The United States Army War College Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, commonly called a unit patch, was approved on 28 October 1955. Its simple design—a trio of five-pointed stars above a flaming torch, all set on the black background of a Norman shield—is taken from the crest of the Army War College device, but with a few modifications.
On the crest, the torch is being grasped by a mailed hand that signifies military power. The torch itself is a symbol of the enlightenment that knowledge provides, alluding to the mission of the War College. In heraldry, black is the color strength and solidarity, and the three stars on the black field denote the three combat arms: Infantry, Cavalry/Armor, and Artillery. The War College motto, PRUDENS FUTURI, is not included on the shield; it is Latin for “Provident For The Future.”
The U.S. Army War College was founded by President Theodore Roosevelt and Elihu Root, his Secretary of War, on 27 November 1901 with the issuance of General Order 155. It was originally based in Washington D.C. at Washington Barracks (now Fort Lesley J. McNair), with the first class of students beginning attendance in 1904. Washington Barracks remained the College’s home until the advent of World War II, when it was closed due to wartime necessities. It was reopened at a new location, Fort Leavenworth, in 1950, but after a single year it was transferred to its current location at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.