An “O” and a “Z” above a golden arc a reference to the Ozark Mountains, inspiration for the nickname (“Ozark”) of the 102nd Training Division (Maneuver Support) due to their proximity to where the Division was originally organized. The French settlers who first arrived in this region noticed the high marksmanship skills exhibited by local Native American hunters and dubbed it “terre aux arcs,” or “bow country,” which was soon Anglicized as “Ozarks,” and the arc in the insignia is a reference to this history. Blue and gold used for the color version of the patch represent distinction and valor. The reference to the “terre aux arcs” is also evident in the design of the 102nd Training Division unit crest, or Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI—see link below).
The 102nd Training Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia was originally approved for the 102nd Division, and was subsequently authorized for the 102nd Infantry Division, 102nd Army Reserve Command (though the Command did not perpetuate the lineage theretofore associated with the insignia), and lastly the current 102nd Training Division.
Related Items
102nd Training Division Unit Crest (DUI)
Based at Fort Leonard Wood, the 102nd Training Division has six subordinate Brigades with ordinal numerical designations from 1 to 6. The 1st through 3rd Brigades (Engineering, Military Police, and Chemical, respectively) are based at Fort Leonard Wood, while the 4th through 6th (Military Intelligence, Signal Corps, and Civil Affairs/Psychological Operations) are stationed Fort Huachuca (Arizona), Sacramento, and Fort Totten (New York).