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 (ASU, 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.
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Approved on 17 September 2007, the colorful imagery of the Distinctive Unit Insignia of the Special Troops Battalion, 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team reflects the various Army branches represented by the units that make up the Battalion. Blue, Red, and Orange are the colors of the Military Intelligence, Engineer, and Signal Corps. The lightning flash on the orange section is a standard image used in Signal Corps heraldry to indicate electronic communications and fast response. A key in the blue is area is taken from the Military Intelligence branch insignia, and the embattled castle wall at the bottom is a traditional Engineer Corps image.
The white triangle in the center is an isosceles triangle, the strongest structural shape known; in its center is a morion, a crested helmet favored by Spanish soldiers, is an allusion to the many Spanish explorers who journeyed to Florida, home of the unit, in the 16th and 17th centuries. A trio of pellets surrounding the helmet recall cannon balls and thus symbolize defense, combat preparedness, and the teamwork embodied in a Special Troops Battalion. The unit motto, “Strength In Action” is a reflection of the synergy created by the mixture of branches represented in a Special Troops Battalion.
The Special Troops Battalion, 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team was reorganized and redesignated as the 753rd Brigade Engineer Battalion in 2017.