Shoulder Sleeve Insignias come in Full-Color or Army Combat Uniform (ACU) versions, with two variations available for Army Combat and utility uniforms. The full-color patch is worn on the shoulder of the Class A/B Army Green Uniform, discontinued from wear by current members of the Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. ACU patches are offered in two styles, OCP (Operational Camouflage Pattern) and UCP (Universal Camouflage Pattern). UCP was introduced with the first generation of Army Combat Uniforms, but in 2015 the Army began replacing by issuing new ACUs made with the OCP. 2019 was the wear-out date for ACUs made with the UCP.
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The 71st Ordnance Group had been inactivated for over four decades when it was activated and redesignated as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Group on 16 October 2005 at Fort Carson, Colorado. Rapidly deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of Combined Joint Task Force Troy, the 71st earned two Joint Meritorious Unit Commendations for drastically lessening the threat posed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). It also deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as part of Combined Joint Task Force Paladin, which managed U.S. EOD forces while coordinating with EOD units and personnel from other nations “With Distinction and Valor.”
A falling bomb is the focal point of the 71st Ordnance Group (EOD) Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, or unit patch, recalling the mission of defusing unexploded bombs and other ordnance during World War II. The five stars have a dual meaning: They represent the five campaigns for which the unit earned official credit for participation, as well as the five types of threats that EOD units must neutralize: Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High Yield Explosives (CBRNE).
Related Items
71st Ordnance Group Unit Crest (DUI)
71st Ordnance Group Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)