The 49th Quartermaster Group Distinctive Unit Insiginia (DUI), or unit crest, was approved on 29 April 1993. “Fueling The Force” is both a concise description of the Group’s mission, particularly in the area of petroleum but also in the sense of food as fuel. A black chevron in the center is a symbol of strong support as well as the “black gold” on which military vehicles run, with potente edges that evoke the image of the key from the Quartermaster branch insignia. An upright sword stands for readiness; the five annulets (circles) in the chevron represent four campaign streamers and a Meritorious Unit Citation from service in Italy during World War II. At the bottom, laurel leaves are a symbol of honor.
At the time the 49th Quartermaster Group was inactivated in 2012 at Fort Lee in Virginia, there was some concern over the future of two of its subordinate units, the 111th and 54th Quartermaster Companies, because at the time they were the Army’s only active-duty Mortuary Affairs units. The decision was made to keep both of the Companies at garrisoned at Fort Lee, but headquartered at Joint Base Langley-Eustis as elements of the 11th Transportation Battalion, 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary). Highly specialized units primarily tasked with recovering and care of remains during war and conflict, the two Companies are also deployed in response to deadly natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes.
In 2023, Fort Lee was renamed Fort Gregg-Adams.
Related Items
49th Quartermaster Group Patch (SSI)
49th Quartermaster Group Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)