In the United States Army, soldiers wear insignia to denote membership in a particular area of military specialism and series of functional areas. Army branch insignia is similar to the line officer and staff corps officer devices of the U.S. Navy as well as to the Navy enlisted rating badges. The Medical, Nurse, Dental, Veterinary, Medical Service, Medical Specialist, Chaplains, and Judge Advocate General's Corps are considered "special branches", while the others are "basic branches".
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.
History The first use of Army branch insignia was just prior to the American Civil War in 1859 for use on the black felt hat. A system of branch colors, indicated by piping on uniforms of foot soldiers and lace for mounted troops, was first authorized in the 1851 uniform regulations, with Prussian blue denoting infantry, scarlet for artillery, orange for dragoons, green for mounted rifles, and black for staff. When the U.S. Army began developing a series of colored rank epaulets for wear by officers of various Army branches, the scheme included yellow for cavalry officers, red for artillery officers, and light blue or white for infantry officers. General officers wore dark blue epaulets, whilst doctors wore green.
By the start of the 20th century, Army personnel began wearing various branch insignia on the stand-up collars of the Army dress uniform. Branch insignia was also worn by officers on the wool uniform shirt when worn as outerwear. Enlisted soldiers wore a version enclosed in a brass disk while officers wore a full sized version not enclosed. This has continued to the modern age.
Members of Infantry, Armor (including Cavalry), Special Forces, Aviation, Engineer, Field Artillery and Air Defense Artillery regiments may wear a version of the insignia in which the regimental number is included in the insignia. For Air Defense Artillery and Aviation, the number is mounted on the center of the face. For Infantry, Cavalry, Special Forces and Field Artillery, the number is placed immediately above, but not covering, the intersection of the crossed rifles, sabres, arrows, or cannon, respectively. For Armor, the number is placed immediately above the tank.AR 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia.
Branch insignia for Soldiers not affiliated with an infantry, armor, field artillery, air defense artillery, cavalry, special forces, or aviation regiment, generally wear their assigned basic branch insignia; however, as an option, Soldiers who are not affiliated with one of the above regiments, but who are assigned to a color-bearing regiment or separate operational battalion of their branch, may wear their branch insignia with the numerical designation of the battalion or regiment affixed, when approved by the Army command (ACOM) commander, Army service component command commander, or Army direct reporting unit commander. Officers and enlisted personnel assigned to cavalry regiments, cavalry squadrons, or separate cavalry troops are authorized to wear cavalry collar insignia in lieu of the branch insignia, when approved by the ACOM commander.DA Pam 670-1, Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia.
Certain special assignment insignia is worn in place of branch insignia to denote the officer's or NCO's particular responsibility. The enlisted versions of these are borne on a golden disk in the same manner as their customary branch device. Officers so assigned continue to wear their basic branch colors on the epaulets of the blue Army Service Uniform and the Army Blue Mess uniform. Officers and NCOs serving a term in an Inspector General billet wear Inspector General insignia. Officers assigned to general staff billets wear General Staff insignia. Officers assigned as aides-de-camp wear aide-de-camp insignia which denotes the rank of the officer or official whom they serve. Nominative sergeants major will wear nominative Senior Enlisted Leader collar insignia (previously referred to as command sergeant major insignia or enlisted branch immaterial insignia) worn by command sergeants major and sergeants major when in a position rated by a general officer or senior executive service level civilian. The sergeant major assigned as the Sergeant Major of the Army wears unique insignia based upon that of an aide-de-camp to the Army Chief of Staff. If the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman is selected from the Army, that sergeant major wears unique insignia based upon that of an aide-de-camp to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
From 1920, warrant officers, being appointed into the Army "at large", wore the warrant officer device rather than branch insignia on their lapels and a larger warrant officer device on the service cap. Likewise, they wore brown as a branch color no matter their basic specialty. In 2004, warrant officers adopted the insignia and colors of the branch corresponding to their specialty and began wearing the officer insignia on the service cap.
Aside from Army custom, the Army Chief of Staff, former Chiefs of Staff, and generals of the Army (five-star) may prescribe their branch insignia. All other general officers may wear branch insignia at their option. If they choose this option, general officers will wear the branch insignia for the position to which they are appointed, or for their duty assignment. Army custom is that general officers wear no branch insignia, as they deal with echelons far above the basic branch level. Exceptions, however exist, as with the commandants of the various branches retain the respective insignia and Dean of the U.S. Military Academy wears the Professor, USMA insignia.
Wear of Insignia The 21st century Army displays branch insignia on the blue Army Service Uniform coats; it was similarly worn on the Army Green uniform coat until that uniform was withdrawn from wear in 2015. Branch insignia was also similarly worn on rarely seen Army White uniform coat prior to that uniform being declared obsolete and unauthorized in 2006. Enlisted soldiers wear the branch insignia disk on the wearer's left coat collar, opposite the "U.S." insignia disk. All officers, apart from most general officers, wear branch insignia on both lapels, beneath the "U.S." insignia on both coat lapels. Most general officers wear only the "U.S." insignia on both coat lapels, and no branch insignia; chaplains, judge advocates, and senior branch chiefs such as the Chief Engineer and the Quartermaster General are exceptions to this custom, and wear branch insignia in the same manner as typical officers. Other branch chiefs (i.e.: Chief of Infantry, Chief of Artillery, Chief of Intelligence, etc.) may at their option wear the insignia of their branch as other officers; similarly, the Inspector General and Deputy Inspector General wear the inspector general insignia on their lapels in the same manner as other officers serving on inspector general tours.
Branch insignia is also worn by commissioned and warrant officers on the left collar of the hospital duty uniform and the arctic fatigues; rank is worn on the right collar. Chaplains wear branch insignia above the right breast pocket of Class B shirts; no other personnel wear branch insignia on Class B uniforms. Similarly, chaplains are the only soldiers who wear branch insignia on the Army Combat Uniform; chaplains also wear branch insignia on helmets and patrol caps in the place of rank insignia.
Branch of service insignia The following are the current branch insignia emblems of the United States Army:
Branch Insignia Color DescriptionArmy Bands AB Old Glory BlueA lyre, on a 25 millimeters (one inch) disk, all in gold color metal. Enlisted only. [A division of the Adjutant General's Corps, commissioned and warrant officers wear Adjutant General insignia, shown below.]Acquisition Corps AC BlackA gold color metal device in height overall consisting of the Alpha and Omega interlaced, superimposed by an eagle's head erased, all enclosed around the top with a gold tripartite scroll inscribed “INNOVATION” “EXCELLENCE” “DEDICATION” in incised letters; around the bottom entwined by the scroll ends are two laurel branches crossed at base all gold. Enlisted only.Air Defense Artillery AD ScarletA missile surmounting two crossed field guns, all of gold colored metal, in height.Adjutant General's Corps AG Dark Blue and Scarlet PipingA 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. The enlisted version is entirely gold-colored metal.Army Nurse Corps AN Maroon and White PipingA gold color medal caduceus, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height, bearing an 'N' in black enamel, centered. Commissioned officers only.Armor AR YellowThe front view of an M26 Pershing tank, gun slightly raised, superimposed on two crossed cavalry sabers in scabbards, cutting edge up, in height overall, of gold color metal.Aviation AV Ultramarine Blue and Golden Orange PipingA silver propeller in a vertical position between two gold wings in a horizontal position, in width. The enlisted version is entirely gold color metal.Chaplain Corps - Christian Faith CH BlackA silver color Latin Cross, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height. Commissioned officers only.Chaplain Corps - Jewish Faith CH BlackThe Decalogue, bearing Hebrew numerals from 1 to 10 surmounted by a Star of David, all of silver color, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height. Commissioned officers only.Chaplain Corps - Buddhist Faith CH BlackA silver color Dharmacakra, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height. Commissioned officers only.Chaplain Corps - Chaplain Candidate CH BlackOver the lower corners of an open book, two laurel branches crossed at the stems overall a shepherd's crook, all gold. The insignia is in height and in width. Commissioned officers only.Chaplain Corps - Hindu Faith CH BlackA silver color Aum, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height. Commissioned officers only.Chaplain Corps - Muslim Faith CH BlackA silver color Crescent, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height. Commissioned officers only.Chaplain Corps - Religious Affairs Specialist CA BlackStylized hands supporting a chapel, doors open, on a 25 millimeters (one inch) disk of gold color metal. Enlisted only.Chemical Corps CM Cobalt Blue and Golden Yellow PipingA benzene ring of cobalt blue enamel superimposed in the center of crossed gold color retorts, in height and in width overall. The enlisted version lacks the enamel.Civil Affairs Corps CA Purple and White PipingOn a globe 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. For Special Operations CAs, crossed pipes with tomahawks mounted on tip, all in gold, are worn; known as the "Pipehawk" insignia.Cavalry CV YellowTwo crossed sabers in scabbards (right over left), cutting edge up, in height, of gold color metal.Cyber Corps CY Steel Gray and Black PipingTwo crossed lightning bolts, surmounted by a vertical dagger, pointed up, all gold, 13/16 inches in height and 1 7/16 inch wideDepartment of the Army Pamphlet 670–1, Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, dated 2 December 2014, last accessed 24 December 2014Dental Corps DC Maroon and White PipingA gold color medal caduceus, 25 millimeters (one inch) in height, bearing a 'D' in black enamel, centered. Commissioned officers only.Corps of Engineers EN Scarlet and White PipingA gold color triple-turreted castle, in height.Field Artillery FA ScarletTwo crossed field guns (left over right), gold color metal, in height.Finance Corps