U.S. ARMY 69TH INFANTRY BRIGADE UNIT CREST (DUI)

Often called a unit crest or referred to by the initialism DUI, the Distinctive Unit Insignia is worn by all Soldiers (except General Officers) 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.

The 69th Infantry Brigade Distinctive Unit Insignia—more commonly referred to as a unit crest or a DUI—was approved for wear on 13 April 1967. A blue arrowhead at the bottom of the insignia symbolizes military might in general and the Brigade's might in particular. Behind the arrowhead is a sunflower, state flower of the Brigade's home state of Kansas. "Strength With Valor"  was formalized as the unit motto with the adoption of the unit crest.

The 69th Infantry Brigade’s origins go back to 1917 when it was organized in August to comprise the 137th and 138th Infantry and assigned to the 35th Division. It arrived in France in early May and took part in the Meuse-Argonne campaign, returning to the U.S. in the spring of 1919 and being demobilized on 8 May 1919. It did not see combat during World War II and in fact was disbanded on 3 February 1942.

It was reactivated in April 1963 through the redesignation of the 35th Infantry Division as the 39th Infantry Brigade (Separate) in the Kansas Army National Guard, and would be deployed to Vietnam to relieve the 5th Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade. The Brigade reverted to state control on 3 December 1969, and it would not see combat again before it was converted, reorganized, and redesignated as the 35th Infantry Division (Mechanized).

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69th Infantry Brigade Patch (SSI)