Iraqi Special Forces Flag

[bmsm]

This is a 2003, Special Forces Flag. It is 48 in. long and 32 in wide and is a one sided flag.

The translation is:

Above: 23rd Fast Enterance Crowd- SF

Middle: Special Force

Below: Second Detachment

A Fast Enterance Crowd is a "quick reaction" force of about 300 soldiers .

Bob

Edited November 6, 2009 by bmsm

[2xvetran]

Awesome flag Bob!!! I am jealous. Scott

[Mervyn Mitton]

You have some very interesting pieces, Bob. Would this unit also have had police functions ? Probably with the previous Govt., they were inter changeable. One question - on some of the patches and on this flag, there is what looks like a 'dead chicken's head' - what bird is it meant to represent ?

[bmsm]

You have some very interesting pieces, Bob. Would this unit also have had police functions ? Probably with the previous Govt., they were inter changeable. One question - on some of the patches and on this flag, there is what looks like a 'dead chicken's head' - what bird is it meant to represent ?

Mervyn,

It is supposed to represent a eagle. I never could understand why some of their "eagle head" patches and in this case a flag looks like a chicken or a dove head. I'll have to inquire into it more and see if ther is more to it than meets the eye.

Bob

[bmsm]

Mervyn,

It is supposed to represent a eagle. I never could understand why some of their "eagle head" patches and in this case a flag looks like a chicken or a dove head. I'll have to inquire into it more and see if ther is more to it than meets the eye.

Bob

Mervyn,

After further inquiry,I found out that the flags, patches,etc, are made locally in Iraq so such differences in shapes may happen because of the designer. The Iraqi Special Forces emblem is the eagle.

Bob

[2xvetran]

Bob, I wonder if something gets lost in translation? Maybe fast entry crowd is really fast entry group or unit? I have noticed that sometimes the words seem strange on translations. I was thinking that it may be that some of these words are interchangeable... Scott.

[ChrisW]

Very nice flag!

My trusty Hans Wehr Arabic-English dictionary translates the first word, "fawj", as group/detachment/troop. In Iraqi Arabic it's also been used for battalion (pre-1922) and regiment (post-1922).

And I would suggest an alternate translation for "fast entrance" might be something like "rapid insertion"?

Cheers,

Chris

[bmsm]

Hi Guys,

I was going to wait until tomorrow morning to answer the question on what is a Crowd so here it is.

10 soldiers equal a section

30 soldiers (or more) equal a platoon

3 platoons (or more) equal a detachment (company)

3 detachments (or more) equal a crowd (battalion)

3 crowds (or more) equal a brigade

3 brigades (or more) equal a division

3 divisions (or more) equals a Legion (army Corps).

So a Crowd is equal to roughly + or - 270 soldiers.

Bob

Edited December 1, 2009 by bmsm