1st Personnel Command (1st PERSCOM)
1st Personnel Command (1st PERSCOM) plans, coordinates, and directs personnel operations in support of the Theater Army. It provides command and control of the PERSCOM HQ's, four Personnel Services Battalions, a Personnel Replacement Company, and the USAREUR Band, and transitions to war/stability operations through the deployment of personnel support elements and sustainment operations. The 1st Personnel Command is located on Kilbourne Kaserne in Schwetzingen, Germany (near Heidelberg). Some units and all facilities are located across the street on Tompkins Barracks.
The Distinctive Unit Insignia was originally approved on 14 Aug 1981. It was amended on 16 Aug 1983 to reflect that the insignia is manufactured in pairs. It consists of a disc divided horizontally, dark blue above and the smaller area below in red; in base four white demi-columns and at top a gold demi-lion with red claws and tongue all encircled by a gold wreath. Dark blue and scarlet are the colors traditionally associated with the Adjutant General's Corps and denote the Command's affiliation with the Corps that has traditionally served as the Army's personnel and administrative system operators. The gold lion is adapted from the City of Schwetzingen's coat of arms and refers to the unit's first home in the European Theater. The four pillars represent the four main areas of the 1st PERSCOM mission - personnel, administrative management, morale support and postal. The round device framed by a gold wreath signifies the totality and denotes the quality of service provided to the commanders and soldiers in the Theater Army.
The sholder insignia, approved on 07 November 1978, consists of a dark blue shield on which is centered a white Arabic numeral one. Blue, white and red are the National colors. General Regulations of the Army of 1825 provided that ".dark blue is the national color." In addition, it is indicative of loyalty and firmness. White is representative of knowledge and training. Scarlet refers to courage and zeal. The three colors allude to characteristics the personnel of the Command require in the accomplishment of their mission. The Arabic numeral is indicative of the numerical designation of the Command and also represents the aspirations of the Command personnel in performance of duty.
