The 635th Armor Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia, also called a unit crest or DUI, was approved on 5 October 1977. Its predominant colors of green and yellow are colors that were either once used (green) or are now used (yellow) for Armor regiments. Two fusils (vertically elongated lozenges, or diamond shapes) charged with pheons (arrows) are placed on the left and right of a black cyclone—itself charged with a pheon—to symbolize the enhanced maneuverability, penetrating capability, and massive firepower of modern tanks. The cyclone is also a reference to the “Cyclone State,” the sobriquet for the unit’s home state of Kansas. “Will To Win” is the Regiment’s motto.
Distinctive Unit Insignias are worn by all Soldiers (except General Officers) in units that have been authorized to be issued the device. It is worn centered on the shoulder loops of the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) and the blue Army Service Uniform (ASU, Enlisted only) with the base of the insignia toward the outside shoulder seam. Full guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1,
Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia" and 21–3(d) and (e),
"Beret" and
"Garrison Cap," respectively.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Today consisting of the 1st Battalion, the 635th Regiment was originally constituted on 25 Match 1953 in the Air National Guard as the 891st Engineer Aviation Battalion and was allotted to the Kansas Army National Guard on 1 August 1953. It was organized and Federally recognized in January 1954 from both new and existing units and headquartered at Manhattan, but three years later it was reorganized and redesignated as the 891st Engineer Battalion.
It wasn’t until 1 February 1976 that the unit was assigned to the Armor family when it was converted and redesignated as the 635th Armor, a parent regiment in the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS) consisting of the 1st Battalion. It was withdrawn from CARS on 1 June 1989 and reorganized under the U.S. Army Regimental System with its Headquarters still at Manhattan.
In March 1990, it was reorganized to consist of the 1st and 2d Battalions, elements of the 35th Infantry Division with Headquarters at Manhattan and Salina respectively. In 2008, the 137th Infantry Regiment’s 1st Battalion was consolidated into the 635th Armor, with the consolidated unit being designated as 1st Battalion, 635th Armor. And on 17 October 2020, the 137th Infantry Regiment’s last active Battalion, the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, 635th Armored Regiment.