The 14th Military Police Brigade (14th MP BDE) provides training and support for the Army’s military police force at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, across policing, detention, and security mobility. This custom coin was designed for the brigade, featuring crossed flintlock pistols and the unit’s shoulder sleeve insignia.
What Is the 14th Military Police Brigade?
The 14th Military Police Brigade was originally activated as the 14th Military Police Group in Germany in 1965, later redesignated as a brigade in 1985. The brigade has conducted Military Police training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, since 1999.
The brigade’s mission is to provide training and support for the Army’s military police force, focusing on skills like policing, detention, and security mobility.
It consists of three Military Police Battalions, the 701st, 787th, and 795th, along with the 43rd Reception Battalion.
In 2025, the brigade’s headquarters building, Bldg. 844 on Iowa Avenue, was renamed to honor Pfc. Jesse Halling and Pfc. Rachel Bosveld, two MP Soldiers killed in action.
The MP Corps Motto: “Assist, Protect, Defend”
“Assist, Protect, Defend” is the regimental motto of the U.S. Army Military Police Corps, established after the Corps’ inception in 1941. It’s carried on the official MP Corps flag and coat of arms, and it appears throughout MP culture, from unit insignia to challenge coins across the branch.
Each word carries specific meaning within the motto.
- Assist reflects the MP mission of aiding commanders in maintaining order and safeguarding the rights of Soldiers.
- Protect represents the role MPs play in protecting fellow Soldiers and equipment.
- Defend speaks to the combat mission of resisting and defeating threats to secure support and command elements.
As a training brigade, the 14th MP Brigade exists to prepare new Soldiers to carry that motto forward into the field.
The Crossed Pistols: MP Branch Insignia
The crossed pistols on MP insignia represent the Model 1805 Harper’s Ferry flintlock pistol, the first pistol manufactured at a U.S. national armory.
The Army adopted crossed M1805 pistols as the Military Police Corps branch insignia in 1922, replacing an earlier crossed-club design that was too easily confused with the crossed cannons of the artillery branch.
That same insignia shapes the 14th MP Brigade’s coin, mounted on top of a shield-shaped base.
Finished Coin (Front)
Finished Coin (Back)
About This 14th MP Brigade Coin
The brigade wanted a coin with a shield-shaped base, topped with crossed classic flintlock pistols lettered “14th Military Police Brigade,” and their own insignia and symbols worked into both sides.
The front centers on a mounted officer on horseback, rendered in green and yellow with a red sword and axe crossed behind him, with “Presented for Excellence” lettered along the base, marking this as an excellence recognition coin for the brigade.
The reverse reads “Forge the Regiment” at the top, followed by an eagle device, three circular unit insignia, and a Command Sergeant Major rank insignia machined in fine detail, closing with “Drop the Hammer” along the bottom.
The crossed flintlocks above both sides of the coin are sculpted smoothly and left in a natural metal finish, a deliberate contrast against the painted color elsewhere on the coin.
The mounted-officer imagery and the natural-metal flintlocks both nod to the MP Corps’ cavalry-era heritage, fitting for a brigade whose sole mission is training the next generation of military police. It’s one example of the custom Army challenge coins we build for units across the service.
Coins for MP Battalions and Schools
Individual battalions within the 14th MP Brigade, and the MP School itself at Fort Leonard Wood, are natural occasions for their own Army brigade coins.
Battalion coins mark a unit’s own identity, distinct from the brigade as a whole.
MP School graduations are a milestone worth commemorating for the Soldiers completing training.
Commander’s coins, PCS moves, and retirements are also common reasons a battalion or command element might commission a coin of their own.
For the broader Military Police Corps tradition beyond this brigade, our Military Police Corps coins cover that ground in more depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 14th Military Police Brigade?
The 14th Military Police Brigade is a U.S. Army unit that provides training and support for the Army’s military police force, based at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
Where is the 14th MP Brigade based?
The 14th MP Brigade has been based at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, since 1999.
What does MP BDE stand for?
MP BDE is the abbreviation for Military Police Brigade.
What battalions are in the 14th MP Brigade?
The brigade consists of the 701st, 787th, and 795th Military Police Battalions, along with the 43rd Reception Battalion.
What is the Military Police Corps motto?
The Military Police Corps regimental motto is “Assist, Protect, Defend,” established after the Corps’ inception in 1941.
Why does the MP insignia show crossed pistols?
The crossed pistols represent the Model 1805 Harper’s Ferry flintlock pistol, adopted as the Military Police Corps branch insignia in 1922.
Do MP units order coins for school graduations?
Yes. MP School graduations at Fort Leonard Wood are a common occasion for a custom coin marking the milestone, the same way we build law enforcement challenge coins for police and public safety graduations.
What is the minimum order for military police coins?
Our standard minimum order is 50 coins.
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