The 45th Field Artillery Brigade Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, or unit patch, was approved for wear on 25 March 1997 for HQ and HQ Battery, 45th Field Artillery Brigade. It would go on to be redesignated when the unit became the 45th Fires Brigade in 2008, a designation that was subsequently reverted back to Field Artillery after the Army discontinued the move Fires Brigades.
Scarlet and yellow, the primary colors of the insignia, have long been associated with Field Artillery (though scarlet is the sole branch color today). A field piece mimicking a bend dexter conveys the Brigade’s affiliation with the Field Artillery, while the thunderbird and arrowhead are a reference to the Brigade’s ties to the 45th Infantry Division and its formation in Oklahoma.
The Brigade and its predecessor units have been called into Federal service on numerous occasions over the years, earning credit for participation in five campaigns during World War II and four in the Korean War, putting real meaning to the unit motto of "Pride Valor Excellence." Today, the Brigade is under the control of the Oklahoma Army National Guard. In addition to its HQ and HQ Battery, it comprises a High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) Battalion, the 1-158th Field Artillery Battalion, the 271st Brigade Support Battalion, and the 205th Network Signal Company.
Related Items
45th Field Artillery Brigade Unit Crest (DUI)
45th Field Artillery Brigade Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)