18th Psychological Operations Battalion, US Army

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18TH PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS BATTALION, US ARMY

(Distinctive Unit Insignia)

Official blazon

Shield: Argent, a parchment scroll palewise Sable surmounted by a sword bendwise point to chief Argent (Silver Gray); on a chief Vert a Trojan Horse of the first.
Crest: That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Army Reserve: From a wreath Argent (White) and Vert (Bottle Green), the Lexington Minute Man Proper. The statue of the Minute Man, Captain John Parker (H.H. Kitson, sculptor), stands on the common in Lexington, Massachusetts.
Motto: Anticipate the command.

Distinctive Unit Insignia, Description: A silver color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches (2.86cm) in height overall consisting of a black scroll unrolled vertically bearing a silver representation of the Trojan Horse and projecting diagonally behind the scroll a silver Greek sword, hilt extending to the right in base, and from the blade in upper left a threefold silver scroll arched across the top and inscribed "ANTICIPATE", looped at the left side bearing "THE" and arched across the bottom containing "COMMAND" in black letters.

Origin/meaning

Bottle green and silver gray are the colors used for Psychological Operations units. The black scroll alludes to the organization’s planning, production, and dissemination of civilian mass communications material. In conjunction with the sword it also refers to the unit’s provision of propaganda support for the military command in various operational environments and to Civil Affairs in occupied or liberated territory. The Trojan Horse, identified with the use of subtlety and imagination in the accomplishment of military objectives, refers to the battalion’s mission to conduct supporting psychological operations. The classification of propaganda by source is symbolized by black (source misidentified), stippled silver color (source concealed), and clear silver color (true source identified). Crest: The crest is that of the U.S. Army Reserve.

The Coat of Arms wass approved on 16 June 1996. The Distinctive Unit insignia, was originally approved for the 360th Psychological Operations Battalion on 30 March 1967. It was redesignated for the 18th Psychological Operations Battalion on 16 June 1996.