The design of the current U.S. Army logo created in 2006—a white five-pointed star outlined in black with a yellow border and set upon a black field which itself is bordered in yellow and black stripes—can actually be traced back not to the stars of the flag, but a World War II operational directive written to decrease friendly fire. Army Regulation 850-5, published in1942, specified that a “white five-pointed star will be the national symbol of all motor vehicles assigned to tactical units.”
Appearing on scores of thousands of vehicles from half-tracks to tanks and jeeps, the symbol became inextricably linked to the U.S. Army. And in 2006, the imagery was updated (and trademarked) to create the current logo by rendering it black, white, and yellow to represent gunpowder, saltpeter, and sulfur.
Not considered a distinctive insignia in the same way as a shoulder sleeve insignia, the U.S. Army logo (without the trademark symbol) is worn by members of U.S. Army Accessions Command, its Support Brigade, Officers and Enlisted personnel assigned to Department of the Army Headquarters (but only HQDA staff), and Soldiers at Initial Entry Training or One Station Unit Training. It measures 2.5 inches by 3.25 inches.