As part of the Army Cohesion and Stability Study ( ARCOST ) of 1980 , a proposal to adopt the Army Superior Unit Award was forwarded to Major Army Commands ( MACOM ) for comment on 18 March 1981 . This recommendation was based on the fact that present Army unit awards were for combat service only . While all MACOM and most of the Army Staff supported the proposal , the leadership elected not to approve the new award . In 1984 , the Vice Chief of Staff , Army , directed that a Peacetime Unit Award be developed and submitted for approval . In April 1985 , the Secretary of the Army ( SECARMY ) approved the Army Superior Unit Award for meritorious unit performance of a uniquely difficult and challenging mission under extraordinary circumstances that involved the national interest . As a result of the strict criteria and lack of approving awards , the criteria were changed by SECARMY in July 1986 . This change deleted the words " unique " and " national interest " . Only two units were awarded the ASUA prior to the revision . The first ASUA was awarded to the 164th Military Police Company , 59th Ordnance Brigade , Miesau , West Germany , in May 1985 for its anti-terrorism work during NATO nuclear operations . The second went to the 3d Battalion , 502d Infantry , 101st Airborne Division . Nearly 200 of the 248 soldiers who were killed in the crash of Arrow Air Flight 1285 in Gander , Newfoundland , were from the battalion and were on their way home in December 1985 from duty with the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai Desert . On 17 September 1991 , in a memorandum to the Secretary of the Army , The Adjutant General ( TAG ) requested approval to create a lapel pin to be worn by all members of units awarded the Army Superior Unit Award . This recommendation was based on the fact that the award was being presented to units with a significant number of civilians assigned and there was no visible means of recognizing them . This change permitted issue of an emblem to both military and civilian personnel . The Secretary of the Army approved the recommendation on 12 December 1991 . '' Source : United States Army ( 2009 ) '' The emblem is worn by all members of a cited organization and is considered an individual decoration for persons in connection with the cited acts and may be worn whether or not they continue as members of the organization . Other personnel may wear this decoration while serving with an organization to indicate the unit has been awarded the Army Superior Unit Award . '' Source : United States Army ( 2009 ) ''
Arrow Air Flight 1285
Arrow Air Flight 1285
Superior Unit Award