The lineage of the 2nd begins with the constitution of 2nd Cavalry Brigade Headquarters on 29 August 1917 and its subsequent organization at Fort Bliss, Texas the following December as an element of the 15th Cavalry Division. Its first association with the 1st Cavalry Division came after a period of demobilization following World War I, when it was reconstituted and assigned to the Division in 1921. Deployed to the Pacific Theater during World War II, the 2nd earned credit for participation in three campaigns, two of them with Arrowheads reflecting an assault landing.
After a brief stint (1949 to 1951) as a Constabulary Brigade, the unit was designated the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division; under this designation the group took part in thirteen named campaigns in the Vietnam War and all the campaigns of the Southwest Asia (Operations Desert Shield/Storm) conflict.
As part of the Army’s transition to a modular, brigade-centric force, the 2nd Brigade was redesignated 2nd Brigade Combat Team in 2005. At the same time, the brigade’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company was divided, with the HQ Company being reorganized and redesignated as the Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. Between 2015 and 2018, the Army eliminated all Special Troops Battalions from Brigade Combat Teams, replacing them with Brigade Engineer Battalions instead.
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Also known as a unit crest or DUI, a 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.
For Enlisted personnel, the insignia is centered on a shoulder loop by placing it an equal distance from the outside shoulder seam to the outside edge of the shoulder-loop button. Officers (except Generals) wearing grade insignia on the shoulder loops center the DUI by placing it an equal distance between the inside edge of the grade insignia and the outside edge of the button.
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.