Often referred to as a unit patch or shoulder patch, the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (SSI) of the 149
th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is symbolic of both what the unit is capable of and its origins. The patch was first approved for the 149
th Armor Brigade in 1973. Its description was updated and the patch was redesignated in 2006 when the unit became the 149
th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. When the unit took on its current designation of the 149
th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in 2008 the patch was redesignated one final time.
The main colors of gold, blue, and red have multiple meanings for the 149
th. Taken together, all three of the colors are used for the unit’s principal combat arms. Gold is also one of the colors used to denote Armor designated units, which the 149
th still is. Red and blue also stand for military might and loyalty, respectively. The color of blue also references the unit’s origins.
The 149
th was originally created as part of the Kentucky Militia in 1839 and was based in Kentucky for 174 years. The history of this long-serving unit can be found with the unit’s Combat Service Identification Badge (CSIB). The 149
th left the Blue Grass State in 2013 for Richmond, but remembers its origins. The center symbol is the forward drive sprocket of a tank, again alluding to the unit’s Armor designation and both its striking power and capability.
The 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade's motto, “Never Defeated,” is a declaration of unyielding determination found on its unit crest.
Related Items
149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Unit Crest (DUI)
149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)