This Distinctive Unit Insignia was first approved for the HQ and HQ Detachment and non-color bearing units of the Alaska Army National Guard (ARNG) on 14 October 1971 and was subsequently redesignated for the HQ, State Area Command, Alaska ARNG on 1 October 1982. It was given its current designation twenty-one years to the day later on 1 October 2003.
Alaska’s natural resources and rugged beauty are celebrated in the Distinctive Unit Insignia of the Alaska Army National Guard (ARNG) Element, Joint Force Headquarters. The focal point of the Distinctive Unit Insignia, also referred to as a unit crest, is a stylized representation of Mt. McKinley, now officially named “Denali” by both the Alaskan and Federal governments but still commonly referred to by its old title. It is situated between two groves of Sitka Spruce, the Alaskan state tree, and below a gold star on a blue field that symbolizes the North Star and the state’s gold industry.
An anchor below the mountain is a reference to the city of Anchorage, home of the ARNG Element, Joint force Headquarters; the wavy blue lines represent lakes and rivers. “Great Land Vigilance,” the unit’s motto, is a reference to the vast Alaskan landscape and one of the organization’s most important characteristics given its location at one of our nation’s furthest-flung borders.
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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. Current regulations do not permit the DUI to be worn on the Dress variations of either uniform, however.
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. Related Items