The United States Army has been engaged in the area of Civil Affairs as far back as the Revolutionary War, when it quickly became apparent that special techniques would be required to establish governance in areas that had long been under British control. But the Civil Affairs branch was not officially established until 17 August 1955; four years later, it became one of the few Army branches to be given a new designation when it was redesignated as the Civil Affairs Branch on 2 October 1959. Four decades would elapse before the Civil Affairs Regimental Distinctive Insignia, or unit crest, was approved on 14 August 1989.
In the middle of the insignia is a torch superimposed over a crossed sword and scroll. The sword and scroll represent the military and civil aspects respectively of the Civil Affairs Corps, while the torch is a reference both to the Statue of Liberty—a symbol of democracy for over 130 years—and the light that a rightfully established government can cast on society. The crest at the top of the insignia contains a gauntleted hand firmly holding up the scales of justice; the scales connote normalcy and balance, and the gauntlet stands for the military effort necessary to establish, administer, and safeguard the equilibrium engendered by sound government. The unit motto, "Secure The Victory," succinctly sums up the Civil Affairs mission.
Civil Affairs Command InsigniaRelated Civil Affairs Items