The Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (unit patch) of the 32nd Medical Brigade was approved for wear on 9 October 2002, one week after the unit had been redesignated from 132nd Battalion. The unit had originally been organized at Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania as the Provisional Medical Battalion, Medical Field Service School, but was quickly consolidated with another unit and designated the 32nd Medical Battalion, which earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation service in the American Theater during World War II.
Though clearly distinguishable in subdued format, the color version of the 32nd Medical Brigade patch—also used for the Brigade’s Combat Service ID Badge—helps reveal the symbolism of the design, a maroon-bordered diamond with a white field with a maroon, couped cross mounting a torch and white star. Maroon and white, of course, are the colors of Army Medicine, and the diamond is used to denote the energy and courage of the cadre in training, educating, and directing troops in the domain of Health Sciences.
The cross is universally recognized as a symbol of medical care, and the torch stands for the guidance and knowledge the Brigade provides. In the center, the star stands for the Brigade’s home state of Texas.
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