OPMG names Fort Leonard Wood company best MP unit in active Army

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — The Army’s Office of the Provost Marshal General has named Company B, 787th Military Police Battalion, 14th MP Brigade as the “Best Military Police Unit in the Active Army,” after earning the 2025 Major General Harry H. Bandholtz award. The company received the award May 1, 2026, during a ceremony at Fort Leonard Wood.
The unit earned this award “by demonstrating unmatched excellence while reflecting the relentless drive, discipline and professionalism of their service members,” said Capt. Carlos Paiz, Company B, 787th MP Bn. commander.
According to OPMG, the award started in 1969 recognizing the Army’s most outstanding MP unit and continues today. It was named after Maj. Gen. Harry H. Bandholtz, an MP officer who was considered the “Father of the Military Police Corps,” to promote espirit de corps and professionalism in MP units throughout the Army.
To receive the award, the company’s performance was evaluated in five categories:
· Cohesive, Fit and Disciplined (This is my Squad)
· Readiness and Deployability (Ready Now)
· Military Police Focus and Innovation (Assist, Protect, Defend)
· Military Police Training (Trained and Ready)
· Tell Your Story (Of the Troops, For the Troops)
“Excelling in each of these areas demonstrated the unit’s exceptional readiness, discipline, and commitment to mission success,” Paiz said.
1st Sgt. Simon Prado, Company B, 787th MP Bn. first sergeant, agreed.
“Earning this award requires a unit to excel across every metric from administrative readiness and physical fitness to technical and tactical MP proficiency,” said Prado. “We did not just meet the Army standard; we consistently exceeded it.”
As a training company, the unit transforms civilian volunteers into combat ready Soldiers.
And according to Prado, the company’s most important assets are their “elite” cadre and drill sergeants.
“The drill sergeants demonstrated unmatched resilience in the field, executed our mission essential tasks flawlessly, and maintained the highest levels of discipline in garrison,” Prado said. “This award is a direct reflection of their hard work, early mornings, and unwavering commitment to the Military Police Corps.”
Paiz said their commitment is what sets their unit apart.
“It is undeniable proof that when a team is unified, driven by discipline, and committed to excellence, there is no limit to what they can achieve,” Paiz said.
For other MP units aspiring to this level of excellence, Paiz said, “The only advice I have is to focus on the mission first, build lethality, embrace modernization and push innovation in every aspect of training.”