Yellow and green, the primary and secondary branch colors of the Military Police Corps since April 1922, are featured predominantly in the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 117th Military Police Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia, commonly called a “unit crest” or DUI. It was originally approved on 7 May 2009, three years after the unit was designated as an MP unit for the very first time.
The green bend sinister—a diagonal band running from the viewer’s top right to lower left—signifies security, while the fleurs-de-lis above and below the bend represent the Battalion's campaign credits during World War I and World War II. Blue is used for the fleurs-de-lis to commemorate the unit’s past heritage as an Infantry organization. A flintlock pistol embodies the mission of Military Police. “Our History, Our Strength” is the Battalion motto.
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" and 21–3(d) and (e), "Beret" and "Garrison Cap," respectively.
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A unit in the Tennessee Army National Guard, the 117th Military Police Battalion has spent the vast majority of its service life assigned as an Infantry unit, and in fact was originally organized and Federally recognized with its current numerical designation on 30 April 1923: Company E, 117th Infantry, an element of the 30th Division.
Redesignated as Company B, 117th Infantry, the unit was inducted into Federal service in September 1940. Still assigned to the 30th Division, the unit fought in five World War II campaigns and was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations and three French Croix de Guerre, two with Palm devices and a third with a Silver Gilt Star. It was also cited twice in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army and was issued a Belgian Fourragere 1940.
World War II would mark the last deployment to a combat zone for the unit until the War on Terrorism. In the period between the two, the organization was on a redesignation treadmill, with the most notable organizational change coming in 1973 when it was relieved from assignment to the 30th Infantry Division while designated as the 2nd Battalion, 117th Infantry. In May 1977 it became the HQ and HQ Troop, 1st Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and nearly thirty years later was called in to active Federal on 22 June 2004. Released from Federal duty on 4 January 2006 and reverted to state control, it was finally given its current designation as HQ and HQ Detachment, 117the Military Police Battalion on 1 September 2006.
As of Summer 2023, the 117th Military Police Battalion remains allotted to the Tennessee Army National Guard and is headquartered at Athens, Tennessee.