Badge (CSIB) uses the mythological griffin in its design; for its Distinctive Unit Insignia, the legendary phoenix is the foundation of the insignia's imagery. Just as the phoenix is reborn out of flame, the blue wings are symbolic of the unit’s aircraft emerging triumphant from the fires of combat and triumphantly soaring toward superior achievement, embodied in the Latin motto AD EXCELSUM CONAMUR, OR “Strive For Excellence” in English. The three wings and nine flames add up to the numerical designation of the unit.
This Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI), or unit crest, was originally approved for the 12th Aviation Group on 10 July 1967. It was redesignated for the 12th Aviation Brigade on 16 March 1988 and is now worn by personnel of the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade.♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
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.
Enlisted personnel wear the insignia centered on a shoulder loop by placing it an equal distance from the outside shoulder seam to the outside edge of the shoulder-loop button. Officers (except Generals) wearing grade insignia on the shoulder loops center the DUI by placing it an equal distance between the inside edge of the grade insignia and the outside edge of the button.
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.