Approved on 5 February 1970, the 209th Field Artillery Brigade Distinctive Unit Insignia has a five-pointed star in its center that is a spur rowel, a reference to the unit’s earlier designation as a Cavalry organization (121st Cavalry Regiment). The motto “Hoofbeats To Howitzers” is also a reference to its service as both a Cavalry and a Field Artillery unit.
Bookending the spur rowel are two artillery shells for World War II service in North Africa and Europe; the star’s five points represent five campaign streamers (Tunisia, Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, North Apennines, Po Valley). The crescent is suggested by the arms of the city of Rochester, the Brigade’s home area.
The 209th Field Artillery Brigade is not an active unit and its Distinctive Unit Insignia is obsolete.
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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. Current regulations do not permit the DUI to be 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.
Related Items
209th Field Artillery Brigade Patch (SSI)