AIR FORCE ROTC DETACHMENT 040 PATCH


A circular dye-sublimation patch with the 21st century United States Air Force symbol overlaid on the Los Angeles city landscape. Above it, the lion mascot of our host university provides a unifying theme for the wing, the patch's dominant color, and represents the wing's associated cadet club, the "Flying Lions." Surrounding the inner circle are names of the 4-year universities whose students attend ROTC in our program. The two blue stars symbolize LMU and UCLA, sister wings when the detachment included both programs from 1994-1996 and 2000-2001.

The U.S. Air Force symbol honors the heritage of our past and represents the promise of our future. It retains the core elements of our Air Corps heritage -- the "Arnold" wings and star with circle -- and modernizes them to reflect our aerospace force of today and tomorrow. The symbol has two main parts.

In the upper half, the stylized wings represent the stripes of our strength -- the enlisted men and women of our force. They have been drawn with great angularity to emphasize our swiftness and power, and they are divided into six sections, which represent our core competencies -- aerospace superiority, global attack, rapid global mobility, precision engagement, information superiority, and agile combat support.

In the lower half there are a sphere, a star and three diamonds. The sphere within the star represents the globe. It reminds us of our obligation to secure our nation's freedom with Global Vigilance, Reach and Power. The globe also reminds us of our challenge as an expeditionary force to respond rapidly to crises and to provide decisive aerospace power, worldwide.

The area surrounding the sphere takes the shape of a star. The star has many meanings. Its five points represent the components of our one force and family -- our active duty, civilians, Guard, Reserve and retirees. The star symbolizes space as the high ground of our nation's aerospace force. The rallying symbol in all our wars, the star also represents our officer corps, central to our combat leadership.

The star has been framed with three diamonds, which represent our core values -- integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do. The elements come together to form one symbol that presents two powerful images -- at once it is an eagle, the emblem of our nation, and a medal, representing valor in service to our nation.

The Los Angeles photo depicts the great and sprawling city that is our home. Covering a vast and diverse landscape, the photo depicts downtown Los Angeles against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains. Our detachment reflects and is strengthened by the ethnic and cultural diversity that meets in this great city, a crossroads between South America, Asia, and the United States. Through its entertainment industry, Los Angeles defines American culture on a worldwide stage through film, music, and fashion. Through its cadets, Detachment 40 defines the Air Force core values.

The LMU lion perches between the Air Force wings and floats above the city, representing pride, courage, strength and leadership.

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