The 1889th Regional Support Group Distinctive Unit Insignia was approved on 8 November 2011. Scarlet and buff are incorporated into the design palette to reflect the organization’s status as a Support unit, but in this case the buff also represents Butte, Montana, dubbed the “Richest Hill on Earth” because of its rich supply of copper—represented by the two red billets on the buff “hill”—that proved a boon to U.S. weapons production during both World Wars.
In the upper half of the inset shield, golden rays of sunburst set against a dark blue sky indicate the organization is newly formed (2010) and ready to take on the challenges that lie ahead. Behind the shield are two crossed swords, symbolic of swords belonging to the state’s first Territorial Governor, Thomas Meagher (alternately “Meager of the Swords"). Meagher’s famous rallying cry of “Raise the Colors and Follow Me” is quoted in part on this insignia, and the swords also appear on the Group's unit patch (Shoulder Sleeve Insignia). On the insignia, the swords are raising the scarlet and blue of our nation’s colors in the shape of a fleur-de-lis, a reminder that Montana was one of the last states that was formed from land gained in the Louisiana Purchase.
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1889th Regional Support Group Patch (SSI)