Shoulder sleeve insignia A shoulder sleeve insignia ( often abbreviated SSI ) , is an embroidered patch used by major formations of the United States Army . Each formation has a unique formation patch , and the U . S . Army is unique among the U . S . Armed Forces in that all soldiers are required to wear the patch of their headquarters as part of their military uniform s . Shoulder sleeve insignia receive their name from the fact that they are most commonly worn on the upper left shoulders of all U . S . Army uniforms , though they can be placed on other locations , notably a combat helmet . Shoulder sleeve insignia worn on the upper right shoulders on Army uniforms denote former wartime service . These " combat patches " will not be worn on the new Army Service Uniform . Instead a 2 inch metal replica will be worn on the right breast pocket and is officially known as the Combat Service Identification Badge . Versions . Shoulder sleeve insignia are often designed with intricate designs including bright colors , when created . Because these bright colors and designs risk standing out when a soldier is in combat or in hiding , the shoulder sleeve insignia in its color form is commonly only worn on the dress uniform , when a soldier is not in combat . For combat uniforms , " subdued " versions have been created for wear on the battlefield . " Full color " SSI are only worn on the Service Green Uniform . Formerly , full color SSI were also worn on the " full color " ( white letters on black or dark blue material ) Military Police brassard , worn by MPs while wearing the green " Class A " service uniform or while wearing subdued field uniforms ( BDU or DCU ) in a garrison environment . The subdued version of the SSI created for the Battle Dress Uniform ( BDU ) features patches that are primarily olive , dark brown and black , to match the BDU . In general , this version is obsolete because the Army phased out the BDU uniform in favor of the Army Combat Uniform ( ACU ) . A few examples still remain , as older accessories , such as BDU winter weather jackets and coats are still in use by some units , such as ROTC formations . These jackets still use the subdued BDU SSI . The subdued version created for the Desert Camouflage Uniform is primarily tan and " Spice " brown , to match the DCU uniform design . This version is also obsolete , as the Army phased out DCUs in favor of ACUs . The subdued version created for the Army Combat Uniform is the version widely used in the field today . Since the Army - wide adoption of the ACU , SSI for the ACU have been developed . These SSI are primarily foliage green , light brown , and black , though a few patches also feature red and maroon colors for some details . Unlike previous patches , the ACU SSI are velcro , designed to attach to the velcro pockets on the shoulder of the uniform , instead of being sewn on . This makes them easier to remove and replace . Since the development of the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern ( OCP ) uniform ( commonly known as MultiCam as it is derived from Crye Precision ' s proprietary pattern ) new SSI have been procured where the " Foliage " green of the ACU SSI is replaced by " Bagby " green . Velcro remains the method for attaching the SSI to the uniform . Wear . Well - recognized examples are the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia for the 1st Infantry Division and the 1st Cavalry Division . In the U . S . Army , the SSI is worn on the left upper arm , just below the uniform ' s shoulder seam on all but the ACU . On the Army Combat Uniform the SSI is attached to a velcro backing and is then centered on rectangle of velcro on the arm . The most common place for the SSI to be worn is on the shoulder of the uniform , however it is also sometimes worn on other places , notably when the soldier ' s body armor covers the shoulders . SSI are also commonly worn on the shoulder pads of interceptor body armor , which covers the SSI on the uniform . Some soldiers also wear SSI on their MICH TC - 2000 Combat Helmet s , however this is not standard practice for all units . Some SSI are too large to be worn on the helmets . SSI are also occasionally worn on the backpack s or rucksack s of soldiers , but this is not standard practice and is usually personal preference . Which SSI that is worn depends on the chain of command that the soldier ' s formation is a part of . Usually , the soldier wears the SSI of their division or separate brigade , but if they fall under the command of a different division , they must wear the SSI of that division . Former wartime service . Those soldiers who are combat veterans are authorized permanent wear of the SSI of the unit they fought with on their right shoulder . This shoulder sleeve insignia recognizes " former wartime service " and is frequently called a " combat patch " . Per Army Regulation 670 - 1 , a soldier is authorized to wear the SSI of their higher headquarters . This is not dependent on whether or not the higher headquarters deployed , or to whom the soldier was attached throughout his / her deployment . Exceptions have been made for operations of relatively short duration such as service in the Dominican Republic , Panama and Grenada . With the transformation of the U . S . Army into a brigade - centered force , the SSI that soldiers may wear for wartime service has grown . Where soldiers once fought only under the command of their home division headquarters , this is no longer always the case . Early in the Global War on Terrorism , soldiers could earn the wartime service patch of several units during a single deployment according to their chain of command . This issue was corrected to ensure that the soldier can now only earn the SSI for former wartime service for their home unit when deployed . Entire formations of soldiers are rarely deployed to the same command structure . For example , a battalion from a separate support brigade may be attached to a Brigade Combat Team during on deployment , which , in turn , would be attached to a different division headquarters . It is a misconception that in that deployment , soldiers in the battalion could earn three patches at once ; the patch of their regular headquarters ( the separate brigade ) , the patch of the Brigade Combat Team that they were attached to , and the patch of the Division that the Brigade Combat Team was attached to . In actuality the regulation states that soldiers will wear the shoulder sleeve insignia of former wartime service of the lowest deployed echelon authorized its own distinctive SSI , which applies to divisions , separate brigades , and a handful of battalions . After March 27 , 2007 the policy was changed to allow units of company level and higher to wear the SSI of their regular headquarters as a combat patch . This policy change also means that units above company level no longer receive multiple combat patches for single deployments , in turn simplifying what combat patch soldiers are actually entitled to wear . Although all U . S . Army army group s , field armies , and corps have SSI , they do not award combat patches of these to all soldiers serving under them . These combat patches are usually only given to soldiers who serve the corps or army headquarters directly , and not one of the subordinate units . There is no time - in - theater requirement for wear of the SSIFWTS and orders are not created to authorize it . Soldiers are also not required to wear a SSIFWTS , and if they can wear more than one SSIFWTS then Soldiers can alternate from one to another , but they cannot wear more than one at a time . History . The 81st Infantry Division " Wildcat " is generally agreed to have been first U . S . Army unit authorized an SSI . In 1918 , during World War I , the 81st Division sailed for France after training at Fort Jackson , South Carolina . On their left shoulder the men of the division wore an olive drab felt patch with the silhouette of a wildcat - after Wildcat Creek , a stream that flows through Fort Jackson . When men of the other fighting divisions challenged the right of 81st soldiers to wear the patch , General John J . Pershing ruled that the 81st could keep this distinctive insignia . He also suggested that other divisions adopt shoulder patches of their own . This patch was officially adopted by the U . S . Army on October 19 , 1918 . By World War II , all army group s , field armies , corps , and divisions , as well as all major Army commands , had unique SSI . These SSI would often be created with symbolism alluding to the unit ' s formation . Examples include the 82nd Airborne Division , which included an " AA " on its patch alluding to the " All - American " soldiers from every state that made it up , and the 29th Infantry Division , which included blue and grey to allude to soldiers that made it up being from states on both sides of the American Civil War . Most US formations had unique patches which varied greatly in size and makeup , with the exception of U . S . armored divisions ( as well as 1st Armored Corps and the U . S . Army Armor Center & School ) , all of which adopted the same patch ( a yellow , red and blue triangle with a symbol for Armor in the middle ) . Each division and I Armored Corps then included its number in the upper yellow portion of the patch to distinguish it . The SSIs of those Armored units which survived into the Cold War became irregular pentagons ( some units later than others ) with the addition of rectangular section at the bottom , bearing the division ' s nickname or " U . S . Army Armor Center " . Subdued patches and insignia were introduced during the Vietnam War and were made mandatory for wear on the field uniform starting July 1 , 1970 . SSIs are " generally " authorised only for units commanded by a general officer . In the early 1960s , separate armor regiments began creating SSI , and the number of separate brigades increased . Today , most separate brigades have their own SSI , but those brigades permanently assigned to divisions do not . A handful of smaller units have SSI ( including the U . S . Army ' s ranger battalions [ all of which have identical SSIs apart from the number ] , Trial Defense Service and Headquarters & Headquarters Company , U . S . Army ) , but most units battalion level and smaller do not have SSIs of their own . A handful of SSIs are designated for use by units which are not under a unified command wearing that SSI ; these include Special Forces , Department of the Army Staff Support and the SSI designated for soldiers assigned outside of DOD ( e . g . , military attaché s ) . References . Dalessandro , Robert J . & Knapp , Michael G . , " Organization and Insignia of the American Expeditionary Forces , 1917 – 1923 " , ( Atglen , PA : Schiffer Publishing ) 2008 .