FORT KNOX, Ky. –
A new patch is coming to U.S. Army Recruiting Command, courtesy of one of its own recruiters.
Sgt. 1st Class Eddie Haddle, an Army recruiter stationed in Utah, designed the shoulder sleeve insignia that will become the official patch for the command Sept. 14.
The design is the same, but inverting the colors has made a world of a difference, Haddle explained.
“This makes it easier for people, especially potential applicants, to read ‘recruiting’ and be able to understand who we are from a distance, even if they don’t have any prior knowledge of military uniforms,” Haddle said.
Making the change was not an easy or fast process. After presenting USAREC’s former Commanding General Maj. Gen. (R) Frank Muth with the design in 2019, the proposal was sent up through multiple chains of command before getting the final approval.
“It is very rare for a modification to occur,” said Charles Mugno, director of the Army Institute of Heraldry.
In his 15 years with the institute, Mugno has only authorized modifications to three other shoulder sleeve insignias Army-wide.
Haddle, who’s been testing out the patch since its creation in September 2019, has noticed a significant increase in interest in his uniform.
“This is just another great way to break the ice with people and get them the knowledge of what the Army has to offer,” he said. “To see the patch coming to reality is just mind blowing. To think that every recruiter in the Army is going to be wearing the design that I created is truly an honor.”
Haddle, a Pennsylvania native, joined the U.S. Army Reserve after graduating high school in 2007 as a heavy equipment operator. He later reclassified to a carpentry and masonry specialist then a unit supply specialist before becoming a recruiter.
He is only a year into his time as a recruiter but has already changed the command’s history. He plans to continue serving until he hits at least 20 years, hoping to see his design last even after his career in the Army has ended.