The 741st Ordnance Battalion is a unit in the Washington Army National Guard that is a component of the 96th Troop Command and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. As of Autumn 2023, the Battalion comprises the HQ and HQ Detachment, 741st Ordnance Company; 319th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company; and three Ordnance Companies allocated one apiece to the Army National Guards of Arizona, California, and Nevada.
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Also referred to as a unit crest or a DUI, the Distinctive Unit Insignia of the 741st Ordnance Battalion features the crimson and yellow colors long associated with Ordnance units. In the insignia’s upper left, a gear alludes to the overall mechanical mission of the unit, while the shell refers to the general supply mission. The yellow point, which resembles a chevron, is a stylized representation of Mount Rainier, a famous geographical landmark in Washington near the Ordance’s home station. A palm wreath commemorates the Pacific service of a unit in the Battalion’s lineage. CUPIDUS ET PARATUS, the Battalion motto, is Latin for “Eager And Ready.”
Approved originally on 19 November 1956, the 741st Ordnance Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia was rescinded on 21 March 1975. It was rescinded for the 741st Ordnance Battalion on 19 March 2002. Since that time, the Battalion has been called into active military service at least once, and in May 2010 its outstanding service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom between April 2009 and February 2010.
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.