Special Tactics TACP Crest

[Updated on Apr.15, 2017] A United States Air Force Tactical Air Control Party, commonly abbreviated TACP, refers to an individual or team of United States Air Force personnel with AFSC 1C4X1, who are aligned with a conventional United States Army or United States Marine Corps combat maneuver unit or to an Air Force, Army, Marine, or Navy special operations unit, to provide precision terminal attack guidance of U.S. and coalition fixed- and rotary-wing close air support aircraft, artillery, and naval gunfire; establish and maintain command and control (C2) communications; and advise ground commanders on the best use of air power.
In conventional settings, TACPs are the principal Air Force liaison element to the United States Army (USA). In this context, the TACP is an Air Force liaison element aligned with Army combat maneuver echelons from Corps to Battalion level. The TACP provides its aligned Army unit with expertise in planning and executing airpower in support of the land component commander's scheme of maneuver. In special operational settings, TACPs deploy with special operations units, including Air Force Special Tactics, Army Special Forces, and Navy SEAL teams, the 75th Ranger Regiment, and Joint Special Operations Command Special Mission Units, acting primarily as precision airstrike controllers and communication/C2 experts.

Being a conventional TACP is already a challenging and arduous task, but couple that intensity with the demanding and specialized operations of the U.S. Army Rangers, Special Forces, and U.S. Navy SEALs and you'd be describing the mission of an Special Tactics TACP. Special Tactics TACP Airmen deploy with Special Operations Forces to provide Joint Terminal Attack Control, or JTAC. Integrating air combat power and surface fires into the ground scheme of maneuver, they enable dynamic, synergistic, and lethal firepower on today's battlefield. Special Tactics TACP motto: "100%, and then some". ST TACPs are assigned to the 17th Special Tactics Squadron at Ft. Benning, Ga., Joint Base Lewis McChord, Tacoma, Wa., Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Ga., and all four active duty Special Tactics Squadrons located in the continental United States.

The US Special Operations Command was established in 1987 at MacDill AFB, FL. One MSgt. 1C4X1 (then AFSC 275X0) was assigned to the command as a liaison, but the position was disestablished in approximately 1991. In 1997, two MSgt. JTAC-qualified 1C4X1s assigned to the 17th ASOS at Ft. Benning, GA were selected for assignment to two of the Air Force Special Operations Command's Special Tactics Squadrons. Since then, the 17th ASOS, which provides JTACs and ALOs to the 75th Ranger Regiment and its three line battalions, has transferred from Air Combat Command to Air Force Special Operations Command and in July 2013 was renamed 17th Special Tactics Squadron. JTAC-qualified 1C4X1s at the "5" or "Craftsman" skill level may apply for a Special Tactics assignment within Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). After a rigorous selection process and training program, AFSOC 1C4X1 JTACs provide terminal attack control and fire support expertise for the three Ranger Battalions, the 75th Ranger Regiment's Reconnaissance Company, all seven Army Special Forces Groups, multiple Naval Special Warfare Groups (SEAL Teams), and all four active duty CONUS Special Tactics Squadrons.

The above information provided in part by Wikipedia, The Institute of Heraldry, Global Security, and the official websites of the corresponding units and formations.

Mobile Communications Team 1 (MCT-1)

The Mobile Communications Team is an operational component of the communications- electronics departments of the Naval Special Warfare Groups ONE and TWO. They are responsible for: (1) Providing operational communications support to SEAL Teams, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams, and to Special Boat Squadrons for deployed fleet and joint units; (2) Organizing, training, and integrating new equipment and developing tactics to provide the highest quality Naval Special Warfare communications operations and support; (3) Preparing, implementing, and reviewing communications plans in coordination with higher authority, Naval Special Warfare Command components and other fleet and joint units.

Ukrainian Armed Forces

One of my most recent projects was inspired by recent events taking place in Ukraine. The country who’s army was being deliberately incapacitated and methodically destroyed by sold-out governments for many years… The same army, which is now facing an uneasy task of liberating their land from armed to the teeth pro-Russian terrorist mercenary scam. Here is a little something for moral support to those brave guys and gals, helping people of Ukraine to realize their dreams of freedom and democracy.

Ukrainian Armed Forces

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Збройні сили України (ЗСУ) Zbroyni Syly Ukrayiny, (ZSU)) are the military of Ukraine. Ukraine is officially a non-aligned state, but until the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, had a rather warm relationship with its neighbor the Russian Federation, allowing the latter to keep some contingents of its military forces on Ukrainian soil.

Military units of other states participate in multinational military exercises with Ukrainian forces in Ukraine regularly. Many of these exercises are held under the NATO co-operation programme Partnership for Peace.

Ukrainian Ground Forces

The Ukrainian Ground Forces (Ukrainian: Сухопутні Війська ЗСУ, Sukhoputni Viys’ka ZSU) are the land force component of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They were formed from Soviet Ground Forces formations, units, and establishments, including three military districts (the Kiev, Carpathian, and Odessa Military Districts), that were on Ukrainian soil when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990–92. Throughout the 1990s, Ukraine retained much Soviet-era army equipment. Since then, however, Ukraine has upgraded its Ground Forces with advanced additions from domestic engineering and modifications. Currently, the Ukrainian Ground Forces buys military equipment only from Russia and other CIS states, as well as locally producing some of their own equipment. Mechanised Infantry and armoured forces are the primary components of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. Their primary objectives in case of war are capturing and holding targets, maintaining positions, defending against attack, penetrating enemy lines and defeating enemy forces.

Ukrainian Air Force

The Ukrainian Air Force (Ukrainian: Повітряні Сили України, Povitryani Syly Ukrayiny) is a part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ukrainian Air Force headquarters is located in the city of Vinnytsia. When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, a large number of aircraft were left on Ukrainian territory. Ever since, the Ukrainian air force has been downsizing and upgrading its forces. In spite of these efforts, the main inventory of the air force consists of Soviet-made aircraft. The primary tasks of the Air Force of Ukraine are: winning operational air superiority, delivering air strikes against enemy units and facilities, covering troops against enemy air strikes, providing air support to the Land Force and the Navy, disrupting enemy military and state management, damaging and destroying enemy communication, and providing support by air in the form of reconnaissance, air drops, troops and cargo transportation.

The major mission of the Air Force is to protect the air space of Ukraine. In peace-time, this is carried out by flying air-space control missions over the entire territory of Ukraine

Ukrainian Naval Forces

The Ukrainian Naval Forces (Ukrainian: Військово-Морські Сили України, ВМСУ, Viys’kovo-Mors’ki Syly Ukrayiny, VMSU) is the navy of Ukraine and part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was established in 1992. It consists of 5 branches: surface forces, submarine forces, Navy aviation, coastal rocket-artillery and marines. The Navy numbers 15,470 people. The navy operates in the Black Sea basin (including Sea of Azov and Danube Delta). Distant operations of the Ukrainian Navy are limited to multinational activities, such as Operation Active Endeavour and Operation Atalanta in the Mediterranean and Horn of Africa. The headquarters of the Ukrainian Naval Forces was, until the 2014 Crimean crisis, situated at Sevastopol in Crimea.

In the 2014 Crimean crisis, Russia annexed Crimea, where the majority of the bases of the Ukrainian Navy were situated. Twelve thousands of Ukraine's 15,450 Navy personnel were based in Crimea, and the majority defected to Russia or resigned from military service.[citation needed] Russia also has control of at least 12 of Ukraine's 17 major warships. The base north of Odessa became the main operational Ukrainian Naval base. Ukraine also lost control of its Navy's main underground ammunition-storage site at the Inkerman valley, outside Sevastopol, as well as of its helicopter-repair facilities. The Navy's 750-strong 1st Marine Battalion at Feodosia was overrun by pro-Russian forces, its personnel arrested, and its equipment seized.

On 8 April 2014 an agreement had been reached between Russia and Ukraine to return captured vessels to Ukraine and "for the withdrawal of an undisclosed number of Ukrainian aircraft seized in Crimea". At the time Russian Navy sources claimed the Ukrainian ships were "not operational because they are old, obsolete, and in poor condition".

National Guard of Ukraine

 The National Guard of Ukraine —(Ukrainian: Національна гвардія України, "Natsionalna gvardiya Ukrayini")(NGU)— is the reserve component of the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs that was revived in 2014 based on the Internal Troops of Ukraine. The Guard would then be reestablished on March 13, 2014 amidst rising tensions in Ukraine and its region caused by the military intervention in Crimea by Russia.
The National Guard was originally created on November 4, 1991 right after Ukraine gained its independence under a direct supervision of the Supreme Council of Ukraine. However it was controversially disbanded nine years later on January 11, 2000 as part of a 'cost-saving' exercise by the then President Leonid Kuchma. In 1995 - 2000 there existed both the National Guard of Ukraine and the Internal Troops of Ukraine.

As always, the above insignia are available on a limited number of selected quality products via my “Military Insignia” galleries at Zazzle. You may simply follow the direct links in the article to navigate to the corresponding galleries.



I will also make my insignia designs available free of charge to any military units and personnel, for any non-profit/non-commercial and charitable causes, benefiting troops and their families. In addition, I would make my designs available free of charge to any military branches, formations and units for any non-commercial internal duty-specific purposes, such as unit-related web design, training materials or presentations, as I did on many occasions in the past.

The above information provided in part by Wikipedia, Global Security, and the official websites of the corresponding units and formations.

U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency

The DefenseIntelligence Agency (DIA) is a United States federal agency that serves as the country's main foreign military espionage organization under the jurisdiction of Department of Defense. As one of the principal member of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), DIA informs national civilian and defense policymakers about the military intentions and capabilities of foreign governments and non-state actors, while also providing department-level intelligence assistance and coordination to individual military service intelligence components and the warfighter. The agency's role encompasses collection and analysis of defense-related foreign political, economic, industrial, geographic, and medical and health intelligence. As part of its national IC responsibilities, DIA regularly provides input for the President's Daily Brief. Although the DIA is designated a Department of Defense combat support agency, two-thirds of its 17,000 employees are civilian and its intelligence operations in support of U.S. national security extend far beyond the zones of combat - at hundreds of locations in approximately 140 countries. The agency primarily specializes in collection and analysis of human-source intelligence (HUMINT), has its own Clandestine Service and is in charge of American military-diplomatic efforts overseas. DIA is also designated a national manager for the highly technical measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT). The agency has no law enforcement authority, although it is occasionally portrayed so in American popular culture.

Established in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy by Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, the DIA has been at the forefront of U.S. intelligence efforts throughout the Cold War and rapidly expanded, both in size and scope, since the September 11 attacks. 

The above information provided in part by Wikipedia, The Institute of Heraldry, Global Security, and the official websites of the corresponding units and formations.

10th Mountain Division Association Logo

Recently I was contacted by Robert J. Wiebel, Art Director of the National 10th Mountain Division Association with one of those requests breathe some life into the logo of their organization, as well as the division’s insignia, which would be used in their new National Association of the 10th Mountain Division 2013 and 2014 Calendars. Here are the results of this effort…

The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. The division is a subordinate unit of the XVIII Airborne Corps. Originally constituted as a unique mountain warfare unit, the division was the only unit of its size in the U.S. Army to specialize in fighting in mountainous and arctic conditions, thus earning the division the "MOUNTAIN" tab. Today, the division retains its "mountain" designation for historical purposes and is organized as a light infantry division.

Originally activated as the 10th Light Division (Alpine) in 1943, the division was redesignated the 10th Mountain Division in 1944 and fought in the mountains of Italy in some of the roughest terrain in the country. Following the war the division was deactivated, only to be reactivated and redesignated as the 10th Infantry Division in 1948. The division first acted as a training division and in 1954 was converted to a full combat division and sent to Germany before being deactivated again in 1958.
Reactivated again in 1985, the division was designated the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), to historically tie it to the World War II division and to also better describe its modern disposition. Since its reactivation the division and/or elements of the division have deployed numerous times since. The division has participated in Operation Desert Storm (Saudi Arabia), Hurricane Andrew disaster relief (Homestead, Florida), Operation Restore Hope and Operation Continue Hope (Somalia), Operation Uphold Democracy (Haiti), Operation Joint Forge (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Operation Joint Guardian (Kosovo), and several deployments as part of the Multinational Force and Observers (Sinai Peninsula). Since 2001, the division and its four combat brigades have seen over 20 deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, respectively.

The above information provided in part by Wikipedia, The Institute of Heraldry, Global Security, and the official websites of the corresponding units and formations.

Presidential Service Badge (PSB)

While working on my "Military Insignia 3D" project, I often get requests from active duty personnel. I always try my best to help out, depending on my workload at the time. One of my most recent requests came from a very interesting duty station. As a result, I have pushed aside my other stuff, and sank teeth into this one. And you will see why. It was a very exciting project, since I had to deal with some of the best-looking pieces of insignia ever produced. And, without further ado, here they are…

The Presidential Service Badge (or "PSB") is an identification badge of the United States Armed Forces which is awarded to members of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard as well as other members of the Uniformed Services, such as the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, who serve as full-time military staff to the President of the United States.
Executive Order 10879 of June 1, 1960 was signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower establishing a White House Service Badge. President Lyndon B. Johnson retired the White House Service Badge and issued a separate Presidential Service Badge by signing Executive Order 11174 on September 1, 1964.
Typical recipients include:

• Military aides to the President appointed from each of the services (pay-grade O-4 or higher) who, among other duties, rotate being the so-called "Emergency War Officer" with "The Football", a briefcase containing nuclear decision-making tools kept within ready access of the president at all times,
• The White House Naval Mess Facility (Presidential Food Service) Located in The West Wing of The White House and The OEOB.
• White House military public affairs officers,
• Servicemembers assigned to the White House Communications Agency (WHCA), which supports Presidential communications worldwide,
• Servicemembers assigned to the White House Transportation Agency (WHTA), which provides motor vehicle transportation to the White House as directed by the White House Military Office,
• Servicemembers assigned to the White House Medical Unit (WHMU) which provides medical support to President, Vice President and their families as well as the White House Staff.
• "Air Force One" Airmen assigned to the Presidential Airlift Group (PAG) Andrews AFB, Maryland
• Naval Personnel assigned to the Camp David Facilities.
• Marine Helicopter Squadron 1 (HMX-1) "Marine One" flight crew,
• Marines assigned to the Marine Security Company at Camp David.

The PSB is awarded after at least one year of satisfactory service "to any member of the Armed Forces assigned to duty in the White House Office or to military units and support facilities under the administration of the Military Assistant to the President by the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, or, when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy, the Secretary of Homeland Security, upon recommendation of the Military Assistant to the President". It is accompanied by a certificate and miniature lapel version. The PSB is recorded in the individual's military service records and is authorized for wear as a permanent decoration.
Recipients are the only Americans authorized to wear the "Presidential Seal or Coat of Arms" on their uniforms and civilian clothes. Since 1964, with the enactment of Presidential Executive Order 11174, over 20,000 U.S. armed services members and veterans have received the Presidential Service Badge for honorable service in the White House.

The Vice Presidential Service Badge is an identification badge of the United States Armed Forces which is awarded to members of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard as well as other members of the Uniformed Services, such as the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, who serve as full-time uniformed service aides to the Vice President. It was established under Executive Order 11544 by President Richard Nixon on July 8, 1970 and was modified by President Gerald R. Ford on July 19, 1976 under Executive Order 11926.
Uniformed service personnel eligible to receive the Vice Presidential Service Badge are active-duty members of the military, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Public Health Service who are posted to the Office of the Vice President, located in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the West Wing of the White House. Such personnel include military public affairs officers, security specialists, and liaison specialists from the various branches of the U.S. military, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Public Health Service.
The Vice Presidential Service Badge is considered a permanent decoration and is authorized for continued wear throughout a uniformed service career, even when one no longer serves the Vice President. The badge is very similar to the Presidential Service Badge, authorized for uniformed service personnel assigned to the staff of the President of the United States. Recipients are the only Americans authorized to wear the "Vice Presidential Seal or Coat of Arms" on their uniforms or civilian clothes.

The White House Service Badge was a short lived military insignia which was issued between the years of 1960 and 1964 for United States armed forces military personnel stationed at the White House in a variety of duties.
Executive Order 10879 of June 1, 1960 authorized the creation of a White House Service Badge with further military regulations stating that the badge may be entered into permanent military service records upon completion of a White House tour of duty. President Lyndon B. Johnson retired the White House Service Badge just after four years, and created a separate Presidential Service Badge (with different award criteria) by signing Executive Order 11174.



The above information provided in part by Wikipedia, The Institute of Heraldry, Global Security, and the official websites of the corresponding units and formations.

Naval Special Warfare Unit Ten

NSWU-10

Naval Special Warfare (NSW), provides an effective means to apply counter-force in conjunction with national policy and objectives in peacetime and across the spectrum of hostilities from peacetime operations to limited war to general war. NSW Units, which are small command and control elements located outside the continental United States, support other NSW forces assigned to theater SOCs or components of naval task forces.

Naval Special Warfare Unit TEN (NSWU-10) is based at Naval Station Rota, Spain. Commanded by a NSW Commander (O5), it has three operational SDV Task Units and a headquarters element. SDVT-2 conducts operations throughout the US Atlantic, Southern, and European commands. Its mission is to provide tactical type training opportunities for NSW forces deployed aboard Sixth Fleet ships during slack periods while on routine deployments, so NSW forces can maintain perishable skills. NSWU-10 is responsible for all NSW exercises conducted in Spain. NSWU-10 is under the operational and administrative command of Naval Special Warfare Group TWO. NSWU-10 conducts close coordination with Special Operations Command, Europe.