164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, Florida Army National Guard

164TH AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY BRIGADE, FLORIDA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

(Shoulder Sleeve Insignia)

(Distinctive Unit Insignia)

Official blazon

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia. Description: On a red rectangle with a 1/8 inch (.32cm) yellow border, arched at top and bottom, 2 inches (5.08cm) in width and 3 inches (7.62cm) in height overall, a yellow-rayed sun surmounted by a blue arrowhead point up, charged with a vertical yellow lightning bolt.

Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: On a gold color metal and enamel device 1 3/16 inches (3.02cm) in width overall, consisting of a gold-rayed sun on a black disc surmounted by a blue arrowhead point up, charged with a gold vertical lightning bolt all encircled by a red scroll inscribed "BLAZING SKIES" at bottom in gold letters.

Origin/meaning

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia: Red and yellow are the colors traditionally associated with Air Defense Artillery; blue is symbolic of the skies which are the battlefield of the unit. The arrowhead refers to the unit's missile systems and the lightning bolt alludes to speed. The rayed sun represents Florida, the unit's location.

Distinctive Unit Insignia: The colors red and yellow are traditionally associated with Air Defense Artillery. The gold-rayed sun alludes to Florida, the unit's home location. Blue represents the skies which are the battlefield of the unit and the arrowhead is symbolic of the unit's missile systems. Black refers to stability and twenty-four hour military preparedness of the unit. The lightning bolt alludes to speed.

The Shoulder Sleeve Insignia was approved on 6 February 1989. The Distinctive Unit Insignia was approved 1 October 1988 Literature: Images from Wikimedia Commons. Information from The Institute of Heraldry, US Army.