100th Missile Defense Brigade, US Army

100TH MISSILE DEFENSE BRIGADE, US ARMY

(Shoulder Sleeve Insignia)

(Distinctive Unit Insignia)

Official blazon

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia. Description: On a Blue vertical rectangle, arched on top and bottom, embroidered device 3 1/2 inches (8.89 cm) in height and 2 1/2 inches (6.35 cm) in width overall, edged with a 1/8 inch (.32 cm) Red border, above a globe crowned with a stylized snow capped mountain range, an American Bald Eagle swooping grasping a lightning bolt bendwise sinister Yellow, surrounded by two arching contrails emitting from dexter flank one arcing in chief Red, and one arcing in base Yellow, both barbed and meeting at a mullet Argent, in sinister flank.

Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: A Silver color metal and enamel device 1 1/4 inches (3.18 cm) in width overall, consisting of a hexagon blazoned: Per bend Sable and Azure above a stylized mountain range issuant from base Vert, capped Argent, an American Bald Eagle swooping Proper, grasping a lightning bolt bendwise sinister throughout Or. Attached below the shield is a Red scroll inscribed “CONTEGAMUS ET CASSAMUS” in Silver letters.

Origin/meaning

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia: Scarlet and yellow are the colors traditionally associated with Air Defense Artillery. The two colliding arching arrows represent ground-based interceptor (GBI) meeting intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and the exhaust contrails form the letter “C,” which is the Roman Numeral for “100,” the unit’s numerical designation. The white star represents Northern Command and is a traditional symbol of the Army. It is also the starting point of the circular direction of the arrows that symbolize the global range of defense, and encircles the globe symbolizing the worldwide defense of the unit and relates to parent unit U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command/U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (ARSTRAT/SMDC). The mountains replicate those found on the Colorado State Seal, the Brigade’s original headquarters. The attacking eagle grasping a lightning bolt is representational of the unit’s motto, “Contegamus et Cassamus,” (Guard and Destroy),” which directly relates to the daily operations of the Brigade, remaining vigilant and on guard, while destroying threat clusters in their mission of National Defense.

Distinctive Unit Insignia: The scheme of the Sable (black) space and Azure (blue) sky and Vert (green) mountains represents defense above the earth into space. The upward diagonal replicates the ground-based interceptor the Brigade uses and symbolizes the defense of the nation. The attacking eagle (Proper) grasping onto a lightning bolt (yellow) is representational of the unit’s motto, “Contegamus et Cassamus,” (Guard and Destroy), which directly relates to the daily operations of the Brigade, remaining vigilant and on guard, while destroying threat clusters in their mission of national defense.

The Shoulder Sleeve Insignia and Distinctive Unit Insignia was approved on 5 January 2005.

Literature: Images from Wikimedia Commons. Information from The Institute of Heraldry, US Army.

---