The design of the Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB) worn by members U.S. Army personnel assigned to United States Special Operations Command Africa (SOCAFRICA) is taken directly from the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia that was approved for them on 16 January 2009.
In the center of the insignia is the head of a lion, the “king” of the jungles of Africa, which symbolizes the courage, determination, and strength of the Command and its ability to use them with wisdom and intelligence when developing strategies and tactics. Surmounted on the lion’s head is a Fairbairn–Sykes knife, a double-edge fighting knife sometimes called a stiletto that was introduced in World War II and widely used by the organizations that were the forebears of today’s various Special Operations units; its black color is a reminder of the covert nature of many Special Operations missions and tasks.
Red is the heraldic color associated with sacrifice and courage, while the black stands for unyielding determination and a determined constancy in working to achieve mission objectives.
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U.S. Army Element, SOCAFRICA Patch (SSI)
U.S. Army Element, SOCAFRICA Beret Flash and OvalFound on the Command’s Distinctive Unit Insignia (unit crest) but unused on its Shoulder Sleeve Insignia or this CSIB is its motto, PROCEDIMUS UNA. Latin for “Let Us Go Forward Together,” it emphasized the power that’s derived through the teamwork of each branch’s component forces in the organization (Navy SEALS, Air Force Tactical Air Control Parties, Delta Force, etc.).