“Center of Mercy,” the unit motto of the United States Army Reserve’s 2nd Medical Brigade stationed in San Pablo California, is actually a reference to the designation the Brigade was given when it was originally constituted and activated in 1976: 2nd Hospital Center. The unit received its current designation in 1992, a year before it relocated to San Pablo. At first blush, the insignia appears to contain the Arabic numeral “2” on a maroon cross, but in actuality the number is an inverted fleam, an ancient medical device used for bloodletting.
Many elements of the 2nd Medical Brigade were deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and in 2009 a great deal of them, including the Brigade’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company, were awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation for their service between 5 January 2004 and 15 December 2004 (Army General Orders 2009-08).
Related Items: 2nd Medical Brigade Unit Crest (DUI)2nd Medical Brigade Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)