U.S. Army Cyber Corps

U.S. Army Cyber branch is a maneuver branch with the mission to conduct defensive and offensive cyberspace operations (DCO and OCO). Cyber is the only branch designed to directly engage threats within the cyberspace domain.
Branch Insignia consists of two crossed lightning bolts, surmounted by a vertical dagger, point up, all gold. Authorized in September 2015 for wear by officer and enlisted personnel assigned to the Cyber Branch. The lightning bolts symbolize the intelligence, security and communications originators of the modern Cyber Branch. The dagger denotes readiness to prevent global cyber occurrences.
Regimental Insignia features a Silver color metal and enamel device 1 3/16 inches (3.02 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Quarterly, Sable and Argent, a dagger erect Or, within a bordure Argent (Steel Gray). Attached at the base of the shield a Black tripartite scroll with the inscription “DEFEND, ATTACK, EXPLOIT” in Silver. The insignia was authorized on 1 December 2015. It was amended to change the motto on 21 April 2016. Steel gray and black are the colors associated with the Cyber Branch. The black and white sections of the shield reflect the strategic electronic warfare capabilities of the Regiment. The dagger denotes readiness to prevent global cyber occurrences. The gray border suggests containment of escalation cyber-attacks by the Cyber Regiment.

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

Naval Special Warfare Command - NSWC Insignia 2.0

The Naval Special Warfare fine art collection is back and better than ever. Finally I have completed re-design for my entire NSWC series. This was in the works for quite some time. Make sure to click on the image below to see the higher resolution image. I also published all the fine art pieces in my FineArt America galleries, so make sure to drop by.

The United States Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM, NAVSOC or NSWC) was commissioned on 16 April 1987, at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in San Diego, California. As the Naval component to the United States Special Operations Command, headquartered at MacDill AFB in Tampa, Florida, Naval Special Warfare Command provides vision, leadership, doctrinal guidance, resources and oversight to ensure component maritime special operations forces are ready to meet the operational requirements of combatant commanders.
Today's Naval Special Warfare operators can trace their origins to the Scouts and Raiders, Naval Combat Demolition Units, Office of Strategic Services Operational Swimmers, Underwater Demolition Teams, and Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons of World War II. In the Vietnam era, the Navy drew most of its SEALs from the Underwater Demolition Teams; from the early 1960s up until 1983 the SEAL Teams and UDTs coexisted. Navy SEALs typically traced their origin to the Scouts and Raiders while the Underwater Demolition Teams traced theirs to the Navy Combat Demolition Units (the Navy drew its UDTs from NCDUs). However, in 1983 the Underwater Demolition Teams were merged with the SEAL Teams. This, in turn, merged their ancestry. While none of those early organizations have survived to present, their pioneering efforts in unconventional warfare are mirrored in the missions and professionalism of the present Naval Special Warfare warriors.
A tactical force with strategic impact, NSW mission areas include unconventional warfare, direct action, combating terrorism, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, information warfare, security assistance, counter-drug operations, personnel recovery and hydrographic reconnaissance. NSW forces can operate independently or integrate with other U.S. special operations forces or within U.S. Navy carrier battle groups and amphibious ready groups.
Naval Special Warfare units are organized, trained, and equipped to conduct special operations in maritime and riverine environments. They are deployed in small units worldwide in support of fleet and national operations. NSW provides an effective means to apply counterforce in conjunction with national policy and objectives in peacetime and across the spectrum of hostilities from peacetime operations to limited war to general war.

The major operational components of Naval Special Warfare Command include Naval Special Warfare Group ONE and Special Boat Squadron ONE in San Diego, CA, and Naval Special Warfare Group TWO and Special Boat Squadron TWO in Norfolk, VA. These components deploy SEAL Teams, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams and Special Boat Units worldwide to meet the training, exercise, contingency and wartime requirements of theater commanders. With approximately 5,000 total active-duty personnel--including 2,200 SEALs and 600 Special Warfare Combat Crewmembers (SWCC), and comprises less than one-tenth of one percent of U.S. Navy personnel.

As I mentioned earlier, all the artwork is available for a limited time as fine art prints via my FineArt America galleries in the Naval Special Warfare Command collection.

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

Australian Artillery Association

One of my more recent military-related projects was the one also quite dear to me due to the fact that it had to do with artillery. This time it was for the folks from Australian Artillery Association. They wanted me to recreate their commemorative lapel badge and use the image for promotional purposes.

The Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery, normally referred to as the Royal Australian Artillery (RAA), is a Regiment of the Australian Army descended from the original colonial artillery units prior to Australia's federation. Australia’s first guns were landed from HMS Sirius and a small earthen redoubt built, near the present day Macquarie Place, to command the approaches to Sydney Cove. The deployment of these guns represents the origins of artillery in Australia. These and subsequent defences, as well as field guns, were operated by marines and the soldiers of infantry regiments stationed in Australia. The first Royal Artillery unit arrived in Australia in 1856 and began a succession of gunner units which ended with the withdrawal of the imperial forces in 1870 resulting in the raising of the Victorian Artillery Corps in Melbourne in 1870 and the New South Wales Artillery in Sydney in 1871. The First World War saw the raising of 60 field, 20 howitzer and two siege batteries along with the heavy and medium trench mortar batteries. Until 19 September 1962 the Australian Artillery was referred to as the 'Royal Australian Artillery', however on this date HM Queen Elizabeth II granted the RAA the title of 'The Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery'. The Regiment today consists of Regular and Reserve units.

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