The 450th Transportation Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia was approved on 9 January 1998. Its limited color palette—brick red, golden yellow, and black—points to the organization’s status as a Transportation Corps unit (brick red and golden yellow are the Corps’ branch colors). A further “hint” that the insignia is that of a Transportation unit is the spoked wheel in the center of the brick-red shield: it is adapted from the Transportation Corps branch insignia, where it points to land-based movement of men and materiel.
Rising from the bottom of the shield and surmounted over the wheel is a broadarrow, a miltary symbol used on maps to indicate rapid movement; it is also an emblem of accuracy. “Strength Through Movement,” the unit motto, points to movement as a force multiplier that enhances the fighting capability of all units.
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 (Enlisted only) with the base of the insignia toward the outside shoulder seam.
Enlisted personnel wear the DUI 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. DUIs are not worn on the Dress variations of either uniform.
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Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 450th Transportation Battalion was originally constituted as an Army Reserve Unit on 22 April 1991 and activated on 16 September 1991 at Manhattan, Kansas. It was ordered into active service between 2 January and 10 February 2003 at Manhattan and released from that service between 18 April 2004 and 29 January 2005, and was later selected for a Meritorious Unit Commendation for its service during this tour of duty.
The Battalion was called to active military service again in late November, 2006, again at its home base of Manhattan, Kansas, and subsequently served for nearly eighteen months before being released from it in May 2008 and returning to Reserve status.
As of Spring 2023, the Battalion remains a Reserve unit. When not called to active service, it is assigned to the 561st Regional Support Group, 451st Expeditionary Command, which it itself a major subordinate command of 79th Theater Sustainment Command. The Battalion's HQ and HQ Detachment are headquartered at Manhattan, Kansas.