Photo By Vincent De Groot | The official 185th Air Refueling Wing unit patch on the Air Force Occupational...... read more read more
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After a thirteen-year absence, Airman from the Iowa Air National Guard’s 185th Air Refueling Wing are once again wearing their official unit patch.
Unit members received the new Operational Camouflage Pattern-185th ARW Wing patch during the November 2024 training weekend.
While the allowance of long abandoned major command and unit patches was approved in 2018, bringing patches back proved to be a much more difficult task than taking them away.
Those who were part of the Air Force in the 2010s will remember that it was the advent of the grey, tiger striped Airman Battle Uniform that did away with unit patches on Halloween in 2011.
Before the ABU, both the major command and unit, or Wing patches were sewn on chest pockets and had been part of the Air Force utility uniform for decades.
The reason for the elimination of the patches was somewhat ambiguous but had to do with cost savings and lower uniform maintenance.
The adoption of the Army designed OCP in 2018 came with a bunch of easy to fill, fuzzy, blank hook-and-loop space yearning to be covered.
Prior to the OCP only aircrew had removable patch space on their flight suits. After the OCP came online some official patches began to appear, along with plenty of non-official or “morale” patches.
The need to revamp official unit patches became more urgent as the April 2021 mandatory wear date of the OCP edged closer.
With the entire force transitioning to the OCP at the same time the event created a significant backlog in the patch approval process. Coupled with COVID in 2019 the OCP patch approval process ground to a halt.
New designs of old patches required the application of new rules like a reduction in numbers and kinds of colors used, as well as other criteria.
The new 185th patch arrived with little fanfare almost 5 years after OCPs were widely distributed at the Iowa ANG unit in Sioux City.
The new patch is the same design as the patch worn with the Battle Dress Uniform prior to 2011. While the OCP patch is more subdued, the basic look of the new 185th patch is unchanged predominately featuring Native American symbols related to the wing’s historical base in Sioux City. The color version of the patch shows the items against Ultramarine Blue and Air Force Yellow background.
Beyond the U.S. Air Force nametape on the front of the uniform, the Wing patch is more specific to the organization’s esprit de core. The patch serves as a visual reminder of belonging and ties to the group’s identity and history.
The official information memo about the patch from the Institute of
Heraldry describes the 185th patch as follows:
“Significance. Ultramarine Blue and Air Force Yellow are the Air Force colors. Blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. The Native American and the spear signify the Wing’s historical base in Sioux City, Iowa. Furthermore, both symbols honor the unit's previous designation as the 185th Tactical Fighter Group. The feather emphasizes wisdom and honor. The six arrows and lightning flashes represent the unity of the supporting Groups.”
| Date Taken: | 11.03.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.03.2024 13:34 |
| Story ID: | 484546 |
| Location: | SIOUX CITY, IOWA, US |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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