Often referred to by colloquialisms like "shoulder patch" or "unit patch," the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia-Military Operations in Hostile Conditions (SSI-MOHC) insignia worn by U.S. Army personnel assigned to the Special Operations Joint Task Force–Afghanistan was approved on 30 April 2013.
Its oval shape recalls the design of the Seal of the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), while the combination of black and gold is used for Special Operations heraldry (the U.S. SOCOM patch is rendered entirely in black and gold. Black is used to represent special ops activities carried out under cover of darkness; gold stands for excellent performance of SOCOM while serving in defense of the nation. The unit motto, not displayed on the patch, is FORTIOR SIMUL QUAM SEORSUM, Latin for "Stronger Together Than Separate," a reference to both the Joint nature of the organization the insignia represents as well as the joint nature of its parent organization, the NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan.
The finial spearhead used here, also found on the SSI-MOHC for the U.S. SOCOM and the U.S. Army Element, U.S. SOCOM, is a visual representation of the notion of Special Operations as the “tip of the spear” of the U.S. Military operations since they are often the leading force in any action. A pair of olive ranches enwrapping the most of the spear’s shaft and spearhead are a visual representation of the potential “fruits” of victory that could be enjoyed by the people of Afghanistan.
The finial spearhead represents Special Operation Forces being the “tip of the spear” as they are a leading force in a military thrust of action. The olive branches entwined around the spear shaft symbolize victory and embodies how these efforts will bear fruit for the future of the Afghanistan people.
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