Typically called a “unit crest” or referred to as a DUI, the Distinctive Unit Insignia of the 203rd Military Police Battalion was approved on 14 December 2006. The green background used for the inscription of the moto and the white shield incorporate the two branch colors of the Military Police Corps. The red Cross of St. Andrew—often called a saltire when used I heraldry—is adapted from the Alabama state flag to emphasize the location of the unit’s home bases. Red is also the color of valor, courage, and sacrifice. Two stars stand for the Military Police Corps’ missions to uphold the law and keep order, with the unsheathed, upright sword serving as a symbol of military preparedness of the modern Warfighter. “Enforcers Of Freedom” is the Regimental 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. More 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.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The 203rd Military Police Battalion of the Alabama Army National Guard was originally organized and Federally recognized on 14 January 1924 in the Alabama National Guard at Athens as Company E, 133rd Engineers. From that date to 1995, the organization would be designated as a unit in the Corps of Engineers, then would spend precisely twelve years designated as the 203rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment before finally becoming the 203rd Military Police Battalion. As an Engineer Company in two Engineer Battalions—first as Company D, 2nd Battalion, 151st Engineer Combat Regiment and then as Company B, 1343d Engineer Combat Battalion—the unit would earn campaign streamers from the Aleutian Islands and Rhineland campaigns.
It would remain assigned to the 1343rd Engineer Combat Battalion while under Federal control during the first half of the 1950s and fight in seven Korean War campaigns, earning a Meritorious Unit Commendation and a pair of Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations.
Korea marked the last combat deployment for the Battalion until the launch of the War on Terrorism: it was called into Federal service in June 2009 (its campaign credits for this war are yet to be determined). Most recently, the Battalion’s 152nd Military Police Company was selected to work with Soldiers of the 716th Military Police Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky to learn real-world applications of their law-enforcement techniques.
As of Autumn 2023, the 203rd Military Police Battalion remains active and is assigned to the 142nd Military Police Brigade, an Alabama Army National Guard unit created in 2020.