The 716th Military Police Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia, or unit crest, was approved on 7 October 1942. It displays a baton of the type carried as badges of authority by high officers in a monarchy who were originally assigned military duties. The baton (or abaton or truncheon) thus symbolizes the functions of the organization in justly administering the essential principles of justice. LEX ET ORDO, the unit motto, is Latin for “Law And Order.”
Distinctive Unit Insignias are 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. DUIs are not worn on the Dress variations of either uniform, however.
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Activated on 15 January 1942, the 716th Military Police Battalion earned an American Theater campaign streamer for service within the United States during World War II. During the Vietnam War, the Battalion served in an incredible sixteen of the Vietnam War’s seventeen campaigns and played an important albeit ad-hoc role in the defense of key U.S. government installations in Saigon during the Tet Offensive, ultimately losing seventeen MPs while helping prevent the buildings from being overrun or captured. The Battalion was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for that action, and for its service between 1966 and 1973 it was also tapped for three Meritorious Unit Commendations and two Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm awards.
In 1990, the Battalion was deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, where it took part in all three Gulf War campaign and was subsequently awarded another Meritorious Unit Commendation. Following deployment to Somalia in the early and mid-1990s, the Battalion was involved early and often in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, and by 2016 it was credited with five campaigns in the War on Terrorism—one in Afghanistan and four in Iraq—and had been awarded four Meritorious Unit Citations, a Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) for service between 21 March and 24 April 2003, and a Navy Unit Commendation.
Today (Summer 2023), the 716th Military Police Battalion is assigned to the 16th Military Police Brigade and is stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.