It comes as no surprise that the number five is the linchpin of the design of the 55th Sutainment Brigade's Combat Service Identification Badge, or CSIB. The five-sided pentagonal shape of the badge represents the Pentagon—a symbol that acknowledges the unit's inception during the Global War on Terrorism, as well as its location near the famous building. Both “V’s” in the symbol represent the Roman numeral 5. The colors red, white and blue are a nod to the colors of our national flag, and red is also the color associated with Sustainment units. The “V’s” also represent a chevron, a symbol of support, and the inverted “V” in the chevron alludes to the unit’s mission of support to maintain victory. This idea is also expressed in the unit’s motto: “ALO VIS TUTIS VICTORIA” (Sustain the Force, Secure the Victory).
The mission of a sustainment unit is to provide materials and support for units in an operational theater. For the 55th, this hasn’t changed since the unit’s beginning in 1954 when it was the 435th Transport Highway Command. After several reorginazations and redesignations, the unit became the 55th Material Management Center in 1977. For the next 30 years, the unit’s name stayed the same, but the mission expanded. By 2006, the unit became the 55th Sustainment Brigade and its mission now included the supply of logistics and personnel services necessary to maintain and prolong mission operations until completed.
Under its expanded role, the 55th Sustainment Brigade’s duties include maintenance, supply, transportation, explosive ordnance disposal, and management of a variety of personnel services (health support, legal, religious, financial management, band support, etc.).