The 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia (also known as a unit crest or as a DUI) was first approved in December 1966 while the unit was still designated the 7th Maintenance Battalion, with the description and symbolism revised on 31 December 1992. It was redesignated with revised symbolism for the 17th Support Battalion effective 16 October 1993. The wheel in the background of the insignia is the dharma chakra and the lion in front is a Burmese lion, both symbolic of the unit’s service in the Southeast Asian theater during World War II; the lion’s pedestal also represents the support function of the organization.
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 (ASU, 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" and 21–3(d) and (e),
"Beret" and
"Garrison Cap," respectively.
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The 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion was originally constituted in the Regular Arm as the 7th Ordnance Battalion on 24 July 1941 and activated a week later at Birmingham, Alabama; it was inactivated in March 1946 in India. After a couple of inactivations/activations between 1950 and 1964, the unit was redesignated as Headquarters, 7th Maintenance Battalion on 1 May 1965 and activated in July 1965 in Thailand.
After nearly three decades of minor reorganizations and redesignations, it was redesignated as the 17th Support Battalion on 16 October 1993. The Battalion was reorganized at Fort Richardson in July 2006, and the following October it was redesignated the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. It was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom the following year, then almost immediately redeployed in October 2008; in 2010 and 2014, the unit deployed to Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom.
Currently co-located at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Fort Wainwright, the “Ready, Reliable, Exact” Battalion stands ready as the largest battalion-level formation in United States Army Alaska with seven Companies and six Detachments comprising over 1200 Soldiers.