United States Army branch insignia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Branch insignia of the United States Army refers to one of several military emblems that may be worn on the uniform of the United States Army to denote membership in a particular area of expertise. Army branch insignia is similar to the line officer and staff devices of the United States Navy as well as to the Navy Enlisted rating badges.
Army branch insignia is separate from Army qualification badges in that qualification badges require completion of a training course or school, whereas branch insignia is issued to a service member upon assignment to a particular area of the Army.
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[edit] History
The first use of Army branch insignia was just prior to the American Civil War in the 1850s. It was at that point that the U.S. Army begin developing a series of colored epaulets for wear by officers of various Army branches. The original collar scheme was that cavalry officers would wear yellow, artillery officers red, and infantry officers blue. General officers wore dark blue epaulets.
By the start of the 20th century, Army personnel began wearing various branch insignia on their jacket lapels. Enlisted soldiers would wear a version that is enclosed in a brass disk while officers would wear a full sized version that is not enclosed. This has continued to the modern age.
[edit] How Worn
The 21st century Army displays branch insignia on green (Class A only), blue, and white uniforms. Enlisted would wear the branch insignia disk on the wearer's left coat lapel, opposite "U.S." insignia disk. Officers wear branch insignia on the lower half of both lapels, beneath the "U.S." insignia which occupies the upper half.
Branch insignia is also permitted on shirt collars of the hospital duty uniform, and over the shirt's left breast pocket for chaplains. Other personnel do not wear branch insignia on shirts (Class B uniform).
[edit] Branch of Service Insignia
The following are the currently used branch insignia emblems of the United States Army:
| Branch | Insignia | Color | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjutant General
AG |
 |
Dark Blue and Scarlet Piping | A silver metal and enamel shield 25 millimeters (one inch) in height on which are 13 vertical stripes, seven silver and six red; on a blue chief one large and 12 small silver stars. |
| Air Defense Artillery
AD |
 |
Scarlet | A missile surmounting two crossed field guns, all of gold colored metal, 30 millimeters (1 1/8 inches) in height. |
| Armor
AR |
 |
Yellow | The front view of an M-26 tank, gun slightly raised, superimposed on two crossed cavalry sabers in scabbards, cutting edge up, 20 millimeters (13/16 inch) in height overall, of gold color metal. |
| Aviation
AV |
 |
Ultramarine Blue and Golden Orange Piping | A silver propeller in a vertical position between two gold wings in a horizontal position, 30 millimeters (1 1/8 inches) in width. |
| Army Band |  |
None | |
| Cavalry |  |
Yellow | Two crossed sabers in scabbards, cutting edge up, 17 millimeters (11/16 inch) in height, of gold color metal. |
| Chemical Corps
CM |
 |
Cobalt blue and Golden Yellow Piping | A benzene ring of cobalt blue enamel superimposed in the center of crossed gold color retorts, 13 millimeters (1/2 inch) in height and 45 millimeters (1 13/16 inches) in width overall. |
| Civil Affairs
CA |
 |
Purple and White Piping | On a globe 15 millimeters (5/8 inch) in diameter, a torch of liberty 25 millimeters (one inch) in height surmounted by a scroll and a sword crossed in saltire, all of gold color. |
| Engineer
EN |
 |
Scarlet and White Piping | A gold color triple-turreted castle, 17 millimeters (11/16 inch) in height. |
| Field Artillery
FA |
 |
Scarlet | Two crossed field guns, gold color metal, 45 millimeters (1 13/16 inches) in height. |
| Finance Corps
FI |
 |
Silver Gray and Golden Yellow Piping | A gold color diamond, 25 millimeters (1 inch) by 19 millimeters (3/4 inch), short axis vertical. |
| General Staff
GS |
 |
None | The coat of arms of the United States, 15 millimeters (5/8 inch) in height, of gold color metal superimposed on a five-pointed silver color star, 25 millimeters (one inch) in circumscribing diameter. The shield to be in enamel stripes white and red, chief of blue, and the glory blue. |
| Branch Immaterial and Command Sergeant Major |
 |
Teal blue and Yellow Piping | |
| Infantry
IN |
 |
Light Blue | Two gold color crossed muskets, vintage 1795 Springfield musket, 19 millimeters (3/4 inch) in height. |
| Inspector General |  |
Dark Blue and Light Blue Piping | A sword and fasces 19 millimeters (3/4 inch) in height, crossed and wreathed in gold color metal with the inscription "DROIT ET AVANT" (Right and Forward) in blue enamel on the upper part of the wreath. |
| Judge Advocate General
JA |
 |
Dark Blue and White Piping | A gold color sword and pen crossed and superimposed on a laurel wreath, 17 millimeters (11/16 inch) in height. |
| Medical Corps
MC |
 |
Maroon and White Piping | A gold color medal caduceus, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height. With the exception of the Medical Corps, each Corps is identified by black enamel letters centered on the caduceus indicative of their Corps. The insignia for Medical Service Corps, below, is silver. |
| Medical Service Corps
MS |
 |
Maroon and White Piping | |
| Dental Corps
DE |
 |
Maroon and White Piping | |
| Veterinary Corps
VE |
 |
Maroon and White Piping | |
| Medical Specialist Corps
SP |
 |
Maroon and White Piping | |
| Nurse Corps
AN |
 |
Maroon and White Piping | |
| Military Intelligence
MI |
 |
Oriental Blue and Silver Gray Piping | On a gold color metal dagger, point up, 32 millimeters (1 1/4 inches) overall in height, a gold color metal heraldic sun composed of four straight and four wavy alternating rays surmounted by a gold heraldic rose, the petals are dark blue enamel. |
| Military Police Corps
MP |
 |
Green and Yellow Piping | Two crossed gold color metal pistols 19 millimeters (3/4 inch) in height. |
| National Guard Bureau
NG |
 |
Dark Blue | Two crossed gold color metal fasces superimposed on an eagle displayed with wings reversed, 19 millimeters (3/4 inch) in height. |
| Ordnance Corps
OD |
 |
Crimson and Yellow Piping | A gold color metal shell and flame, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height. |
| Psychological Operations |  |
Bottle Green and Silver Gray Piping | Crossed daggers with blade forming a lightning bolt, superimposed by a knight chess piece. |
| Public Affairs |  |
Teal blue and Yellow Piping | A vertical broadsword set against a cross quill with pen and a lightning bolt. |
| Quartermaster Corps
QM |
 |
Buff | A gold color eagle with wings spread perched on a wheel with a blue felloe set with 13 gold stars, having 13 gold spokes and the hub white with a red center; superimposed on the wheel a gold sword and key crossed diagonally hilt and bow up. The insignia is 19 millimeters (3/4 inch) in height. |
| Signal Corps
SC |
 |
Orange and White Piping | Two signal flags crossed, dexter flag white with a red center, the sinister flag red with a white center, staffs gold, with a flaming torch of gold color metal upright at center of crossed flags; 22 millimeters (7/8 inch) in height. |
| Special Forces
SF |
 |
Jungle Green | Two crossed arrows 19 millimeters (3/4 inch) in height and 35 millimeters (1 3/8 inches) in width all gold color. |
| Staff Specialist USAR/ARNG
SS |
 |
Green | A sword 35 millimeters (1 3/8 inches) in length laid horizontally across the upper part of an open book. Below the sword and across the lower corners of the book two laurel branches cross at the stems. Insignia 19 millimeters (13/16 inch) in height of gold color metal. |
| Transportation Corps
TC |
 |
Brick Red and Golden Yellow Piping | A ship's steering wheel, superimposed thereon a shield charged with a winged car wheel on a rail, all of gold color metal, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height. |
| Chaplain Corps - Christian Faith
CH |
 |
Black | A silver color Latin Cross, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height. |
| Chaplain Corps - Jewish Faith
CH |
 |
Black | A double table bearing Hebrew numerals from 1 to 10 surmounted by a Star of David, all of silver color, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height. |
| Chaplain Corps - Buddhist Faith
CH |
 |
Black | A silver color Dharmacakra, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height. |
| Chaplain Corps - Muslim Faith
CH |
 |
Black | A silver color Crescent, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height. |
| Chaplain Corps - Chaplain Assistant |  |
Black | Stylized hands enclosing a chapel, door open, on a 25 millimeters (one inch) disk of gold color metal. |
[edit] Obsolete Insignia
The following insignia emblems of the United States Army which are no longer used:
| Branch | Insignia | Color | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bureau of Insular Affairs BI (?) |
 |
Dark blue | 1902-1939 | A bunch of seven arrows, points up, superimposed on a pair of wings, all gold.[1] |
| Warrant Officers |  |
Brown | 1920-1943 1943-2004 |
An eagle rising with wings displayed standing on a bundle of two arrows, all enclosed in a wreath, all gold color 3/4 inch in height.[2] |
| Women's Army Corps
WAC |
 |
Mosstone Green and Old Gold Piping | 1942-1978 | The head of "Pallas Athene", 1 1/8 inches in height, of gold color metal.[3] |
