- Sword Collecting 101: Where to Start
- The Stories Behind the Various U.S. Military Swords
- Interesting Information About the Most Popular Steel Alloys Used in Collectable Millitary Swords
- Preserving Service Heirlooms With Hardwood Flag Display Cases
- How to Select a Collectible Sword for Your Collection
- Tracking Down Authentic Sword Accessories for the U.S. Armed Forces
- What Wood You Use?
- With a Little Maintenance, Your Sword Display Will Look Great Year After Year
- How to Determine the Condition of Collectible Military Swords
- How to Preserve and Store Your Military Uniforms
Military Insignia, Part Two: Colors
Posted by Devin on 11/22/2013
to Military Displays
As uniforms and military structuring evolved, so did our use of colors, as well as the thought processes and psychology that went into choosing the colors. While uniforms worn in the field downgraded the use of colors in the interests of camouflage, the dress uniforms compensated by becoming even more colorful. Ribbons were added in a rainbow of different hues, and military insignia began using the colors to represent the core beliefs and principles that commanders wanted their troops to embody. Here is a breakdown of some of the different colors in today's military insignia, and the principles they have come to stand for.
Red: Among all the colors, red has remained true to its meaning of courage or bravery, as well as personal sacrifice.
Green: Disregarding camouflage or olive drab, which basically mean "I hope you can't see me," green is usually chosen to represent hope and optimism.
Orange: Bold and daring, the color orange represents strength, endurance and perserverence.
Blue: Blue represents trust, peace and strength of character, and is one of the most used colors in military insignia today.
Yellow: Yellow, as well as gold, have long been used to symbolize honor, loyalty and adherence to a code.
Purple: Perhaps a little cocky, purple represents eliteness and superiority.
White: While technically not a color, but a lack of color, white is the traditional color used to show faith and purity.
In our final installment of this series, we'll take a look at the myriad shapes used in today's military insignia.