The Shoulder Sleeve Insignia worn by Arkansas Army National Guard (ARNG) Soldiers serving at the Joint Force Headquarters (HQ) of the state’s National Guard was first approved in May 1952 for the HQ and HQ Detachment, Arkansas National Guard. With the delineation of the National Guard into two components, Army and Air Force, the insignia was subsequently redesignated for HQ, State Area Command, Arkansas ARNG on 30 December 1983. On 1 October 2003, the insignia was given its current designation—Arkansas ARNG Element, Joint Force HQ—and concurrently was amended to update the description.
It may come as a surprise, but Arkansas is the only diamond-bearing state in the Union, and by “diamond-bearing” we mean a state where diamonds have been found and mined. This fact is the inspiration for the blue triangle used not only for this insignia but also on the state flag. Superimposed on the border of the diamond are twenty-five stars, signifying Arkansas’s status as the 25th state admitted to the Union.
And college football fans will instantly recognize the critter inside the diamond as a “razorback,” a feral hog native to the woodlands of Arkansas with an attitude so feisty that it was adopted as the mascot for the sports programs at the University of Arkansas.
Related ItemsArkansas ARNG Element, Joint Force HQ Unit Crest (DUI)