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The U.S. Army is investigating how a National Guard unit headquartered in Birmingham posted a photo on social media showing a service member with a helmet patch linked to symbols used by troops for Nazi Germany. The 20th Special Forces Group posted the photo to its official Instagram account showing the patch, which appears to show the SS Totenkopf or “death’s head” image.

The U.S. Army is investigating how a National Guard unit headquartered in Birmingham posted a photo on social media showing a service member with a helmet patch linked to symbols used by troops for Nazi Germany. The 20th Special Forces Group posted the photo to its official Instagram account showing the patch, which appears to show the SS Totenkopf or “death’s head” image. (X)

The U.S. Army is investigating how a National Guard unit headquartered in Birmingham posted a photo on social media showing a service member with a helmet patch linked to symbols used by troops for Nazi Germany.

Military Times is reporting that the 20th Special Forces Group posted the photo to its official Instagram account showing the patch, which appears to show the SS Totenkopf or “death’s head” image.

The photo was captioned, “That weekend feeling. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Don’t stop training. Don’t get complacent.” It was later deleted after several comments criticizing the patch on a service member’s helmet.

“The use of symbols and patches depicting historic images of hate is not tolerated and a clear violation of our values,” Maj. Russell Gordon, spokesperson for 1st Special Forces Command, said. “We are aware of the situation and are currently investigating the matter.”

The Alabama National Guard is assisting in the investigation, according to Mack Muzio, a National Guard spokesperson.

Task and Purpose reported the image on a team patch was previously banned in 2022 after an informal investigation.

Army Times reported the image incorporates a palm tree from the seal of the Afrikakorps, which fought against British and American troops in North Africa during World War II. The skull and bones symbol replaces the swastika in the team’s design.

“The patch is an unofficial patch not approved by the command in any kind of way from Third Special Forces Group,” Gordon said. “People started looking at the symbols and researching the symbols and (were) able to clearly identify the history of it. Then the command banned it back in approximately 2022.”

Gordon said officials investigating in 2022 couldn’t find the source of the patch or the person who created it. They concluded the soldiers wearing the patch did not know the symbol’s historical meaning.

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