Now worn by the 296th Brigade Support Battalion, the 296th Support Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia—also known as a unit crest or DUI—was approved on 23 January 1990. Its gold and red tones are the colors traditionally associated with heraldry for Support organizations; here, the colors are counterchanged to suggest coordination and teamwork.
A yellow chevron thrusting upward on the insignia’s pale (vertical column in center) is an allusion to the unit motto, “Frontline Support,” as it symbolizes the thrust to support the front line in combat. These are not empty words, as the 296th Support Battalion ha sreceived numerous decorations for its support of frontline troops during both the Korean War and the War on Terrorism. Since the attacks of September 11th, the Battalion and/or elements of the Battalion have been tapped for three Valorous Unit Awards and several Meritorious Unit Commendations.
The counterchanged (yellow and red) annulet (circle) represents mobility, speed, and quick response in delivering aid and support, and is also an allusion to the organization’s former roles as a Transportation unit. Though constituted originally as HQ and HQ Detachment, 296th Quartermaster Battalion, Mobile, it was reorganized and redesignated as HHD, 296th Transportation Truck Battalion in July 1947 (the HHD became Headquarters and Headquarters Company in October 1949).
Distinctive Unit Insignias are 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. 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.
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Serving as the 296th Transportation Truck Battalion in the Korean War, the organization took part in six Korean War campaigns, and its outstanding service was recognized with a Meritorious Unit Commendation and two Philippine Presidential Unit Citations. The Battalion was inactivated in November 1955 while still in Korea and would remain inactive for nearly forty-four years; it was not reactivated until October 1989 when it as redesignated as HHC, 296th Support Battalion, assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division, and activated in Korea. It was inactivated again on 16 September 1992 in Korea, only to be activated again on 16 October 1995, this time at Fort Lewis in Washington.
As of Autumn 2023, the 296th Brigade Support Battalion is assigned to the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division and is still stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington.