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261st Multifunctional Medical Battalion
Shoulder sleeve insignia
Active	15 June 1942 – 28 January 1945 16 September 1992 – present
Country	US
Branch	Regular Army
Garrison/HQ	Fort Bragg
Nickname(s)	Spearhead Medics
Engagements	World War II Operation Iraqi Governance Operation National Resolution Operation Iraqi Surge Operation Enduring Freedom
Decorations	Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered NORMANDY Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2005 Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2007-2008 Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2010-2011
Commanders
Current commander	LTC Benjamin P. Donham
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia

The The 261stMultifunctional Medical Battalion is a US Army unit located at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, provides a scalable, flexible and modular medical battle command (MBC) administrative assistance, logistical support, and technical supervision capability for assigned and attached medical organizations (companies and detachments) task-organized for support of deployed forces.

Command Group

• Commander: LTC Benjamin P. Donham
• Command Sergeant Major: CSM James E. Brown
• Executive Officer: MAJ Francis Cicchini

Lineage

• Constituted 12 June 1942 in the Army of the United States as the 261st Medical Battalion.
• Activated 15 June 1942 at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts
• Disbanded 28 January 1945 in France
• Reconstituted 1 October 1991 in the Regular Army
• Activated 16 September 1992 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
• Reorganized 16 August 2002 to consist of Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 261st Medical Battalion (organic

elements concurrently inactivated)

Honors

Campaign participation credit

• World War II

1. Sicily (with arrowhead)
2. Naples-Foggia
3. Rome-Arno
4. Normandy (with arrowhead)
5. Northern France

• War on Terrorism

1. Iraqi Governance
2. National Resolution
3. Iraqi Surge

(Additional campaigns to be determined)

Decorations

• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for:

1. IRAQ 2005
2. IRAQ 2007-2008
3. IRAQ 2010-2011

• Presidential Unit Commendation (Army) for:

1. NORMANDY

Shoulder sleeve insignia

• Description: On a white shield within a 1⁄8 inch (0.32 cm) white border 2 inches (5.1 cm) in width overall a four-pointed gold star (with longer vertical points) superimposed on a maroon four-pointed star (points saltirewise and all of equal length) between two maroon flanks.
• Symbolism:

1. Maroon and white are the colors used for the Army Medical Service.
2. The gold star superimposed over the maroon star is symbolic of the unit's mission of command and control over medical units.
3. The four points of each taken together allude to the organization's numerical designation.

• Background:

1. This insignia was originally approved for the 44th Medical Brigade on 1966-10-05.
2. The shoulder sleeve insignia was redesignated for the 44th Medical Command on 2001-08-06.
3. The insignia was redesignated for the 44th Medical Brigade with the description updated effective 16 April 2010.

• From 1995 to 2010, members of the brigade wore a blue airborne tab with white lettering above their shoulder sleeve insignia. While sanctioned by the XVIII Airborne Corps, the tab was never approved for wear by the US Army Institute of Heraldry.

Distinctive unit insignia

• Description: A silver color metal and enamel device 1+1⁄8 inches (2.9 cm) in diameter consisting of a silver saltire (cross), the four arms equal and with straight ends, surmounted by a maroon cross, the four arms equal and with arched ends.
• Symbolism: Maroon and white (silver) are the colors used for the Army Medical Service and the two crosses refer to the medical and surgical mission of the organization while the four arms of each cross taken together signify the organization's numerical designation.
• Background:

1. This insignia was originally approved for the 44th Medical Brigade on 1966-08-12.
2. The distinctive unit insignia was redesignated for the 44th Medical Command on 2001-08-06.
3. https://www.google.com/search?q=261st+mmb+unit+crest&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=CF4mCz67OigrxM%252CykUqFTllOFPgZM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kRf-o9QaDMaNmcGIVA_tleGeX1OOg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiJvObnmYrtAhVEVTUKHfWyCrgQ9QF6BAgKEAY#imgrc=CF4mCz67OigrxM

Beret flash

• Description: On a maroon shield-shaped embroidered item with a semi-circular base 2 1/4 inches (5.72 cm) in height and 1 7/8 inches (4.76 cm) in width overall and edged with a 1/8-inch (.32 cm) white border, a white vertical lozenge on the vertical center line.
• Background:

1. This insignia was originally approved for the 44th Medical brigade on 1995-08-01.
2. The beret flash was cancelled by the Institute of Heraldry effective 2010-08-16.
3. Colors: White #67101; Maroon #67114
4. Institute of Heraldry drawing number A-4-163.

<gallery> https://www.google.com/search?q=261st+mmb+unit+crest&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=CF4mCz67OigrxM%252CykUqFTllOFPgZM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kRf-o9QaDMaNmcGIVA_tleGeX1OOg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiJvObnmYrtAhVEVTUKHfWyCrgQ9QF6BAgKEAY#imgrc=CF4mCz67OigrxM

Background trimming

• Description: On a maroon oval-shaped embroidered item 1 3/8 inches (3.49 cm) in height and 2 1/4 inches (5.72 cm) in width edged with a 1/8-inch (.32 cm) white border, a white vertical lozenge on the vertical center line.
• Background:

1. This insignia was originally approved for the 44th Medical brigade on 1995-08-01.
2. The background trimming was cancelled by the Institute of Heraldry effective 2010-08-16.
3. Colors: White #67101; Maroon #67114.
4. Institute of Heraldry drawing number A-6-181.

Current

Units of the 261st MMB:

• HHD, 261st MMB
• 24th MED DET (OPT)
• 36th ASMC
• 550th ASMC
• 601st ASMC
• 602nd ASMC
• 155th MED DET (PM)
• 172nd MED DET (PM)
• 51st MLC
• 690th GA