Originally constituted in the Quartermaster Corps as the 1st Cavalry Division Train (Transportation Service) in September 1921, the Special Troops Battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade underwent several redesignations in the decades leading up to 1985 and the start of a twenty-year period of inactivation. One of those designations was as the 16th Cavalry Quartermaster Squadron, which was credited with participation in four campaigns in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
In 1957 it was redesignated the 15th Administration Company and became part of 1st Cavalry Division Support Command. Deployed to Vietnam, the Company took part thirteen of the war’s seventeen named campaigns and was honored with a Presidential Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award, three Republic of Vietnam (ROV) Crosses of Gallantry with Palm, and an ROV Civil Action Honor Medal, Class.
Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division was formed from the redesignation of the 15th Adjutant General Company on 16 October 2005. Following the 4th Sustainment Brigade’s reflagging as the 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade in 2015, the Special Troops Battalion was placed under its command.
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The Distinctive Unit Insignia (also called a unit crest or DUI) of the Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division borrows the iconic horse head from the Divisional insignia and adds lighting flashes to represent Signals functions and a star to denote Military Police functions.
Distinctive Unit Insignias 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 (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."