1.
Shoulder sleeve insignia
–
A shoulder sleeve insignia, is an embroidered patch used by major formations of the United States Army. Each formation has a unique formation patch, and the U. S. Army is unique among the U. S, armed Forces in that all soldiers are required to wear the patch of their headquarters as part of their military uniforms. Shoulder sleeve insignia worn on the right shoulders on Army uniforms denote former wartime service. These combat patches are worn on the Army Combat Uniform but are not worn on the Army Service Uniform, instead a 2 inch metal replica is worn on the right breast pocket and is officially known as the Combat Service Identification Badge. Shoulder sleeve insignia were designed with intricate designs including bright colors. However, with the retirement of the Army Green Uniform in 2015, for combat uniforms, subdued versions have been created for wear on the battlefield. Full color SSI were only worn on the green Class A uniform, however, with the ACU, the MP brassard was replaced by a rectangular patch made of fabric or infrared-reflective material, reading MP. The subdued version of the SSI created for the Battle Dress Uniform features patches that are primarily olive, dark brown and black, in general, this version is obsolete because the Army phased out the BDU in favor of the Army Combat Uniform. A few examples remain, as older accessories, such as BDU winter weather jackets and coats are still in use by some units. These jackets still use the subdued BDU SSI, the subdued version created for the Desert Camouflage Uniform is primarily tan and Spice brown, to match the uniforms design. This version is obsolete, as the Army phased out DCUs in favor of ACUs. The subdued version created for the Army Combat Uniform is the widely used in the field today. Since the Army-wide adoption of the ACU, SSI for the ACU have been developed and these SSI are primarily foliage green, light brown, and black, though a few patches also feature red and maroon colors for some details. Unlike previous patches, the ACU SSI are velcro, designed to attach to the velcro pockets on the shoulder of the uniform and this makes them easier to remove and replace. Since the development of the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern uniform new SSI have been procured where the Foliage green of the ACU SSI is replaced by Bagby green, velcro remains the method for attaching the SSI to the uniform. Well-recognized examples are the shoulder insignia for the 1st Infantry Division. In the U. S. Army, the SSI is worn on the upper arm, just below the uniforms shoulder seam on all. On the Army Combat Uniform the SSI is attached to a backing and is then centered on rectangle of velcro on the arm
2.
United States
–
Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
3.
United States Army
–
The United States Armed Forces are the federal armed forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, from the time of its inception, the military played a decisive role in the history of the United States. A sense of unity and identity was forged as a result of victory in the First Barbary War. Even so, the Founders were suspicious of a permanent military force and it played an important role in the American Civil War, where leading generals on both sides were picked from members of the United States military. Not until the outbreak of World War II did a standing army become officially established. The National Security Act of 1947, adopted following World War II and during the Cold Wars onset, the U. S. military is one of the largest militaries in terms of number of personnel. It draws its personnel from a pool of paid volunteers. As of 2016, the United States spends about $580.3 billion annually to fund its military forces, put together, the United States constitutes roughly 40 percent of the worlds military expenditures. For the period 2010–14, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute found that the United States was the worlds largest exporter of major arms, the United States was also the worlds eighth largest importer of major weapons for the same period. The history of the U. S. military dates to 1775 and these forces demobilized in 1784 after the Treaty of Paris ended the War for Independence. All three services trace their origins to the founding of the Continental Army, the Continental Navy, the United States President is the U. S. militarys commander-in-chief. Rising tensions at various times with Britain and France and the ensuing Quasi-War and War of 1812 quickened the development of the U. S. Navy, the reserve branches formed a military strategic reserve during the Cold War, to be called into service in case of war. Time magazines Mark Thompson has suggested that with the War on Terror, Command over the armed forces is established in the United States Constitution. The sole power of command is vested in the President by Article II as Commander-in-Chief, the Constitution also allows for the creation of executive Departments headed principal officers whose opinion the President can require. This allowance in the Constitution formed the basis for creation of the Department of Defense in 1947 by the National Security Act, the Defense Department is headed by the Secretary of Defense, who is a civilian and member of the Cabinet. The Defense Secretary is second in the chain of command, just below the President. Together, the President and the Secretary of Defense comprise the National Command Authority, to coordinate military strategy with political affairs, the President has a National Security Council headed by the National Security Advisor. The collective body has only power to the President
4.
Field Artillery Branch (United States)
–
The Field Artillery Branch of the United States Army was founded on 17 November 1775 by the Continental Congress, which unanimously elected Henry Knox Colonel of the Regiment of Artillery. The regiment formally entered service on 1 January 1776, Artillery of all types was part of the Artillery Corps until 1901, when the Corps was split into battery-sized units, called companies at the time, of Field Artillery and Coast Artillery. In 1907 the Artillery Corps was reorganized into the Field Artillery, although presently Field Artillery and Air Defense Artillery are separate branches, both inherit the traditions of the Artillery branch. The mission of the Field Artillery is to destroy, defeat, the Field Artillery is one of the Armys combat arms, traditionally one of the three major branches. It refers to units that use artillery weapons systems to deliver surface-to-surface long range indirect fire. Indirect fire means that the projectile does not follow the line of sight to the target, mortars are not field artillery weapons, they are organic to infantry units and are manned by infantry personnel. The term field artillery is to distinguish from the Air Defense Artillery, and historically, from the U. S. Army Coast Artillery Corps, a branch which existed from 1901–1950. In 1950, the two branches were unified and called simply Artillery, until Air Defense Artillery was made into a branch in 1968. The insignia of the Field Artillery branch is a pair of crossed field guns in gold, the officially stated mission of the Field Artillery is to destroy, defeat, or disrupt the enemy with integrated fires to enable maneuver commanders to dominate in unified land operations. The home of the Field Artillery and the Field Artillery School are at Fort Sill, Field artillery is called the King of Battle. Conflicts in the 20th century saw artillery become exponentially more effective as indirect fire methods were introduced prior to World War I. During World War I and World War II, field artillery was the single highest casualty-producing weapons system on any battlefield, members of the Field Artillery are referred to as redlegs because during the American Civil War they were distinguished by scarlet stripes down the legs of their uniform pants. The use of colors to distinguish branches of the United States Army dates to 1851, Branch colors are found on the shoulder straps of officers wearing the blue dress uniform and on branch of service scarves authorized for wear with a variety of uniforms. The professional journal of the Field Artillery is published at Fort Sill, known as the Field Artillery Journal in 1911, it went through many name changes through Field Artillery in 1987. The journal merged with Air Defense Artillery in 2007 to become Fires, the United States Marine Corps is currently transitioning from the M198 howitzer to the M777. In 1789 after the Revolution there was one battalion of four companies of artillery. In 1794 a Corps of Artillerists and Engineers was organized, which included the four companies of artillery then in service and had sixteen companies in four battalions, in 1802 there was a reduction of the army. The Artillery were separated from the Engineers and the former formed into one regiment of 20 companies, in 1808 a regiment of ten companies called the Light Artillery was formed
5.
Brigade
–
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment, two or more brigades may constitute a division. Brigades formed into divisions are usually infantry or armored, in addition to combat units, they may include combat support units or sub-units, such as artillery and engineers, and logistic units or sub-units. Historically, such brigades have sometimes been called brigade-groups, on operations, a brigade may comprise both organic elements and attached elements, including some temporarily attached for a specific task. Brigades may also be specialized and comprise battalions of a branch, for example cavalry, mechanized, armored, artillery, air defence, aviation, engineers. Some brigades are classified as independent or separate and operate independently from the division structure. The typical NATO standard brigade consists of approximately 3,200 to 5,500 troops, however, in Switzerland and Austria, the numbers could go as high as 11,000 troops. The Soviet Union, its forerunners and successors, mostly use regiment instead of brigade, a brigades commander is commonly a major general, brigadier general, brigadier or colonel. In some armies, the commander is rated as a General Officer, the brigade commander has a self-contained headquarters and staff. Some brigades may also have a deputy commander, the headquarters has a nucleus of staff officers and support that can vary in size depending on the type of brigade. On operations, additional specialist elements may be attached, the headquarters will usually have its own communications unit. In some gendarmerie forces, brigades are the organizational unit. The brigade as a military unit came about starting in the 15th century when the British army, as such a field army became larger, the number of subordinate commanders became unmanageable for the officer in general command of said army, usually a major general, to effectively command. In order to streamline command relationships, as well as effect some modicum of control, especially in regard to combined arms operations. The terms origin is found in two French roots, which together, meant roughly those who fight, the so-called brigada was a well-mixed unit, comprising infantry, cavalry and normally also artillery, designated for a special task. The size of such brigada ranged from a company of up to two regiments. The brigada was the forerunner of the battalion task force, battle group. The brigade was improved as a unit by the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus
6.
Fort Drum
–
Fort Drum is a U. S. Army military reservation and a census-designated place in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 12,955 at the 2010 census and it is home to the 10th Mountain Division. Fort Drum consists of 107,265 acres and temperatures can reach as low as −30 °F and this section of the article incorporates text taken from a public-domain document prepared by the US military. A portion of the present Fort Drum was purchased for use as a training site since 1908. However, the presence in the North Country may be traced back to the early 19th century. In 1809 a company of soldiers was stationed at Sacketts Harbor to enforce the Embargo Act. Following the outbreak of the War of 1812, Sacketts Harbor became the center of United States naval and military activity for the Upper St. Lawrence River valley and Lake Ontario. During the 1830s and 1840s, the Lower Canada Rebellion in Canada prompted a new round of military preparations, in 1908, Major General Frederick Dent Grant was sent to the Pine Camp region to train with 2,000 regulars and 8,000 militia. Grant, the son of former United States president and Civil War general Ulysses S. Grant, in 1909 the military allocated funds to purchase land to form Pine Camp, and summer training continued here through the years. The camps first introduction to the spotlight came in 1935 when the largest peacetime maneuvers were held on Pine Plains. Approximately 36,500 soldiers came from throughout the Northeast to take part in the exercise, some soldiers traveled by trains which arrived in town every 15 minutes, coming from as far away as Buffalo, New York and New York City. For 36 hours, young men from offices, factories, the maneuvers were judged to be most successful and the War Department purchased an additional 9,000 acres of land. The LeRay Mansion, built in the early 19th century, was named after James LeRay de Chaumont, throughout the years the mansion served as a post commanders quarters, visiting dignitaries quarters and a location for formal military receptions. Today the mansion is used to high ranking visitors, which has encouraged the continued upkeep of the mansion. The LeRay Mansion is registered with the National Register of Historic Places, with the outbreak of World War II, Pine Camp was selected for a major expansion. An additional 75,000 acres of land was purchased, displacing 525 local families, five entire villages were eliminated, while others were reduced from one-third to one-half their size. By Labor Day,1941,100 tracts of land were taken over, three thousand buildings, including 24 schools, six churches and a post office, were abandoned. Contractors then went to work, and in a period of 10 months at a cost of $20 million, construction workers paid the price, as the winter of 1941-42 was one of the coldest in North Country history
7.
World War II
–
World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although related conflicts began earlier. It involved the vast majority of the worlds countries—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing alliances, the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, and directly involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. Marked by mass deaths of civilians, including the Holocaust and the bombing of industrial and population centres. These made World War II the deadliest conflict in human history, from late 1939 to early 1941, in a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany conquered or controlled much of continental Europe, and formed the Axis alliance with Italy and Japan. Under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union partitioned and annexed territories of their European neighbours, Poland, Finland, Romania and the Baltic states. In December 1941, Japan attacked the United States and European colonies in the Pacific Ocean, and quickly conquered much of the Western Pacific. The Axis advance halted in 1942 when Japan lost the critical Battle of Midway, near Hawaii, in 1944, the Western Allies invaded German-occupied France, while the Soviet Union regained all of its territorial losses and invaded Germany and its allies. During 1944 and 1945 the Japanese suffered major reverses in mainland Asia in South Central China and Burma, while the Allies crippled the Japanese Navy, thus ended the war in Asia, cementing the total victory of the Allies. World War II altered the political alignment and social structure of the world, the United Nations was established to foster international co-operation and prevent future conflicts. The victorious great powers—the United States, the Soviet Union, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War, which lasted for the next 46 years. Meanwhile, the influence of European great powers waned, while the decolonisation of Asia, most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery. Political integration, especially in Europe, emerged as an effort to end pre-war enmities, the start of the war in Europe is generally held to be 1 September 1939, beginning with the German invasion of Poland, Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. The dates for the beginning of war in the Pacific include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, or even the Japanese invasion of Manchuria on 19 September 1931. Others follow the British historian A. J. P. Taylor, who held that the Sino-Japanese War and war in Europe and its colonies occurred simultaneously and this article uses the conventional dating. Other starting dates sometimes used for World War II include the Italian invasion of Abyssinia on 3 October 1935. The British historian Antony Beevor views the beginning of World War II as the Battles of Khalkhin Gol fought between Japan and the forces of Mongolia and the Soviet Union from May to September 1939, the exact date of the wars end is also not universally agreed upon. It was generally accepted at the time that the war ended with the armistice of 14 August 1945, rather than the formal surrender of Japan
8.
Distinctive unit insignia
–
A distinctive unit insignia is a metallic heraldic badge or device worn by soldiers in the United States Army. The DUI design is derived from the coat of arms authorized for a unit, DUIs may also be called distinctive insignia, a crest or a unit crest by soldiers or collectors. The term crest however, in addition to being incorrect, may be misleading, the term crest properly refers to the portion of an achievement of arms which stands atop the helmet over the shield of arms. The U. S. Army Institute of Heraldry is responsible for the design, development, Distinctive ornamentation of a design desired by the organization was authorized for wear on the Mess Jacket uniform by designated organizations per General Order 132 dated December 31,1902. The distinctive ornamentation was described later as coats of arms, pins, the authority continued until omitted in the Army uniform regulation dated December 26,1911. Various organizations which carry colors or standards have generally submitted coats of arms having certain historical significance, as fast as approved these coats of arms will for the basis for regimental colors or standards which will eventually replace the present regimental colors or standards when these wear out. The use of coats of arms as collar ornaments in lieu of the insignia of corps, departments. The first unit to wear this insignia was the 51st Artillery which received approval for wear on March 18,1922 and it was designed by Master Gunner and Master Sergeant Edward C. Kuhn, the artist responsible for creating all authorized coats of arms, up until 1965, only regiments and separate battalions were authorized a coat of arms and distinctive units insignia. Now all major commands, field hospitals, corps, logistics commands and certain other units – groups, the unit commanding officer requests approval of a distinctive unit insignia. A check is made by the Institute of Heraldry to determine the availability of a current copy of the lineage, if such is not available, one is requested from the United States Army Center of Military History. The units history is reviewed to determine if the unit may inherit a previously approved distinctive unit insignia or if a new design should be made, if a new design is to be made, careful study is made of the history and battle honors of the unit. The most important decorations, honors, combat service and missions are represented in the design of the insignia, sometimes two centuries of history are condensed into symbolism for distinctive unit insignia. A proposed design is created and sent to the officer for review. Upon concurrence by the commander an official letter of approval of the distinctive unit insignia is sent to the unit. Manufacturing drawings and specifications are sent to a manufacturer which provides samples of the finished distinctive unit insignia to the Institute of Heraldry for approval. Once approved the manufacturer may produce this insignia, each manufacturer has an identifying hallmark assigned by the Institute of Heraldry which is applied to the back of the insignia. The shield shape design is used to identify color bearing organizations, other design patterns will be used for non-color bearing units
9.
Combat Service Identification Badge
–
The Badge is a silver or gold-colored metal and enamel device 2 inches in height consisting of a design similar to the unit Shoulder Sleeve Insignia. The Combat Service Identification Badge is worn on the right pocket for male soldiers. Soldiers can wear the CSIB on the new blue Army Service Uniform, Class A, the CSIB cannot be worn on the Army Combat Uniform or the discontinued Army Green Uniform. U. S. soldiers will continue to wear the subdued Shoulder Sleeve Insignia-Former Wartime Service on their right sleeve of the ACU blouse to denote combat service. The Shoulder Sleeve Insignia-Former Wartime Service was also worn on the Army Green Class A Uniform, the CSIB is ranked fifth in the order of precedence for identification badges. U. S. Army webpage on the Army Service Uniform Institute of Heraldry website Army Times article, Green Class A uniforms out
10.
10th Mountain Division
–
The 10th Mountain Division is a light infantry division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Originally constituted as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the one of its size to receive intense specialized training for fighting in mountainous. Today, the 10th honors that legacy by retaining the Mountain designation, on 5 May 1945 the Division reached Nauders, Austria, beyond the Resia Pass, where it made contact with German forces being pushed south by the U. S. A status quo was maintained until the enemy headquarters involved had completed their surrender to the Seventh, on the 6th, 10th Mountain troops met the 44th Infantry Division of Seventh Army. Following the war, the division was inactivated, only to be reactivated and redesignated as the 10th Infantry Division in 1948. The division first acted as a division and, in 1954, was converted to a full combat division. Reactivated again in 1985, the division was designated the 10th Mountain Division to historically tie it to the World War II division, since its reactivation, the division or elements of the division have deployed numerous times. Since 2001, the division and its four combat brigades have seen over 20 deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, respectively. The 10th Division was originally organized in 1918 as a Regular Army, however, it did not go overseas and demobilized in February 1919 at Camp Funston, Kansas. It was redesignated the Panama Canal Division after the war and shares no connection with the 10th Mountain Division activated during World War II. In November 1939, during the Soviet Unions invasion of Finland, the U. S. Army authorized the formation of the platoon sized Army Ski Patrol in November 1940. The first Patrol was formed at Camp Murray as part of the 41st Infantry Division under Lt. Ralph S. Phelps and this required an overhaul of U. S. military doctrine, as the concept of winter warfare had not been tested in the army since 1914. At first, planners envisioned ten mountain divisions, but personnel shortages revised the goal to three, eventually, the 10th Mountain Division would be the only one brought to active duty. The Italian military had lost a disastrous 25,000 men in the campaign because of their lack of preparedness to fight in the mountains, on 22 October 1941, General Marshall decided to form the first battalion of mountain warfare troops for a new mountain division. The Ski Patrol would assist in its training, on 8 December 1941, the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the army activated its first mountain unit, the 87th Mountain Infantry Battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington, south of Tacoma. It was the first mountain warfare unit in U. S. military history, the National Ski Patrol took on the unique role of recruiting for the 87th Infantry Regiment and later the division, becoming the only civilian recruiting agency in military history. The 87th trained in harsh conditions, including Mount Rainiers 14, 411-foot peak, initial training was conducted by Olympian Rolf Monsen. A new garrison was built for the division in central Colorado at Camp Hale, the U. S. Army Mountain Warfare School was eventually established at nearby Camp Carson in late 1942, and began to oversee mountain warfare training
.svg)
United States of America
United States Army
Field artillery
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small}
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the