Originally approved on 10 October 1986 for the 183rd Infantry Regiment, the Distinctive Unit Insignia of the 183rd Cavalry Regiment has only been approved for that organization since 2006, the year that the 183rd Regiment morphed into not one, but two new organizations: the 183rd Cavalry and the 183rd Regiment, a training regiment that runs the Virginia Army National Guard’s Regional Training Institute.
Blue and white (silver) are used in the insignia to celebrate the Regiment’s long association with the 29th Infantry Division, nicknamed the “Blue And Gray Division” for having units drawn from National Guard units from both above and below the Mason-Dixon line after the war; blue and white are also the two traditional colors of the Infantry branch. Service in the War of 1812 is commemorated with a red and white St. Andrew’s Cross. The chevron worn with the point down is an older-style charge that reflects the importance of citizen-soldiers in ensuring combat readiness for the protection of the nation. The dogwood flower in the top center of the insignia is the state flower of Virginia, the unit’s home station. “Death To Tyrants” is the Regimental motto and recalls the words of Thomas Jefferson on the subject of despots and evil kings.
As of Autumn 2023, the 183rd Cavalry Regiment consists of a sole squadron, the 2nd (2-183rd CAV) and is assigned to the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 29th Infantry Division, Virginia Army National Guard.
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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. 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.