The 65th Field Artillery Brigade Distinctive Unit Insignia features its sobriquet as “America’s Thunder” in scarlet and yellow/gold that are the colors for Field Artillery units. A pair of crossed cannons is taken from the Field Artillery branch of insignia, and the wavy blue bars denote overseas combat deployments. Three snow-capped peaks in the background reflect the Brigade’s home represent the mountainous terrain of its home area in Utah, and also sand for the three Presidential Unit Citations (PUCs) it has been awarded (two Republic of Korea PUCs and one Philippine PUC).
Distinctive Unit Insignias are worn by all Soldiers (except General Officers) in units that have been authorized to be issued the device. It is worn centered on the shoulder loops of the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) and the blue Army Service Uniform (ASU, Enlisted only) with the base of the insignia toward the outside shoulder seam. Guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1, Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia" and 21–3(d) and (e), "Beret" and "Garrison Cap," respectively.
First constituted in the National Army on 31 July 1918 as Headquarters, 16th Field Artillery Brigade as part of the 16th Division, today’s 65th Field Artillery Brigade did not see enough action as a cohesive unit to merit credit for participation in a named campaign of World War I, resulting in its HQ Battery being awarded an uninscribed World War I streamer.
Demobilized on 15 February 1919, it was reconstituted in the Regular Army on 14 January 1929 as the HQ and HQ Battery (HHB), 16th Artillery Brigade and activated for action in World War II on 15 July 1942. Redesignated as the HHB, XV Corps Artillery in August 1943, the unit was inactivated on 31 March 1946 in Germany and was subsequently awarded five campaign streamers for its service in the European Theater; its HQ Battery was individually awarded a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and credited with participation in three campaigns in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater (Bismarck Archipelago, Leyte, and Luzon). On 12 July 1950, it was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, I Corps Artillery and activated on 12 August 1950 at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. During its deployment to Korea under this designation it took part in seven campaigns.
In 1984, it was redesignated as Headquarters, I Corps Artillery, allotted to the Utah Army National Guard, and organized at Salt Lake City. It became the 65th Fires Brigade in 2008 and was redesignated as the 65th Field Artillery Brigade in 2014 as part of the Army's decision to standardize the names of all Brigade Combat Team's Fires Battalions and Fires Brigades as Field Artillery units.
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65th Field Artillery Brigade Patch (SSI)
65th Field Artillery Brigade Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)