The image of an embowed arm wielding a sword is one of the most instantly recognizable in Army heraldry, signifying that the insignia on which it appears hails from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Originally used as the crest of the Great Seal of Massachusetts that was adopted in December 1780, it was approved for use as the crest for the insignia of all color-bearing organizations of the State of Massachusetts in March 1922, and in July 2007 it was authorized for separate Regiments and Battalions of the Massachusetts Army National Guard; it is found on both the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (unit patch) and Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI) of the Massachusetts Army National Guard Element, Joint Force Headquarters.
The Institute of Heraldry’s descriptions for both the unit patch and DUI state that the image is “an ancient European heraldic symbol which is thought to symbolize the arm of God.” If true, the choice of a symbol from a pagan religion seems incongruous for state that was originally founded as a colony whose “principal end” was to “incite the Natives of Country, to the knowledge and obedience of the only true God and Savior of mankind.”
This Shoulder Sleeve Insignia was first approved for HQ and HQ Detachment, Massachusetts National Guard on 9 June 1950 and was redesignated for HQ, State Area Command, Massachusetts Army National Guard on 30 December 1983. On 1 October 2003, it was approved for the Massachusetts Army National Guard Element, Joint Force HQ with an updated description and a symbolism added, and on 19 June 2015 it was amended to correct the date of its original approval.