Introducing project “Military Insignia”, featuring top quality military heraldry designs. Here you will find designer apparel, accessories, custom postage and gifts decorated with insignia of the 4th Infantry Division ("Ivy Division"). The 4th Infantry Division ("Ivy Division") is a modular division of the United States Army based at Fort Carson, Colorado, with four brigade combat teams. It is a very technically advanced combat division in the U.S. Army. The division has both officially approved and soldiering nicknames; the first, "Ivy," is a play on words of the Roman numeral IV or 4. Ivy leaves also symbolize tenacity and fidelity which is the basis of the division's motto: "Steadfast and Loyal". The second nickname, "Iron Horse", has been recently adopted to indicate the speed and power of the division. As is often the case, soldier monikers also exist as puns on nicknames approved by the military brass, such as Poison Ivy Division as well as The Funky Fourth during the Vietnam era. The division was unable to deploy in time to start the Iraq invasion but joined it as a follow-on force in April 2003 attacking toward Tikrit and Mosul, and later became a major part of occupation forces during the post-war period. Headquartered in Saddam Hussein's former palaces, the 4th ID was deployed in the northern area of the Sunni Triangle near Tikrit. The 4th Infantry Division was spread all over Northern Iraq from Kirkuk to the Iranian border as far south as Balad Air Base in Balad, Iraq. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team Headquarters was assigned to Balad Air Base. The 4th Infantry Division also disarmed the MEK warriors in Northern Iraq in July–August 2003. On 13 December 2003, the 1st Brigade of the 4th ID provided perimeter security for the U.S. Special Operations Forces that captured Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq. The division rotated out of Iraq in the Spring of 2004, and was relieved by the 1st Infantry Division. The division's second deployment to Iraq began in the fall of 2005. The division headquarters replaced the 3rd Infantry Division, which had been directing security operations as the headquarters for Multi-National Division – Baghdad. The 4th ID assumed responsibility on 7 January 2006 for four provinces in central and southern Iraq: Baghdad, Karbala, An-Najaf and Babil. On 7 January 2006, MND-Baghdad also assumed responsibility for training Iraqi security forces and conducting security operations in the four provinces. The third deployment to Iraq was in 2007–2009. Immediately, the division's brigades started preparing for their next return to combat. The 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team has completed a one year tour in Afghanistan that began in May 2009; the 3rd Brigade Combat Team completed a one year deployment to southern Iraq, as an Advise and Assist Brigade, from March 2010 to March 2011; 1st Brigade Combat Team deployed to Afghanistan from July 2010-2011; to be followed by 4ID HQ deploying to Iraq for the fourth time in early fall of 2011. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, which returned from Iraq late in 2009, is currently in Afghanistan for 2011. The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for the 4th Division on 30 October 1918, without any background specified for the ivy leaf design. The design was embroidered on a square olive background (color of the uniform). It was redesignated for the 4th Infantry Division effective 4 August 1943. On 2 July 1958, the design was changed to reflect the light khaki color background. The insignia was amended to add a symbolism on 1 April 1969. The four leaves allude to the numerical designation of the Division while the word "I-VY" as pronounced, suggests the characters used in the formation of the Roman numeral "IV." Ivy leaves are also symbolic of fidelity and tenacity.