The 30th Miedical Brigade's Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB), like the Patch, has a sword with a serpent wrapped around its blade. The sword represents the unit's military readiness, and the serpent symbolizes the staff of Aesculapius which denotes medical heritage. The maroon background, along with the white of the sword, are the colors of the Medical Corps. The gold star in the serpent's mouth denotes the unit’s beginnings in Texas in 1933.
The 30th left the US in 1944 for Liverpool, England, and was quickly pressed into service at the medical staging area at Valogne for Operation Overlord at Omaha Beach. This battle proved to be some of the bloodiest fighting of the war and produced one of the highest casualty rates for a single day in modern warfare (estimated 12,000 to 15,000 allied troops with the majority being American). After World War Two, the unit was redeployed to Texas and eventually deactivated for a few years. In 1953, it left for Korea where it was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation along with campaign participation credit for Third Korean Winter and Korea Summer 1953.
Related Items30th Medical Brigade Patch (SSI)
30th Medical Brigade Unit Crest (DUI)
In 1995, the unit was moved to the Balkans and continued in the region until October 1998. There they earned the Army Superior Unit Award before returning to Germany. Then in 2003, the 30th Medical Brigade deployed to the Middle East for Operation Iraqi Freedom. There it made history both by becoming the largest medical brigade ever deployed, and for achieving the lowest deaths by wounds and disease and non-battle injury rates in the history of war living up to its motto: "In Cruce Mea Fides", which means “In The Cross Is My Faith”, expressing the faith put in the unit's capabilities.
Today, the 30th Combat Brigade is headquartered wIth the 21st Theatre Sustainment Command in Germany and provides medical services for the bases there, and the many operations run from those bases. They also provide medial care for the local community.