The 96th Civil Affairs Battalion flash and oval feature a diagonal band on a green background to denote the organization’s branch of service: purple and white are the primary and secondary branch colors for Civil Affairs. Because it is an Airborne unit, the Battalion’s organizational flash is worn on the maroon beret, with Officers wearing non-subdued insignia of grade centered on the flash and NCOs and Junior Enlisted wearing their Distinctive Unit Insignias.
Ovals (background trimming) are worn beneath Parachutist or Air Assault badges on the Coats and Shirts of Service Dress Uniforms (AGSU and ASU) or, in the case of female Soldiers, on the green or blue Army Maternity Tunic. The combination of badge and oval is counted as a single item for measurement and placement purposes.
The 96th Civil Affairs Battalion was originally constituted as the 96th Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, Military Government Group on 25 August 1945 and activated the next day. Inactivated in January 1949, the Group was redesignated as the 96th Civil Affairs group and allotted to the Regular Army in May 1967 and activated on 25 August 1967. It received its current designation on 26 November 1971.
Battle honors earned by the Battalion include service in two Armed Forces Expeditions (Operations Urgent Fury and Just Cause in Grenada and Panama, respectively) and two campaigns during the Persian Gulf War of 1990-1991. Several of the Battalion's companies have additional campaign credits and military decorations, most notably Valorous Unit Awards for Companies B and E and two Detachments (Teams 644 and 645), Company D;
click here to view them.Stationed at Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg) in North Carolina, the Battalion is assigned to the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade and is aligned with United States Central Command. The unit motto is “Advise, Maintain, Create.”
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96th Civil Affairs Battalion Unit Crest (DUI)