The 168th Support Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI), commonly called a “unit crest,” was originally approved on 7 December 1966 for the 68th Maintenance Battalion. It was redesignated for the 168th Support Battalion, also known as the 168th Brigade Support Battalion, on 16 September 2006.
In the center of this colorful insignia is a winged oak leaf, divided diagonally into a red lower half and a blue upper half. Oak leaves allude to the oak tree, which is always a symbol of strength in heraldry, and here it refers to the Battalion’s role providing direct support to the Army field area. The wings on the oak leaf allude to the Battalion’s alacrity in providing support, as well as its previous role in performing aircraft maintenance. A yellow wheel superimposed on the oak leaf denotes mobility and versatility. Blue, red, and yellow are the colors of the various technical companies that made up the organization, as well as for the Combat Arms which the Battalion supports (red for artillery, yellow for armor/cavalry, blue for Infantry).
A pair of stars on the oak leaf commemorate the unit’s participation in two campaigns, Rhineland and Central Europe, in the European Theater during World War II; they are also an allusion to the “COSTAR” origin of maintenance direct support Battalion (COSTAR stands for “Combat Service to The Army.”) "Pursuit Of Excellence" is the Battalion motto.
Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1,
Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia."♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The 168th Support Battalion was originally constituted in the United States Army as the 39th Quartermaster Regiment, but the Regiment was broken up into units with different lineages; the lineage that went on to become the 168th Support Battalion served in World War II as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 68th Ordnance Battalion. It was inactivated from 9 December 1945 until March 1966 when it was redesignated as Headquarters and Company A, 68th Maintenance Battalion.
This organization was reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Maintenance Support Company, 68th Maintenance Battalion in April 1968, but at the end of 1968 it was inactivated and would remain so until 16 September 2006, when it was redesignated as the 168th Brigade Support Battalion.
The 168th Brigade Support Battalion was inactivated in 2015.