The 224th Field Artillery Brigade was created through the 1 September 1978 redesignation of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 224th Field Artillery Group in the Virginia National Guard. It was active for a relatively brief period of time, with records indicating the Brigade was redesignated as the 29th Infantry Division Artillery on 1 June 1986, which was given new insignia in 1991.
The 224th Field Artillery Brigade Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, or unit patch, was approved on 25 June 1979. Employing an arced rectangle design with golden border and a scarlet field, the insignia is charged with a golden artillery shell superimposed on a diagonal lightning flash. No great interpretive skills are required to suss out the meaning of the projectile, and the gray lightning flash emphasizes the speed and accuracy of modern artillery; it is also a reference to the Brigade’s home location in the state of Virginia.