A gold color metal and enamel device 1 inch (2.54 cm) in height overall, consisting of a white and red torse and standing thereon a gold lion facing front and holding a white shield on which is a black fess charged with three white roundels and wielding in his upraised paw a white bladed scimitar.
This device was devised by Benjamin Franklin. In 1747 during the war of the Spanish Succession, the Spaniards threatened Philadelphia, coming up the Delaware as far as New Castle. Dr. Franklin aroused the people and designed a crest and flag which was carried through Philadelphia in 1748 by Colonel Taylor's battalion. The shield is the shield of William Penn, white with black fess bearing three white discs. As the original settlement was of English origin, the twists of the wreath are white and red.
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for Headquarters, State Area Command, Pennsylvania Army National Guard on 29 October 1986. It was redesignated for the Pennsylvania Army National Guard Element, Joint Force Headquarters and amended to update the description and add a symbolism effective 1 October 2003.