, and overall safety. Depression, anxiety, loss of interests in social activities, and poor academic performance are some of the common side effects resulting from bullying. While bullying is often associated with schools, it can occur in other settings such as organized sports, community activities, and other social settings where children and young people gather and interact.

    In recent years, communities have prioritized the establishment of anti-bullying campaigns. U.S. Army military police can support anti-bullying programs in several ways. While military police may investigate reports of bullying that cross a criminal threshold, military police can better serve their communities by supporting efforts to prevent bullying from starting in the first place. Law enforcement officials serving as School Resource Officers or who frequently interact with administrators, teachers, and students can serve as mentors, advisors, and role models to assist in bullying prevention. Members of our military police community can advise school administrators on developing anti-bullying policies and a code of conduct for students. Officers engaged with community organizations or who volunteer as coaches in youth sports leagues can help mitigate bullying activities within these activities and provide counsel and mentorship equally to those who bully and those subjected to it. Finally, Army military police can provide awareness training to communities about state and local bullying and cyberbullying laws.

    The U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services offers a guide, Preventing and Addressing Bullying and Intolerance: A Guide for Law Enforcement written by Ms. Becki Cohn-Vargas, that Army military police can download as a resource on how to best support community anti-bullying campaigns at https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-p334-pub.pdf.

  • Over the past several years, the OPMG Law Enforcement Division has worked diligently to re-establish an Army-wide crime prevention program. Efforts included reactivating and revising an Army regulation that provides policy guidelines for installations and unit commanders on establishing crime prevention programs at their respective levels. Army Regulation (AR) 190-31, Army Crime Prevention Program, last published in 1993, has gone through a number of revisions and is expected to published soon.

    While the revised AR 190-31 retains its predecessor’s emphasis on the criticality of prioritizing our prevention of crime over our response to crime, the regulation incorporates many best practices collected from communities, academia, and the policing profession that have demonstrated tangible success at reducing crime, disorder, and other harmful behaviors. Best-practices highlighted in the regulation include:

    • Creating an Army Preventive Policing Model framework that guides Army police and stakeholders on designing, implementing, and assessing crime prevention programs
    • Taking a community-approach versus a police-centric approach to preventing crime to ensure the right mix of expertise, resources, and authorities are applied to solve chronic crime problems and prevent the emergence of new problems
    • Adopting principals from "Situational Crime Prevention" and "Crime Prevention through Environmental Design" to prevent conditions that promote criminal opportunities from arising
    • Establishing a program management framework that includes measures of performance and measures of effectiveness to enable commanders, military police, and other stakeholders to assess and strengthen crime prevention programs
    • Providing guidance on incorporating criminal intelligence and analysts into crime prevention programs to enable commanders and military police to accurately identify and understand the root causes of crime problems

    The Army Crime Prevention Program regulation aligns with and complements crime prevention discussions found in Army Techniques Publication 3-39.10—Police Operations, and ATP 3-39.20—Police Intelligence Operations. It also reinforces and complements broader Department of Defense and Headquarters of the Department of the Army prevention strategies, programs, and objectives.

Reading List

The appearance of material on this list in no way implies official endorsement or support for any particular author or speaker or for their views. This list is intended to be a sampling of ideas and viewpoints for professional development and to stimulate thought and discourse.

  • Crime Prevention Month

    Week One

    The OPMG Crime Prevention Team highlights several books, reports, and journal articles related to a specific area in policing. The purpose of the reading lists is to encourage Army police professionals to take an active role in their own self-development. This week’s reading list focuses on best-practices in crime prevention.

    We would be remiss if we did not start off our reading list with Army Techniques Publication (ATP), 3-39.10: Police Operations. Last published in August 2021, ATP 3-39.10 provides doctrinal guidelines for policing on our home-station installations and in support of broader Army operations. Its chapter 4 (Policing Measures and Strategies) dedicates significant amount of content focused on crime prevention principals and best-practices in reducing crime. A new edition of the ATP is tentatively scheduled for publication during the second half of FY 2025.

    Next on the list, Policing Problem Places: Crime Hot Spots and Effective Policing by Anthony Braga and David Wiesburd.  Braga and Wiesburd explain how decades of research have shown that crime does not occur randomly. Instead, crime tends to cluster or concentrate in specific geographic areas known as “hot-spots” across communities. They demonstrate how conducting police intelligence operations to identify crime hot-spots, analyzing why crime concentrates in these specific locations, and taking community approaches to tackling the root causes driving criminal opportunities have proven to be effective, cost-efficient approaches to solving chronic crime problems across many communities.

    Finally, Situational Crime Prevention and Using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design in Problem-Solving provide readers with two effective approaches that advocate for changes to how we collectively design and manage properties to reduce criminal opportunities. Situational crime prevention promotes 25 techniques, such as controlling access to facilities, improving place management, and reducing anonymity, to reduce criminal opportunities and victimization in specific places and spaces. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, or CPTED for short, emphasizes a multi-disciplinary approach that accounts for crime prevention in the design, construction, and management of facilities and their grounds. Similar to Situational Crime Prevention, CPTED’s objectives include minimizing criminal opportunities, influencing criminal decision-making, reducing victimization, and facilitating community cohesion and engagements.

    WEEK THREE

    This week’s reading list recommendations focus on the role of problem solving in crime prevention and how the effects of the fear of crime impact units, communities, and people. Problem solving is one of the most critical components of crime prevention. By accurately identifying and understanding the root causes for crime problem, Army police and their stakeholders can successfully tailor and implement crime prevention strategies and measures in a more effective and cost-efficient approach.

    Our second focus of this week’s reading list discusses that fear of crime can be as harmful as crime and disorder. Sometimes an overlooked component of the impact of crime on units and communities, the fear of crime can adversely impact people’s perceptions of their personal safety and degrade economic development in communities.

    The selected readings will provide Army police professionals tools to hone their problem-solving skills while also providing an understanding and best-practices on how to account for the reduction of the fear of crime in their installations’ crime prevention strategies and programs.

    Problem-Solving

    • Eck, John. (2010). Assessing Responses to Problems: Did It Work? An Introduction for Police Problem-Solvers, 2nd Edition. Office of Community Oriented Policing, U.S. Department of Justice. - This guide provides helpful insights for police officials who already have a basic understanding of problem-oriented policing. It provides Army police with an understanding of how to evaluate whether their response to a crime problem was effective and resulted in their desired effects and outcomes.  A free copy of the guide can be found at https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/
    • Scott, Michael S. (2015). Identifying and Defining Policing Problems. Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, Inc., U.S. Department of Justice. - This book will guide how to identify and define policing problems using the widely adopted SARA (Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment) model. The advice provided in this guidebook is based on theory and practice. A free copy of the guide can be found at https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/
    • Bynum, Timothy S. (2006). Using Analysis for Problem-Solving: A Guidebook for Law Enforcement. Office of Community Oriented Policing, U.S. Department of Justice. - This guidebook is a comprehensive resource for conducting effective problem analysis in law enforcement. It is based on the experiences of various agencies with diverse problem-solving backgrounds and jurisdiction sizes. The guidebook provides an in-depth discussion of approaches to analysis, strategies for collecting information, and principles to consider in the analysis process. A free copy of the guide can be found at https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/

    Fear of Crime

    • Corder, Gary. (2010). Reducing Fear of Crime: Strategies for Police. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice. - This guide briefly reviews information about the phenomenon of fear of crime as well as historical and contemporary police efforts to reduce fear. The main focus, however, is on tools and techniques that police can use to target and reduce fear of crime, and institutionalize fear reduction within their agencies. A free copy of the guide can be found at https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov
    • Dule, Joseph. (2018). Fear of Crime: A Problem Oriented Solution. Society for Evidence-Based Professionals.   - Fear of crime is a significant issue in America that negatively impacts individuals and communities, increasing anxiety, social isolation, and changing daily behavior. However, implementing efficient policies and problem-oriented strategies that involve citizen input can help minimize fear and crime. A free copy of the blog article can be found at https://www.ebpsociety.org/blog
    • Lane, Jodi. (2024). Fear of Crime in the United States: Causes, Consequences, and Contradictions. Carolina Academic Press. Fear of Crime in the United States: Causes, Consequences, and Contradictions examines the nature and extent of crime-related fear. The authors describe and evaluate key research findings in the specific areas of methodology; gender, age, race and ethnicity, and socioeconomic status; contextual predictors; and the consequences of fear of crime. The book also describes the physical, psychological, behavioral, and social effects of fear of crime. The book is available for purchase at most online bookstores

Law Enforcement News

OPMG Links

  • (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

    U.S. Army ROTC 2024 GREEN TO GOLD 2/3/4-Year & Commanding General's Hip Pocket scholarship programs

    Online applications are available here or by visiting https://armyrotc.army.mil/green-to-gold/

    Important Dates:
    • June 12, 2024: Application window opens
    • November 29, 2024: Last day to initiate applications for 2/3/4 Year Scholarship & Phase 1 documents submission
    • December 4, 2024: Selection Board convenes (not applicable to Hip Pocket applicants)
    • April 30, 2025: Last day for Hip Pocket Applications

    The Green to Gold (G2G) Scholarship Program is a program that provides eligible, active-duty enlisted Soldiers an opportunity to complete their first bachelors degree or their first masters degree. Upon the successful completion of their degree program, the Soldier receives a commission as an officer in the U.S. Army in either the Active or Reserve/National Guard component. Soldiers are boarded and/or selected based on the Cadet Command Scholar/Athlete/Leader (SAL) model.

    Note: Program participants are discharged from service and forfeit all active duty pay, benefits, and allowances, except those selected into the Active Duty option.

    PROVOST MARSHAL GENERAL Hip-Pocket Scholarships

    The Army ROTC Green to Gold Hip-Pocket Scholarship Program provides division commanders, like Brig. Gen. Albrycht, two scholarships opportunities to nominate deserving Soldiers for two, three, and four-year Green to Gold scholarships. In her unique capacity, our PMG has FOUR scholarship opportunities available for our regiment!
    These selected Soldiers are given the opportunity to complete their baccalaureate degree requirements and obtain a commission through participation in the ROTC Scholarship program. Units are encouraged to nominate Soldiers that have exhibited the potential for further outstanding service to the United States and the Army as Commissioned Officers. Interested Soldiers are encouraged to follow-up with their chain of command.

    Benefits
    • Tuition or room and board support.
    • Additional money for textbooks, supplies, and equipment.
    • A $420 monthly stipend for up to 10 months each school year.
    • Pay for attending the Cadet Leadership Course (CLC) between the junior and senior years of college.
    • Additionally, many colleges and universities offer incentives to scholarship winners. The Professor of Military Science at your college of choice can provide further information on what is available at the school.
    To assist you in the application process you can use the Green to Gold Scholarship/Hip-Pocket Information Booklet. The booklet contains valuable information about the program and can help you submit your application.

    All Hip-Pocket applications and nomination letters must be uploaded to the application portal no later than April 30, 2025. Ensure the name, email address, and phone number for your scholarship nomination point of contact is annotated on the nomination letter for coordination purposes. If the nominated Soldier requires any waivers, the earlier the application is submitted the better chance the Soldier has of receiving a decision in time to start school in the Fall.

    Eligibility

    To be eligible to participate in this program, a Soldier must:

    1. Be a citizen of the United States. No waiver authorized
    2. Be eligible for appointment as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army under the provisions of AR 135‐100.
    3. Be under 31 years of age on Dec. 31 of the year of graduation and completion of all requirements for commission. No waiver authorized
    4. Have completed less than 10 years Active Federal Service at the projected time of the start of school enrollment and classes. Waiver is authorized
    5. Have favorable recommendations from Soldier's current chain of command. company and battalion-level commanders
    6. Have received a General Technical (GT) score of 110 or higher on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). No waiver authorized. Proof of qualifying score may be done by uploading the proper page of the Solider Talent Profile or a validated Education Center scoresheet.
    7. Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 grading point system (unweighted) on all previous college work completed. Waiver is authorized
    8. Have a passing ACFT score, with no alternate events, taken in calendar year 2024.
    9. Provide USACC Form 104-R (Planned Academic Program Worksheet) – used to indicate 2 or 3 years remaining as a full-time student to degree completion. Course overload (more than 6 classes per semester/quarter) is NOT permitted. Students must be enrolled full-time with 50% of the curriculum in traditional class-room settings.
      *NOTE: 4-year applicants do not need this form.
    10. Obtain a letter of acceptance from the Professor of Military Science (PMS) into the Army ROTC Program affiliated with the college/university the Soldier plans to attend and the start date of the school term. Reach out to the PMS at your preferred school in order to receive this letter.
    11. Have a secret or higher security clearance. Soldiers without a clearance must provide a memo from their unit’s security manager’s office that states that the individual has a favorable closed Tier‐3, Tier‐5, Single Scope Background Investigation, or National Agency Check Local and Credit Investigation.
    12. Be medically qualified in accordance with AR 40‐501, Standards of Medical Fitness dated 27 Jun 2019, to participate in the ROTC program as determined by Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB), the agency responsible for reviewing medical examinations (must be medically qualified by 15 July or request to be deferred until the following Fall Semester).
    13. Have no more than three dependents (including spouse). Waiver is authorized
    14. Have completed at least two years of active duty on his or her initial enlistment. HRC-approved time-in-service and/or training-service-obligation waivers are authorized using the unit's Personnel Action Request 6.
    15. Have completed any service-remaining requirements incurred as of the date of discharge for enrollment in ROTC – including language training, critical MOS, or Additional Skill Identifiers (ASI) received. Service obligations are served concurrently; the most recent service obligation for specialized training may not be based on the most recent course attended. Waivers are authorized using the unit's Personnel Action Request 6
    Ineligibility

    Soldiers are ineligible for the program if he/she:

    1. Fails to meet all eligibility requirements
    2. Will not be an active-duty member of the Army on June 1 of the year in which the scholarship starts and/or is not eligible to reenlist.
    3. Is a conscientious objector, as defined in AR 600‐43, Conscientious Objection.
    4. Has a domestic violence misdemeanor conviction.
    5. Is under suspension of favorable personnel action (FLAGS) in accordance with AR 600‐8‐2.
    6. Is under probation for a civil conviction, or charges are pending at the time of application.
    7. Had any adverse adult or juvenile adjudication (even if the record may have been sealed or expunged), or have been arrested, indicted, or convicted by a civil court or military law for other-than-minor traffic violations (fine of $300 or less), or had imposed other adverse disposition, e.g. attend classes, perform community service or perform any other similar acts). Waivers are authorized
    8. A Soldier without a spouse and who has one or more dependents under 18 years of age is disqualified except as provided in paragraph 11(c) in the G2G handbook. Waiver is authorized
    9. Dependents:
      a. A Soldier with a spouse in a military-component armed service (excluding members of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR)) that has one or more household members under 18 years of age. Waiver is authorized
      b. A divorced Soldier may be processed for enrollment without a waiver when the child(ren) has/have been placed in the custody of the other parent, an adult relative or legal guardian by court order and the Soldier is not required to provide child support. Copies of court documents must be provided with the application.
      c. A divorced Soldier may be processed for a dependency waiver when the Soldier has joint/sole custody and/or the Soldier is required to provide child support. In both cases mentioned, the Soldier must sign a statement of understanding acknowledging he or she can be removed from the program should they regain sole custody of the child(ren) while enrolled in ROTC. An exception to the removal will only be considered if extraordinary circumstances prevail, such as the death of the legal guardian or adult.

    Your application is available online here or by visiting https://armyrotc.army.mil/green-to-gold/

    Counterpart Program

    For questions or assistance in completing the application, contact the ROTC Program located nearest your military installation. These Counterpart Programs are staffed specifically to assist program applicants, even Soldiers stationed outside the United States.

    Installation — ROTC Battalion — Telephone

Contact us

The Office of the Provost Marshal General of the United States Army is located at The Pentagon, the U.S. Department of Defense headquarters.

Email your OPMG queries to this link or usarmy.pentagon.hqda-pmg.list.npe-mgt@army.mil

Mailing Address:

OFFICE of the PROVOST MARSHAL GENERAL
2800 Army Pentagon
Washington, DC 20310-2800