The Distinctive Unit Insignia (also called a unit crest) of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence was originally approved on 12 July 1954 for the Army Aviation School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma. It was amended the following month, on 18 August 1954, to switch the motto from French to English. On 9 February 1955, the insignia was redesignated to the Army Aviation School, Fort Rucker, Alabama. The insignia’s description was amended so that authorization for wear was extended to the Staff and Faculty members of the schools and assigned student Aviators.
A falcon perched upon a mailed fist denotes the Aviation mission of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, with the swift falcon using its keen eyesight to spot its prey much as an aircraft today would use radar to locate targets and the mailed fist analogous to a military commander on the ground exercising command over the control and direction of aviation assets. The red, blue, and yellow (gold) found in the center of the insignia reflect the fact that all branches of the Army are represented in the Army Aviation Center of Excellence. "Above The Best," the unit motto, emphaszies the fact that the theater of operation for Aviation units is the sky.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Also known as a unit crest or DUI, a Distinctive Unit Insignias (DUI) is worn by all Soldiers (except General Officers) in units that have been
authorized to be issued the device. The device 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.
For Enlisted personnel, the insignia is 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.
The insignia was redesignated for the Army Aviation School, Ft Rucker, AL, on 9 Feb 1955. On 25 Apr 1958 the insignia was amended to extend authorization of wear to the staff and faculty members of the schools and assigned student aviators. On 26 June 2006, what was then designated as the U.S. Army Aviation Warfighting Center at Fort Rucker was renamed the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, and in April 2023 Fort Rucker was renamed Fort Novosel.
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.
Related Items
Aviation Center and School Patch (SSI)