The 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI), or unit crest, was approved for wear on 6 August 1993. Its status as a Civil Affairs organization is denoted by the insignia’s use of CA branch colors purple and white, while its Civil Affairs mission is represented by a crossed sword and scroll enwrapped by a laurel wreath in the center of the shield portion of the insignia.
The scroll is for its civil duties and administrative responsibilities; the sword is an obvious reference to the military aspect often required to set the stage for the introduction of stable civil institutions. A laurel wreath it a symbol of achievement and success and buttresses the unit motto, “Coordination For Success.”
he 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.
Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1,
Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia."
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Constituted as the 443rd Military Government Company in the Organized Reserve Corps on 28 August 1950, the 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion has retained its original numerical designation throughout its seven-decades-plus of service and remained allotted to the Army Reserve. It has also remained based in the state of Rhode Island over that entire period, except of course for those times it has been called to active military service.
On 16 September 1992, it was given redesignated HQ and HQ Detachment, 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion; by the time the Battalions HQ and HQ Detachment was redesignated as HQ and HQ Company 16 September 2005, some of its elements were already in active military service in the War on Terrorism. The entire Battalion was called to active military service once between 2007 and 2013 (November 2007 to December 2008), but Companies and smaller contingents were individually ordered into active service on at least three occasions.
The Battalion was tapped for a Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) for its service during its 2007 – 2008 deployment. Subordinate units were also chosen for individual awards, including a Valorous Unit Award for a Detachment from the Battalion (20 April 2003 to 22 Mar 2004) and Meritorious Unit Commendations for Company B (Afghanistan, July 2011 and May 2012) and a Detachment from Company B (Iraq 2003).
As of Spring 2023, the 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion remains allotted to the Army Reserve, where it is assigned to the 304th Civil Affairs Brigade, 353rd Civil Affairs Command when not called to active service. The Battalion is located at the U.S. Army Reserve Center, at Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island.