Military Insignia
devices in the form of badges, epaulets, straps, chevrons, buttons, braid, mottoes, and the like , worn to differentiate the ranks and MILITARY INSIGNIA divisions of the military and naval forces.
Insignia for these purposes are to-day in use in the forces of all nations, though differing according to the country to which the army and navy belong. In all countries the insignia are identical for officers or non-commissioned men of the same rank, though they differ according to the branch of the service.
In the United States the devices used in the army and navy underwent con siderable changes during the period intervening between the Revolution and the Civil War, but from the period of the Civil War the process has been rather of development than of change, and the insignia employed have been largely the officers on the collar, volunteers being same. The letters U. S. are worn by distinguished by the addition of the letter V.
Officers of the National Guard wear the initial letter of their States. To indicate the various corps or departments devices relating to the work of each are employed. Thus the General Staff Corps is indicated by the U. S. coat of arms on a silver star; Adjutant-General's Department by a shield; Judge-Advocate General's Department by crossed sword and pen; Medical Corps by a caduceus; Engineers by a turreted castle. The insignia indicating ranks are worn der insignia are as follows: two silver on the sleeves and shoulders. The shoulstars, a major-general; one silver star, colonel; one silver leaf, lieutenant-coloa brigadier-general; one silver eagle , ner; one gold leaf, major; two silver bars, captain; one silver bar, first lieutenant; sleeve insignia are as follows: two silver one gold bar, second lieutenant. The stars, stars, major-general; one silver star, brigadier-general; five strands of gold wire lace in the form of a knot, colonel; four strands, lieutenant-colonel; three strands, strands, major; two strands, captain; one strand, first lieutenant; without gold lace, second lieutenant. ranks and divisions in the United States The devices employed in distinguishing army are largely modeled on those which obtain in other countries. In the Gerthe distinguishing mark of the commisman army crescent-shaped epaulets are stars being used to indicate the higher sioned officer, combinations of batons and ranks, while the arms of the service are indicated by the color of the tunic lace, and the state by the color of the cockade.
In the British army the royal arms, arms of cities and counties, castles, antelopes, used to designate the various regiments. guns, bugles, crosses, and the like are Stripes of gold or silver braid are the main devices used to indicate rank in the French, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese MIL. ORDER FOR'N WARS armies. In Europe generally the branches and departments of the army are distinguished more by the uniform than by distinctive badges.
MILITARY ORDER OF FOREIGN WARS, an American organization founded in New York, Dec. 27, 1894, by vete- 1 2 MILITARY ORDERS officers of the army, navy, or marine corps of the United States who partici pated in any of the foreign wars of the United States. The latter are direct lineal descendants in the male line only of commissioned officers who served honorably in any of the said wars. The National Commandery was instituted 3 4 5 5 36 7 6 U.S. 9 U.S.R. 10 NG 13 12 14 DROITET AVANT 15 16 18 19
MILITARY INSIGNIA-COLLAR INSIGNIA OF UNITED STATES ARMY OFFICERS 1. Engineer Corps 8. All Officers of Regular Army 2. Adjutant 3. Field Artillery 4. Coast Artillery 5. Cavalry 6. Infantry '7. Adjutant of Infantry 9. All Officers of National Army (World War) 10. All Officers of Reserve Army 11. All Officers of National Guard 12. Quartermaster Corps 13. Signal Corps rans and descendants of veterans of one or more of the four foreign wars which the United States had been engaged in, to wit: The War of the Revolution, the War with Tripoli, the War of 1812, and the Mexican War. By an amendment to the constitution all American officers who participated in the war with Spain in 1898 are rendered eligible to membership as veteran companions. Members are entitled "companions" and are either "veteran companions" or "hereditary companions." The former are commissioned
14. Inspector-General's Department 15. Adjutant-General's Department 16. General Staff Corps 17. Medical Corps
18. Veterinary Corps 19. Judge Advocate-General's Department March 11, 1896, by the officers of the New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut commanderies. In 1914 there were 1,500 companions, leading officers of the army and navy.