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.
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A black bear’s paw with claws extended upward is the focal point the 49th Military Police Brigade unit crest, or Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI). The bear has been associated with California almost since its inception, while the golden sun behind it is an emblem of the state’s reputation as the “Sunshine State.” The motto, “Pride and Power,” was previously the motto of the 49th Infantry Brigade, one of the current Brigade’s former designations. This design was approved on 6 October 1967.
As the only Military Police Brigade in the California Army National Guard, the 49th’s primary mission is the provide DSCA (Defense Support to Civilian Authorities) in the state’s northern region. To ensure it is able to deliver those capabilities in a timely manner, the Brigade has created a quick Reaction Force that enables it to respond to a variety of emergencies in just a few hours.
The 49th Military Police Brigade has been Federally activated twice to support the Global War on Terror and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2005, it was deployed to Iraq and given the mission of training the newly established Iraqi Police forces, while also assuming command and control functions over three MP Battalions comprising some 3,000 Soldiers. In March 2011, it was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation for its second deployment in support of OIF from 1 October 2009 to 31 July 2010. As of May 2023, the Brigade's HQ and HQ Company are based in Fairfield, California.