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Army's best MPs back from Balkans

by Nicole Dowell

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Jan. 8, 2003) -- The 549th Military Police Company, Fort Stewart, Ga., won the Brigadier General Jeremiah P. Holland award for excellence among Army military police companies.

The 1st Military Police Company, Wurzburg, Germany, won first runner-up, and the 25th Military Police Company, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, placed second runner-up.

The 549th Military Police Company won the Forces Command Eagle Award, earning them the title of best MP company in FORSCOM, prior to being considered for the Holland Award. Each Major Command may submit one award nomination each fiscal year.

Units submit a packet that details their achievements in areas such as training, physical fitness, retention, weapons qualification, quality of life improvements, community volunteerism and family support programs.

"Creating a nomination packet ... takes a tremendous amount of work and creativity," said Capt. William H. Poole, the 549th company commander.

During fiscal 2002, 549th MPs carried out law enforcement operations on Fort Stewart, maintained training and readiness, conducted vehicle and weapon maintenance, and deployed to Bosnia for six months.

"We're prepared for any type of mission," said Sgt. Robert Johnson, a team leader in the company. "With the size of our post and the missions we have, we are on top of our game."

Johnson attributed much of the company's success to its leadership, which he said is superior.

"It's a tribute to the NCOs in the unit," Poole said. "Great squad leaders translate to successful missions."

The 1st Military Police Company, Wurzburg, Germany, demonstrated mission successes this past year bringing it first runner-up honors. It supported the 1st Infantry Division, V Corps, and U.S. Army Europe in Kosovo and Turkey, in addition to deployments to Hungary and the Czech Republic.

The 25th Military Police Company, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, won second runner-up with successful missions supporting SFOR-11 in Bosnia and acting as the protective service detail for the commander, Task Force Eagle. A three-man team from the company won first place at the 2002 Military Police Warfighter Challenge at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., distinguishing itself as the best MP team in the MP Corps.

Brig. Gen. Jeremiah Holland, a military police officer, sponsored this award after his retirement in 1969 to promote esprit de corps and professionalism among military police units.

The award honors the most outstanding Active Army military police unit, company size or smaller.

"The soldiers, noncommissioned officers and officers of the 549th MP Company are truly honored to be recognized as the best of the best in the MP Corps and stand ready to perform all future missions," Poole said.

(Editor's note: Nicole Dowell, a Department of the Army intern, compiled this information with contributions from Spc. Katherine Robinson, a staff writer for the Fort Stewart Frontline newspaper.)