The 779th Engineer Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia, better known to most Soldiers as a “unit crest” or a DUI, was approved on 13 January 2009. Its provenance as an Engineer organization can be seen in both the shield of scarlet, the primary branch color the Corps of Engineers, and the presence of a masoned castle, one of the most commonly used images seen in the insignia and heraldry of Engineer units.
Affixed to the front of the castle is a shield of orange that represents the Battalion Headquarters: It was as originally a Signal unit, and orange is the primary branch color of the Signal Corps. The barrulet (horizontal bar) suggests the Battalion’s horizontal construction Company and the pallet (vertical bar) its vertical construction Company. A seven-pointed white star in the upper left is displayed on the flag of Australia and commemorates the unit’s activation in that country during World War II. Flames all around the orange shield are symbolic of the destructive power of the Battalion’s Sapper Company. JUSTITIUM TENE NIHIL TIMEO, the Battalion motto, is Latin for “Do Right, Fear Nothing.”
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. DUIs are not worn on the Dress variations of either uniform, however.
Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1,
Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia."♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
On 2 June 2010, the Department of the Army released Permanent Order 193-02 announcing that the 779th Engineer Battalion had been selected for a Meritorious Unit Commendation for its exceptionally meritorious service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, specifically citing its “absolute mission focus, total team concept, and dedication to the safety and success of the Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces” as setting “the standard for professional excellence and superior mission accomplishment.”
A unit in the Florida Army National Guard, the Battalion was a subordinate of the 83rd Troop Command, but it has not been listed as a Florida ARNG unit since at least 2015 and perhaps even longer. We encourage readers to
email us if they have any information on the Battalion’s status, including dates for its possible inactivation, reorganization/redesignation, or reflagging.