Colloquially referred to as a unit crest, the Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI) of the Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division was approved for wear on 26 November 2007. It consists of two components, a shield and attached scroll, with the shield divided into a teal chief (upper third) containing a polestar bookended by lightning flashes and the remainder featuring three silver-trimmed, blue bendlets in sinister (diagonal bars oriented from lower left to upper right). In the center of the lower section is a red dagger surmounted on a black pale (vertical bar).
The blue-and-white pattern recalls the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the 3rd Infantry Division, famously nicknamed “Rock Of The Marne” for a valiant defense against a massive German offensive in World War I. A black pale is for military strength, while the dagger is for sacrifice. A teal background in the chief reflects the Branch Immaterial status of Special Troops Battalions, while the polestar denotes the unit’s ability to deploy by land, sir, or air anywhere on the globe to support the mission; it also is a symbol of the command-and-control functions of the Battalion. The lighting flashes recall Signal capabilities and signify the communication and electronic capabilities of the unit. FORTIUS QUO UNITATIS, a Latin phrase that translate as “Strength Through Unity.”
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. Current regulations do not permit the DUI to be worn on the Dress variations of either uniform, however.
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.
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The Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division began its service life as Headquarters, Special Troops, 3rd Infantry Division, constituted in the Regular Army on 12 October 1943 and activated on 16 June 1944 in Italy. It fought in five campaigns in World War II, with an Arrowhead device augmenting the unit’s Southern France campaign streamer. It was also tapped for a Presidential Unit Citation for its courage and sacrifice during Operation Nordwind, the final German Offensive of the War; it was also awarded a French Croix de Guerre with Palm for its actions during the Offensive, as well as a French World War II Fourragere.
Converted and redesignated 10 January 1949 as the 3rd Replacement Company and assigned to the 3d Infantry Division, the unit fought in eight Korean War campaigns, earning a Meritorious Unit Commendation, two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations, and the Chryssoun Aristion Andrias decoration (Greek Cross of Valor).
After two redesignations between July 1957 and May 1972, the unit was inactivated in September 1985 while designated as the 3rd Adjutant General Company. Nearly twenty years would elapse before its reactivation on 16 May 2004 and its simultaneous redesignation as 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division.
Following the launch of the War on Terrorism, the Battalion was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for service between March 2007 and June 2008, with special mention made of the Battalion’s “flexibility and competence” being crucial to restoring security to the operational environments of both Multi-National Division-Center and Multi-National Division Baghdad. In addition, the Battalion’s Company A was selected individually for a second Meritorious Unit Commendation while assigned or attached to Headquarters, 3rd Infantry Division between October 2009 and October 2010.
The Battalion was inactivated in January 2015.