The 204th Military Police Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia, commonly referred to as a unit crest or DUI, was approved on 7 January 1969. It’s upper half is bordered by a silver arch that represents the famous Gateway Arch, a national memorial in St. Louis that is a symbol for the opening of the west to American pioneers. Two fleurs-de-lis commemorate a pair of French Fur traders, Chouteau and Kiguest, who set up a trading post on what is now St. Louis back in 1764.
A double-warded key on the insignia’s pale (vertical band in center) alludes to the protection afford the Battalion provides for the units it supports. The curious vertical patterns on both sides of the key are called ermine; ermine is a weasel whose fur was frequently used by royalty, and St. Louis was the largest raw fur market in the world at the time of French King Louis IX from whom the city was named. The two wavy bars stands for the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers that meet north of the city. “Discipline Law Order” is the Battalion motto.
The 204th Military Police Battalion is not an active Army unit, and the date of its inacctivation/deactivation/redesignation is unclear. We encourage any customers with pertinent information to
email us regarding the history or status of the 204th MP Battalion.
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Also known as a unit crest or DUI, a 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 (ASU, 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.
More 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.