MANASSAS, Va. –
Former commanders of the Virginia National Guard’s 266th Military Police Company helped retire the unit guidon during a ceremony consolidating the 266th with the 229th Military Police Company May 6, 2007, Manassas, Virginia. The ceremony also marked the change of command from Capt. Steven Gallo to Capt. Matthew Negard and the transfer of the 229th MP Company from the 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group to the 1030th Transportation Battalion, 329th RSG.
With the 229th moved to Manassas, the headquarters for the 1173rd Transportation Company moved to Virginia Beach with a detachment in Martinsville. The consolidation is part of the Virginia National Guard’s ongoing transformation. Read more at
The 266th Military Police Company was organized in 2003 along with a detachment in Staunton.
Approximately 130 Soldiers from the 266th served on federal active duty from December 2008 to September 2009. During the deployment, the Soldiers of the 266th operated throughout nearly the entire country of Iraq from Basra to Tikrit and into the Diyala River Valley.
While deployed to Basra, the 266th served as a Police Transition Team that trained, mentored and coached more than 1,000 Iraqi Police officers and conducted more than 500 combat patrols within the city of Basra. The unit made great strides in enhancing the capacity of the Iraqi Police by helping them strengthen community relations, enhance the public’s perception of the Iraqi Police and train on basic law enforcement skills.
Here at home, the 266th supported multiple domestic operations including presidential inaugurations and response to severe weather in the Northern Virginia region.
In 2012, the 266th was recognized with the state-level Pershing Award for the highest marksmanship scores in the Virginia Army National Guard in annual qualification with assigned individual weapons. The also received the Certificate of Victory in 2012 from the National Guard Association of the United States for having the highest marksmanship scored in the nation. Soldiers from the 266th earned more than 50 trophies and medals in state-level marksmanship competitions.
In recent years, the 266th was recognized along with other Virginia National Guard units for maintaining a high state of readiness. The company received the Superior Unit award in 2016, 2015 and 2014 and they received Excellence in Training Award in 2016 and 2015.
To earn the Superior Unit Award, a unit must maintain an assigned strength of 95 percent of authorized each month of the training year for which being nominated, maintain monthly drill attendance of 95 percent, attain annual training attendance of 95 percent, have 95 percent of all assigned personnel qualify with their assigned weapon and have 90 percent of all assigned personnel pass the Army Physical Fitness Test.
To earn the Excellence in Training Award, a unit must have 90 percent of all personnel qualified in their military occupational specialty, have 95 percent of all personnel present for annual training or receive constructive credit for AT attendance, maintain monthly drill attendance of 90 percent, have 95 percent of all assigned personnel qualify with their assigned weapon, have 95 percent of all crews qualify on their assigned crew-served weapons, have 90 percent of all assigned personnel pass the Army Physical Fitness Test and pass the Organizational Inspection Program in all training categories.