U.S. ARMY 116TH INFANTRY BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM UNIT CREST (DUI)

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. Current regulations do not permit the DUI to be worn on the Dress variations of either uniform, however.

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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The 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team unit crest (officially known as a Distinctive Unit Insignia or DUI) serves to symbolize the long history of the 116th. The unit crest was first approved in 1979 when the unit was still the 116th Infantry Brigade, the crest’s symbolism was amended a year later in 1980. When the unit took on its current designation of the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in 2005, the crest was redesignated the following year with a different description. In 2007, the crest was cancelled after the unit became a Brigade of the 29th Infantry Division wear the Divisional Shoulder Sleeve Insignia.

The heritage that the crest exemplifies goes back to before the American Civil War, as the unit was first created in 1858. The four squares in the center diamond reference the four years it served in the American Civil War, the grey vertical squares indicate its service in the Confederate Army. It was during the famous First Battle of Manassas that the unit earned its nickname and motto. General Bernard Lee ordered his faltering men to “Rally on the Virginians” after he saw General Jackson "standing like a stone wall.” The cry became the unit’s motto, which is displayed prominently on the scroll portion of the unit crest. This moment was what also earned it the nickname of the “Stonewall Brigade.” After the Civil war, the unit served its country at home as a militia, until the outbreak of war in Europe during WWI.

The two fleurs-de-lis above denote both times that the unit served abroad in the country of France during both World Wars. During WWII, the men of the 116th undertook the dangerous assault on Normandy beach. The red arrowhead is a symbol of the unit’s courage and ability during this mission. The 116th received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm and the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions here; these awards are referenced in the laurel wreaths on the unit crest.

As of Autumn 2023, the 116th Cavalry Brigade is an active unit in the Virginia Army National Guard. It is headquartered in Staunton, Virginia and comprises two Infantry Battalions from the 116th Infantry Regiment (1st and 3rd), a Cavalry Squadron, Field Artillery Battalion, Brigade Engineer Battalion, and a Brigade Support Battalion.

Related Items
116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Patch (SSI)
116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)