The Distinctive Unit Insignia worn by personnel in U.S. Army South was originally approved for U.S. Army Forces Southern Command on 24 June 1969. It was redesignated for U.S. Army South on 1 April 1987 and was subsequently amended to change both the description and the meaning of the symbolism on 29 July 1996.
With the establishment of the joint United States Caribbean Command on 1 November 1947, the U.S. Army transformed the Panama Canal Department into U.S. Army Caribbean just two weeks later on 15 November 1947. It would become the United States Army Forces Southern Command in 1963 to reflect the redesignation of the joint force to United States Southern Command. Near the end of 1986, the Army element of United States Southern Command was redesignated as United States Army South.
A little over twenty years later, U.S. Army South was merged with Sixth United States Army, expanding the size of the Army element of U.S. Southern Command. Today, its area of responsibility includes thirty-one countries and more than a dozen areas of special sovereignty.
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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 (ASU, Enlisted only) with the base of the insignia toward the outside shoulder seam. Current regulations do not permit the DUI to be 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.
Related Items
United States Army South Patch (SSI)
United States Army South Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)