416th Civil Affairs Battalion, US Army
416TH CIVIL AFFAIRS BATTALION, US ARMY
(Coat of Arms) |
(Distinctive Unit Insignia) |
Official blazon
Shield: Purpure, two quills salterwise and in chief a sphere Argent gridlined of the field, overall a sword palewise Or.
Crest: That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Army Reserve: From a wreath Argent and Purpure, 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: ADVOCATUS HUMANITATIS (Defender of Humanity).
Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: A silver color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches (2.86cm) in width overall, consisting of a shield blazoned: Purpure, two quills salterwise and in chief a sphere Argent gridlined of the field, overall a sword palewise Or. Attached at bottom and sides of the shield, a purple scroll inscribed "ADVOCATUS HUMANITATIS" in silver.
Origin/meaning
Purple and white are the colors traditionally associated with Civil Affairs units. The globe is symbolic of the unit's worldwide mission and capabilities. The quills are crossed to denote strength and support; they represent the unit's military government administrative functions, while the sword depicts military preparedness.
The Coat of Arms and Distinctive Unit Insignia was approved on 28 April 1993.
Literature: Images from Wikimedia Commons. Information from The Institute of Heraldry, US Army.