Internment/Resettlement Specialists' imposing title can best be understood to mean "prison guard," and 31E is indeed a fine military occupational specialty (MOS) to apply for out of high school if you're looking to gain experience in that line of work. But like all Army jobs, there are some unique skills to learn and challenges to meet that you won't find on the civilian side of the fence.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Army's recruiting website describes Internment/Resettlement Specialists simply as being "responsible for day-to-day operations in a military confinement /correctional facility or detention/internment facility." I doubt that brings to mind little more than vague images of prison bars or guard towers, so let's flesh out that mental picture a bit.
Within the US, 31Es are the backbone of operations at several Federal military prisons, including the best-known of the bunch, Fort Leavenworth Disciplinary Barracks. As its official name implies, the prison at Fort Leavenworth is primarily reserved for members of the US military who've been convicted by court martial and sentenced to confinement under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for crimes including desertion, assault, and murder. In other words, inmates with a sentence long enough to warrant assignment to a place like Leavenworth are usually on their way out with a dishonorable discharge afterward.
Outside the US, internment specialists are involved in confining enemy prisoners of war (EPW) at facilities that may be temporary in a given theater of war or, these days, at a more permanent set-up like the infamous prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
In either case, the Army's Internment and Resettlement Operations Manual (FM 3-39.40) tells us that the prison guard force has a variety of duties, including processing prisoners into the system, conducting searches, and guarding gates, towers, and perimeters.
Off-duty guards may be retained as a reserve force in case of an emergency (such as a riot), while other guards may be assigned to a quick reaction force (QRF) trained to respond to disturbances, riots, escape attempts, and other such emergencies.
Military Requirements
Along with a high school diploma, enlistees seeking entry into MOS 31E need to be US citizens no younger than 18 years old with a valid driver's license. You must also score at least 95 on the skilled technical portion of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) before joining.
Medically, the prospective internment specialist must be able to discern between the colors red and blue on a vision test, and be psychologically sound, presenting no history of mental illness that could interfere with the duties of a corrections official.
Of course, this also means enlistees need to submit to a background check and qualify for a secret security clearance before taking on this MOS.
Goarmy.com also suggests those with skills such as the "[a]bility to make quick decisions" and "[r]emain calm under heavy duress" may be best suited to work as an interment/resettlement specialist.
Education
Following basic training, advanced individual training (AIT) for enlistees into MOS 31E attend the eight-week Internment/Resettlement Course given at Fort Leonard Wood's Military Police School. According to the course's website, in addition to a "96 hour field training exercise," entry-level students can expect to learn a variety of skills, including:
- Riot control (Civil Disturbance)
- Tactical vehicle training
- Enemy prisoner of war / civilian internment training
- M9 [pistol]/shotgun weapons training and qualification
- Unarmed self defense
- Stress management and anti-terrorism
Certifications
As you'd expect, Army's Credentialing Opportunities On Line confirms that Internment/Resettlement Specialists can qualify for GI Bill-paid certification as Certified Corrections Officers through the American Correctional Association, but they may also be able to get funded certification as protection professionals, physical security professionals, and professional investigators.