History
Heraldic and other military symbols have been used by the U.S. military and government agencies since the beginning of the American Revolution, however, there was no co-ordinated military heraldry program until 1919, when an office within the United States Department of War staff was established to approve and co-ordinate the coats of arms and insignia of U.S. Army organizations. In 1924, formal staff responsibility for specific military designs was delegated to the Quartermaster General. As the needs for symbolism by the military services and the national government expanded, the scope of the services furnished by the Quartermaster General's Office evolved into the Heraldic Program.
The expansion of the Army during World War II, and the subsequent increased interest in symbolism, contributed to the growth of the Heraldic Program. It was further expanded by Pub.L. 85-263, approved September 1957, 71 Stat. 89, which delineated the authority of the Secretary of the Army to furnish heraldic services to the military departments and other branches of the federal government.
18 U.S.C. § 704 and the Code of Federal Regulations (32 CFR, Part 507) permit the Institute of Heraldry to issue directives on how military insignia are displayed, the criteria for issuance, and how insignia will be worn on military uniforms.
On 1960-08-10, Army General Order Number 29 placed the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry under the control of the Quartermaster General. The Army Adjutant General’s office assumed responsibility of the Institute in 1962, when the Office of the Quartermaster General ceased existing because the Army reorganized. In 1987, another realignment subordinated the Institute to the U.S. Total Army Personnel Command (the U.S. Army Human Resources Command). In April 1994, the Institute of Heraldry moved from Cameron Station to Fort Belvoir, Virginia. In October 2004, another realignment assigned responsibility for the Heraldic Program to Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army, part of the United States Army.
Read more about this topic: United States Army Institute Of Heraldry
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