United States Army branch insignia

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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.

1 History
2 How Worn
3 Branch of Service Insignia
4 External link

[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:

Adjutant General AG		A silver metal and enamel shield 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		A missile surmounting two crossed field guns, all of gold colored metal, 1 1/8 inches in height.
Armor AR		The front view of an M-26 tank, gun slightly raised, superimposed on two crossed cavalry sabers in scabbards, cutting edge up, 13/16 inch in height overall, of gold color metal.
Aviation AV		A silver propeller in a vertical position between two gold wings in a horizontal position, 1 1/8 inches in width.
Army Band

Cavalry		Two crossed sabers in scabbards, cutting edge up, 11/16 inch in height, of gold color metal.
Chemical Corps CM		A benzene ring of cobalt blue enamel superimposed in the center of crossed gold color retorts, 1/2 inch in height and 1 13/16 inches in width overall.
Civil Affairs CA		On a globe 5/8 inch in diameter, a torch of liberty one inch in height surmounted by a scroll and a sword crossed in saltire, all of gold color.
Engineer EN		A gold color triple-turreted castle, 11/16 inch in height.
Field Artillery FA		Two crossed field guns, gold color metal, 13/16 inch in height.
Finance Corps FI		A gold color diamond, 1 inch by 3/4 inch, short axis vertical.
General Staff GS		The coat of arms of the United States, 5/8 inch in height, of gold color metal superimposed on a five-pointed silver color star, one inch in circumscribing diameter. The shield to be in enamel stripes white and red, chief of blue, and the glory blue.
Immaterial and Command Sergeant Major

Infantry IN		Two gold color crossed muskets, vintage 1795 Springfield musket, 3/4 inch in height.
Inspector General		A sword and fasces 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		A gold color sword and pen crossed and superimposed on a laurel wreath, 11/16 inches in height.
Medical Corps MC		A gold color medal caduceus, 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 is silver.
Dental Corps DC(?)

Veterinary Corps AN(?)

Medical Specialist Corps SP(?)

Nurse Corps AN

Medical Service Corps MS

Military Intelligence MI		On a gold color metal dagger, point up, 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		Two crossed gold color metal pistols 3/4 inch in height.
National Guard Bureau NG		Two crossed gold color metal fasces superimposed on an eagle displayed with wings reversed, 3/4 inch in height.
Ordnance Corps OD		A gold color metal shell and flame, one inch in height.
Psychological Operations Corps		Crossed daggers with blade forming a lightning bolt, superimposed by a knight chess piece.
Public Affairs		A vertical broadsword set against a cross quill with pen and a lightning bolt.
Quartermaster Corps QM		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 3/4 inches in height.
Signal Corps SC		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; 7/8 inch in height.
Special Forces SF		Two crossed arrows 3/4 inch in height and 1 3/8 inches in width all gold color.
Staff Specialist USAR/ARNG		A sword 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 13/16 inch in height of gold color metal.
Transportation Corps TC		A ship's steering wheel, superimposed thereon a shield charged with a winged car wheel on a rail, all of gold color metal, one inch in height.
Christian Chaplain CH		A silver color Latin Cross, one inch in height.
Jewish Chaplain CH		A double table bearing Hebrew numerals from 1 to 10 surmounted by a Star of David, all of silver color, one inch in height.
Buddhist Chaplain CH		A silver color dharma cakra, one inch in height.
Muslim Chaplain CH		A silver color crescent, one-inch in height.
Chaplain Assistant		Stylized hands enclosing a chapel, door open, on a one inch disk of gold color metal.