Squadron Emblem

• Emblem
  • Description: On a disc per fess enhanced dovetailed of one Azure and Vert, a barrulet dovetailed of one Gules, overall a cavalry soldier equipped Proper grasping in his dexter hand a sabre bendwise sinister Gray emitting from the tip in chief four lightning bolts arcing to base Or and mounted on a horse courant Sable garnished of the fourth, all within a diminished border of the sixth.
    
    
  • Attached above the disc, a Yellow scroll edged with a narrow Black border and inscribed "9TH AIR SUPT OPS SQ" in Black letters.
  • Attached below the disc, a Yellow scroll edged with a narrow Black border and inscribed "FOLLOW MY LEAD" in Black letters.
  • Symbolism
    • Ultramarine blue and Air Force yellow are the Air Force colors. Blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. The dovetailed divider symbolizes the strong, interlocking relationship between the Army and the Air Force. The mounted cavalry soldier alludes to the joint cooperation and interoperability between those two organizations. The four arced lightning flashes signify speed, agility, swiftness and the courage of Squadron members. They also denote the integrated close air support through ground-to-air and air-to-ground communications throughout the world.

1st Cavalry Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Styles

• Description: On a yellow triangular Norman shield with rounded corners 5 1/4 inches (13.34 cm) in height overall, a black diagonal stripe extending over the shield from upper left to lower right and in the upper right a black horse's head cut off diagonally at the neck all within a 1/8 inch (.32 cm) green border.
• Symbolism: The color yellow, the traditional Cavalry color, and the horse's head refer to the Division's original Cavalry structure. Black, symbolic of iron, alludes to the transition to tanks and armor. The black diagonal stripe represents a sword baldric and is a mark of military honor; it also implies movement "up the field" and thus symbolizes aggressive élan and attack. The one diagonal bend, as well as the one horse's head, also alludes to the Division's numerical designation.
• Background: The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for the 1st Cavalry Division on 03 January 1921, with several variations in colors of the bend and horse's head to reflect the subordinate elements of the division. The current design was authorized for wear by all subordinate elements of the Division on 11 December 1934, and previous authorization for the variations was cancelled. The insignia was redesignated for the 1st Air Cavalry Division on 05 August 1968. It was redesignated for 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) on 10 September 1968. The insignia was redesignated for the 1st Cavalry Division on 24 May 1971.

The United States Army Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (SSI) or shoulder patch is a cloth heraldic device that uniquely identifies each major US Army formation. The Shoulder Sleeve Insignia is worn on the left upper arm, just below the shoulder seam of the uniform on all but the Army Combat Uniform (ACU). On the Army Combat Uniform the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia is attached to a Velcro backing and is then attached, centered on a rectangle of Velcro on the arm.

Those soldiers who are combat veterans are authorized permanent wear of their Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, earned during combat, on their right shoulder. This shoulder sleeve insignia recognizes "former wartime service" and is frequently called a "combat patch". The Shoulder Sleeve Insignia currently issued in four basic color combinations:

• Full Color (SunSet Gold/Black) - Worn on the Army Dress Uniform (ADU).
• Jungle Subdued (Green/Black) - Worn on the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU).
• Desert Subdued (Tan/Brown) - Worn on the Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU).
• Subdued (Foliage Green/Gray) - Worn on the Army Combat Uniform (ACU).

The Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (SSI) of the 1st Cavalry Division has a history as colorful as its design, reflecting the proud heritage of the United States Cavalry in a timeless manner.

The insignia selected for the First Team patch was designed by Colonel and Mrs. Ben Dorcy. The Colonel was then commander of the 7th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas. Mrs. Dorcy related that the combination of the golden sunset at Fort Bliss and the traditional colors of the Cavalry; blue and yellow, were a great influence on the background color and the insignia. The choice of the horse's head for the insignia was made by the family after they observed a mounted trooper ride by their home on a beautiful blue-black thoroughbred. Later, to improve visibility, the color scheme was modified replacing the blue for black, the symbolic color of iron and armor.

On a "sunset" yellow triangular Norman Shield with rounded corners 5 1/4 inches in height, a black diagonal stripe extends over the shield from upper left to the lower right. In the upper right, a black horse's head cut off diagonally at the neck, appears within 1/8 inches of an Army Green border. The traditional Cavalry color of yellow and the horse's head is symbolic of the original organizational structure of the Cavalry. The color black is symbolic of iron, alluding to the organizational transition from mounted horses to tanks and heavy armor. The black stripe, in heraldry termed a "Sable Bend", represents a "baldric" (a standard Army issue belt worn over the right shoulder to the opposite hip - sometimes referred to as a "Sam Browne belt") which retains either a scabbard which sheaths the trooper's saber or revolver holster.

1st Cavalry Division Combat Shoulder Sleeve Insignia

During the Vietnam engagements, the "sunset yellow" field of the patch was changed to a subdued Olive Drab (OD) green/black for the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) in order to minimize targeting of personnel. For operations in desert environments, the field of the patch was again changed to a tan (Khaki) color and the emblazoned, "Sable" black charge elements was changed to saddle brown (Spice) so that the contrast against the Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU) was minimized. More recently, in the deployment to Iraq and with the introduction of new Army Combat Uniform (ACU), field of the patch was changed to "Foliage/Green" and the charge elements were changed to Gray.

1st CD Shoulder Sleeve Combat Patch

The 1st Cavalry Division Combat Patch is a "mirror image" of the Division patch in that the silhouette of the horse head and diagonal line across the gold background was reversed so it points forward when worn on the right arm of the uniform. It is the same concept as utilized to display the US flag when worn on the right arm, in that the field of stars of the flag is positioned in the upper right-hand corner of the patch. It may look backwards, but the flag billowing toward the back of a soldier indicates he is always advancing, never retreating.

Recently, the official status of the "reversed patch" has come into question and currently the combat patch has reverted to the original patch design (not reversed). Meantime, those who were issued the "reversed design", proudly wear them on their uniforms.

"First-Team"

Description: The new insignia design currently authorized by the Institute of Heraldry is a gold color metal and enamel device 2 inches (5.08 cm) in height embodying a design similar to that of the shoulder sleeve insignia.

Otherwise, other than the mirrored (reversed) image for combat operations the patch has not changed in way from the original design and shape. Occasionally, an unauthorized supplier of the 1st Cavalry patch makes a design that does not conform with the geometry of the patch design and measures are taken to remove it from the market. The design, as authorized by the Institute of Heraldry, is shown below:

1st Cavalry Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Design