The 403rd Civil Affairs Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI), commonly called a unit crest, was approved for wear on 16 May 1993. Purple and white (silver) are used for the scroll and inscription to denote the Battalion’s status as a unit in the Civil Affair branch. Black, red and green are the Kuwaiti National colors and are used on the insignia to commemorate the unit’s participation in the Liberation of Kuwait campaign in the Persian Gulf of 1990 – 1991.
The 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 (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."♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The 403rd Civil Affairs Battalion was originally constituted as the 403rd Military Government Company on 22 November 1948 in the Organized Reserve Corps. It was reorganized and redesignated once as the 403rd Civil Affairs and Military Government Company in August 1956 and then simply redesignated as the 403rd Civil Affairs Company. It was under this designation that the unit was called into active military service in support of the Liberation of Kuwait during the Persian Gulf War of 1990-1991 and then tapped for a Navy Unit Commendation some ten years later.
In September 1992, the Company was reorganized and redesignated for the final time as HQ and HQ Detachment, 403rd Civil Affairs Battalion, with its organic elements concurrently constituted and activated. The Battalion as a whole was called into active military service in 2005, and over the next ten years four of its subordinate units—Companies B, A, D, and C, in that chronological order—were subsequently ordered into active military service as well.
During the first call to active service, the Battalion—i.e., its HHC and Companies A, B, and C—earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC). For service between October 2008 and August 2009, two of the Battalion’s Companies—A and B—were tapped for another MUC for service they performed while assigned or attached to the 425th Civil Affairs Battalion. And during a call to active service between July 2011 and May 2012, Companies C and D also selected for an MUC, this time while attached or assigned to the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion.
When not called in to active military service, the 403rd Civil Affairs Battalion is assigned to the 304th Civil Affairs Brigade, 353rd Civil Affairs Command, a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne). It is an Army Reserve unit, with its headquarters located at Mattydale, New York.