The 17th Psychological Operations Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI), sometimes called a unit crest, was first approved for wear by the 306th Psychological Operations Battalion on 22 August 1967; nearly 20 years would go by before the unit was given its current designation and the insignia was authorized for it. Its imagery invokes the two primary PsyOp methods the unit employed when it was constituted as the 306th Radio Broadcasting and Leaflet Battalion on 30 December 1954. Its silhouette was inspired by the shape of a broadcasting microphone, with six lightning flashes projecting outward as an allusion to the spoke word and the black disc also recalling the shape of a phonograph record.
Gray and white areas above the flashes reflect the degree of truth being proclaimed through radio transmission and the dropping of leaflets, with white indicating complete truth and gray symbolizing an admixture of truth, omission of truth, or purposeful misinformation. The unit’s numerical designation of the unit at the time (306th) is implied by the three white/gray areas, the “O” suggested by the disc, and the six lightning flashes. The motto “Win With Words” succinctly describes both the ultimate objective of Psychological Operations and the methods the unit would go about achieving it.
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.
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The 17th Psychological Operations Battalion was originally constituted as the HQ and HQ Company, 306th Radio Broadcasting and Leaflet Battalion on 30 December 1954 and was activated 1 February 1955 at San Pedro, California.
In the 1960s, it was reorganized and redesignated twice, first as the HQ and HQ Company, 306th Psychological Warfare Battalion (1 June 1960) and then as the 306th Psychological Operations Battalion (1 December 1965). It was relocated to Los Alamitos, California in November 1982 and was subsequently inactivated in September 1990.
It was given its current designation as the HQ, Headquarters and Service Company, 17th Psychological Operations Battalion and activated at Joliet, Illinois on 16 June 1996. Elements of the Battalion have been ordered into active military service at least twice in support of the War on Terrorism, earning credit for participation in the Global War on Terrorism campaign.
As of the Summer of 2023, the 17th Psychological Operations Battalion is assigned to the 7th Psychological Operations Group and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.