The 6th Air Defense Artillery Regiment and its two active battalions trace their origins to the creation of Battery A and B, 6th Regiment of Artillery on 8 March 1898. Because Air Defense Artillery was not established as a basic branch until 1968 and the gradual change of Coast Artillery units into AntiAircraft units, both battalions underwent numerous and frequent redesignations and reorganizations throughout the 20th century.
Both battalions were officially designated as Air Defense Artillery in 1971 as part of the 6th ADA Regiment, and both were transferred to U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and activated at Fort Bliss, Texas in 1987. Today, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions are subordinate units of the 30th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, which until 2012 had been designated as the 6th Air Defense Artillery Brigade.
The 6th Air Defense Artillery Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia, commonly called a unit crest or DUI for short, is taken from the crest of the Coast Defenses of San Francisco, where the original 6th Regiment of Artillery was stationed beginning in 1901. A bear is familiar symbol for the state of California, and the Latin phrase “CERTO DIRIGO ICTU,” or “I Aim With A Sure Blow,” is a description of a bear’s fighting character.
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The 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. 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.