The 1st Medical Brigade’s Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (SSI), commonly referred to as a unit patch, features a maroon cross on a white field (the two colors of the Medical Corps). Superimposed on the vertical axis of the cross is a Rod of Aesculapius, longtime symbol of the healing arts. Although the unit traces its origins to World War I when it was constituted as the 1st Sanitary Train in August 1917, this insignia was not approved until 2000.
In its 100-plus years of service, the Brigade has been credited with official participation in ten campaigns—six during World War I, two during World War II, and two during the First Gulf War. Its motto, “Fortitude and Compassion,” is found on its Distinctive Unit Insignia, which also contains a knight’s helmet emblazoned with a red Arabic numeral “1” that has led the unit to adopt the nickname “Silver Knights.”
In addition to its Headquarters and HQ Company, the Brigade also comprises four Combat Support Hospitals; the 21st is based at Fort Cavazos, Texas (formerly Fort Hood), with the 31st, 10th, and 115th located at Fort Bliss (TX), Fort Carson (CO), and Fort Polk (LA). Also attached to the brigade at Fort Cavazos is the 61st Multifunctional Medical Battalion, a modularly designed unit specifically designed for rapid deployment to deliver Levels I and II Combat Health Support.
Related Items
1st Medical Brigade Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)
1st Medical Brigade Unit Crest (DUI)