More commonly referred to as a unit crest, the Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI) of the 299th Support Battalion, now serving as the 299th Brigade Support Battalion, was originally approved for the 7th Support Battalion on 8 November 1966. It was redesignated for the 299th Support Battalion on 17 June 1983. The Battalion’s Support missions is signified by the white/silver chevron with embattled edges; chevrons have been a symbol of support in heraldry for hundreds of years, suggesting the design of a rafter holding up a roof. Embattled edges denote the combat-support capabilities of the Battalion, while the seven embattlements (the bottom two are partially obscured) are a reference to the unit’s original numerical designation.
A white bayonet on the blue background are both references to Infantry, reflecting the Battalion’s activation at Fort Benning—nicknamed “Home Of The Infantry"—and its initial assignment as an Infantry Brigade. The white heraldic rose below the chevron suggests the Cherokee Rose, state flower of Georgia, while the rose’s barbs simulate a five-pointed star as an allusion to the COSTAR concept of Support Battalions developed by the Army Staff in the mid- to late 1960s. "On Call To Serve" is the Battalion motto.
Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1,
Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia."
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The 299th Brigade Support Battalion was originally constituted on 23 March 1966 in the Regular Army as the 7th Support Battalion. Assigned to the 199th Infantry Brigade at Fort Benning, the Battalion deployed to Vietnam that year and between then and 1970 took part in ten campaigns, garnering a Valorous Unit Award, two Meritorious Unit Citations, three Republic of Vietnam (ROV) Cross of Gallantry medals, and the ROV Civil Action Honor Medal.
Redesignated as the 299th Forward Support Battalion, the unit was inactivated from 1970 until 1983 when it was activated in Germany, only to be inactivated again in August 1991 and reactivated in 1996. The Battalion deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Task Force Eagle and to Kosovo to support Task Force Falcon.
Since the launch of the War on Terrorism, the Battalion as a whole has been tapped for a Valorous Unit Award and three Meritorious Unit Commendations for its service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom between 2004 and 2009. Additionally, individual units have also earned awards for courageous and outstanding service, including a Valorous Unit Award (Detachment, Company B) and the Meritorious Unit Commendation (Companies, D, E, F, G).
As of spring 2022, the 299th Brigade Support Battalion is assigned the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division and is garrisoned at Fort Riley, Kansas.