Authorized for wear on 10 November 1969, the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command Distinctive Unit Insignia, sometimes called a unit crest, features a gold-bordered diamond in its center with a scarlet field and a swooping hawk bookended by stars. Blue nebuly with lightning flashes symbolize the unit’s ability to strike into the sky, and the hawk represents firepower. The stars are for service in World War II and Korea, with the merlons of the wall representing the honors from those two campaigns (Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations). A battlement with an anchor symbolizes overseas combat service, and “PRIMA” is the unit motto (“FIRST”).
Customers who have purchased this item in the past have often added the
10th Army Air Defense and Missile Command unit patch (SSI) to their shopping carts.
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The Distinctive Unit Insignia is worn by all Soldiers (except General Officers) in units that have been
authorized to be issued the device. It is worn centered on the shoulder loops of the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) and the blue Army Service Uniform (Enlisted only) with the base of the insignia toward the outside shoulder seam. DUIs are not worn on the Dress variations of either uniform, however.
Enlisted personnel wear the insignia centered on a shoulder loop by placing it an equal distance from the outside shoulder seam to the outside edge of the shoulder-loop button. Officers (except Generals) wearing grade insignia on the shoulder loops center the DUI by placing it an equal distance between the inside edge of the grade insignia and the outside edge of the button.
Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1,
Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia" and 21–3(d) and (e),
"Beret" and
"Garrison Cap," respectively.