The United States Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) is a specialized component of the Army whose self-described mission is to “win shooting competitions that would raise the standards of marksmanship throughout the Army.” It was the brainchild of President Dwight Eisenhower, spurred on partially by the dominance displayed by Soviet marksmen at international competitions during the 1950s. In less than a decade after it was established in 1956, American shooters and in particular Army marksmen were back in the spotlight, with members of the AMU garnering six of the seven medals won by the United States team at the 1964 Olympic Games. In addition to helping raise overall Army marksmanship levels, the unit has also assisted in the development and testing of new weapons.
Teal, the color used for units classified as branch immaterial—i.e., that do not fit into any of the Army’s existing branches—is used for the background on both the scroll, shield, and crest of the Distinctive Unit Insignia (aka “unit crest” or DUI) for the United States Army Marksmanship Unit. Its only imagery is a rendering of the Coat of Arms of the United States of America.
The Army Marksmanship Unit DUI was approved on 15 May 2006, fifty years after the unit was first organized.
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Also known as a unit crest or DUI, a 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 (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.