Approved originally for the 94th Air Defense Artillery Brigade on 15 August 1969, the Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI) of the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command shares a couple of elements with the Command’s unit patch (Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, or SSI). One of these, the sword-wielding sea lion at the bottom, is actually taken second-hand: it originally appeared on the seal of the President of the Republic of the Philippines.
Here, it is an emblem recalling the Command’s service in the South Pacific and the Philippines during World War II, for which the unit was awarded four campaign streamers, two of them with Arrowheads. Those two assault landings (New Guinea and Luzon) are recalled with the inclusion of two golden arrows; on the unit patch they refer to ground-to-air missiles. The domed tower and the motto, “First Line Of Defense,” are a reference to the time the Command spent in Germany throughout the Cold War as part of NATO’s defenses against a possible Russian air strike.♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Also known as unit crests, Distinctive Unit Insignias (DUIs) 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 (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.
For Enlisted personnel, the insignia is 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
Related Items
94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command Patch (SSI)