Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio as part of the Ohio Army National Guard, the 174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade was originally tasked with command and control of 1st and 2nd Battalions, 174th Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Regiment, the 1st Battalion, 145th Armored Battalion, and 2nd Battalion, 107th Cavalry Squadron. Over the years, the units falling under its command have changed slightly, but the core units from the 174th Field Artillery Regiment remain.
The 174th Air Defense Artillery Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, often called a unit patch, is an arced rectangle with red and blue fields and a gold border. Red (scarlet) and gold are Air Defense Artillery colors, and blue stands for the clear skies ensured by the Brigade’s vigilance. That vigilance is reinforced with the motto QUISQUAM USQUAM, which translates to “Anytime Anywhere."
An upright arrow with a bifurcated base is the insignia’s focal point and represents the Nike Hercules missile, the weapon last used for ground-based air defense of the country, a mission resumed with the activation of the Brigade. Seventeen stars stand for Ohio (it was the 17th state to enter the Union), the Brigade’s home. On the color version of the insignia, there are gold lighting bolts beneath the stars, an allusion to the speed of the Brigade’s response to threats and to the swiftness of the ordnance deployed against them.
Related Items
174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade Unit Crest (DUI)
174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)