224th Military Intelligence Battalion Coat of Arms

Blazon

Shield. Quarterly Azure (Oriental Blue) and Argent (Silver Gray), a griffin sejant Or, grasping two flashes saltirewise Gules.

Crest. Upon a wreath Argent (Silver Gray) and Azure (Oriental Blue), two pairs of palm branches chevronwise reversed Proper, one pair enhanced, entwined and knotted at base by a ribbon Gules, all surmounted by a heraldic rose Or, detailed Brün, charged in the center by a sphere quarterly of the second and of the first, edged Or.

Motto. VIGILANCE ABOVE.

Symbolism

Shield. Oriental blue and silver gray are the colors associated with the Military Intelligence Branch of the U.S. Army. The crosswise arrangement of the background is a reference to the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry awarded to the unit for service in Vietnam, 1970-71. The griffin is a heraldic creature combining the strength and courage of a lion with the vigilance and awareness of an eagle; as such it is well suited to represent the ideals and capabilities of an intelligence unit. Its wings refer to the airborne mission, and the flashes it grasps denote the electronic data collection mission of the unit.

Crest. The palm branches are a symbol of honor, referring to the unit’s service in Vietnam. The red ribbon entwines itself around the palms in remembrance of the sacrifices made to accomplish the mission. United, the ribbon double loops on each side holding the four palms at its base, suggesting the unit’s number “224”. The golden rose is from the Military Intelligence Corps Insignia, and in its center it bears the colors of the 224th Military Intelligence Battalion shield.

Background The coat of arms was originally approved for the 224th Military Intelligence Battalion on 21 October 1981. The coat of arms was amended to include a crest on 29 July 2020.