The 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), or 1st SFG (A), is the U.S. Army Special Forces group responsible for Asia and the Pacific. It’s headquartered at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, with a battalion forward-stationed at Torii Station, Okinawa. Its motto is “First in Asia.”
The Torii Gate and the 1st SFG Insignia
The gate on this coin’s reverse is a torii, the traditional Japanese symbol marking the entrance to a sacred space. For 1st SFG, it stands for the unit’s role as gatekeeper to Asia and the Pacific, and it ties directly to Torii Station in Okinawa, where the group’s 1st Battalion has been headquartered since the 1960s.
The regimental crest tells the rest of the story. Two crossed arrows sit beneath a V-42 dagger, wrapped in a scroll reading “De Oppresso Liber,” Latin for “to free the oppressed.”
The crossed arrows trace back to the First Special Service Force of World War II, the unit that first wore them as branch insignia before they became standard across the Special Forces regiment.
The V-42 dagger was the fighting knife issued to that same wartime force. Every element on the crest points back to 1st SFG’s own lineage, not a generic Special Forces symbol borrowed from elsewhere.
What Is the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne)?
1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) was constituted on 5 July 1942 as the 2nd Company, 1st Battalion, First Regiment, 1st Special Service Force, a combined Canadian-American unit. It was activated four days later at Fort William Henry Harrison, Montana. That wartime force, sometimes called the Devil’s Brigade, became the direct ancestor of every Special Forces group that followed.
Today, 1st SFG (A) is organized across two locations. Three battalions plus the Group Support Battalion sit at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State. The 1st Battalion is forward-stationed at Torii Station, Okinawa, a posting the unit has held since the early 1960s.
As the lead Special Forces group for the Indo-Pacific, 1st SFG (A) trains and operates across the seven doctrinal missions shared by every Special Forces group: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, combating terrorism, counter-proliferation, and information operations.
Coins for Units at Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is one of the largest military installations in the country, and it’s home to far more than 1st SFG. I Corps, the 2nd Infantry Division, 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment, the 62nd Airlift Wing, the 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, and dozens of other units are all based there.
We’re a veteran-owned coin shop an hour south in Port Orchard, close enough to work directly with the units stationed there. We already build coins for another JBLM unit coin, and we’d like to build yours too, whether your unit sits at JBLM, Okinawa, or anywhere else the Army sends you.
About This 1st SFG Coin
This unit wanted something simple and classic, but finely detailed. The design called for a beret on one face and the torii gate on the other, with no paint or coating of any kind. Just plain, rustic brass-colored metal, carried entirely by the depth of the strike.
That’s harder to pull off than it sounds. Paint and enamel hide small flaws in a die strike. Bare metal doesn’t. Every letter, curve, and fold has to come from the engraving itself, with nowhere for imperfection to hide.
Here’s what’s on each face:
- Beret and dagger, front face. A rolled Special Forces beret sits above a V-42 dagger, framed by the “De Oppresso Liber” scroll at top and “America’s Best” at the base.
- Torii gate, reverse face. The gate stands center, flanked by crossed arrows, with “First in Asia” banked across it and the unit’s full designation, 1st Special Forces Group Airborne, arched around the rim.
- Battalion markings. “1st,” “BN,” and “Special Forces” are struck along the coin’s edge, tying the piece to a specific battalion within the group.
- No paint, no coating. Every element above is raised metal only, so depth and engraving quality carry the entire design.
Held close, the coin shows its detail in the shading and shadow cast by the raised metal, not a painted fill. It’s a challenge we’d love to tackle for your coin too.
What Goes on a Special Forces Challenge Coin?
Special Forces unit coins tend to draw from the same core set of symbols:
- ODA designation. Many coins are struck for a specific Operational Detachment Alpha rather than the group as a whole.
- Group motto. Each group carries its own motto alongside the shared regimental one.
- Unit lineage markers. Dates, campaign names, or predecessor unit references tied to a group’s history.
- Rank or role markings. Some coins are struck for a specific position, like commander or team sergeant, rather than the group generally.
These elements aren’t the only options. A coin can also include deployment or exercise names, memorial designs honoring fallen service members, foreign partner insignia from joint operations, or custom artwork built around a specific mission set or milestone. Every design gets shaped around what a unit wants to represent.
Design a Coin for Your Unit
Your unit’s story deserves a coin that gets every detail right, from the insignia down to the finish. We offer free artwork and unlimited revisions on every custom coin, with free shipping across the continental U.S. and a 50-coin minimum order.
As a veteran-owned shop, we’ve built custom Army challenge coins for units ranging from ODA teams to USSOCOM commands, and we’d be glad to do the same for yours.
Get a free quote and let’s start designing.
Finished Coin (Front)
Finished Coin (Back)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne)?
1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) is a U.S. Army Special Forces group responsible for operations across Asia and the Pacific.
Where is 1st Special Forces Group based?
1st SFG (A) is headquartered at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, with its 1st Battalion forward-stationed at Torii Station, Okinawa.
What does the torii gate mean on the 1st SFG insignia?
The torii represents 1st SFG’s role as gatekeeper to Asia and the Pacific, and it references Torii Station in Okinawa, home to the unit’s 1st Battalion.
What is the 1st SFG motto?
The unit’s motto is “First in Asia.”
What does “De Oppresso Liber” mean?
“De Oppresso Liber” is the Special Forces regimental motto, translated as “to free the oppressed.”
What is the First Special Service Force?
The First Special Service Force was a combined Canadian-American commando unit formed in 1942, and the direct predecessor of 1st Special Forces Group. It was the first unconventional unit to wear the crossed arrows now used across the Special Forces regiment.
What goes on a Special Forces challenge coin?
Common elements include an ODA designation, the group’s own motto, unit lineage markers, and rank or role markings. Coins can also include deployment names, memorial designs, or custom artwork built around a specific mission.
Can a coin be made without paint or enamel?
Yes. We can produce coins in plain, unpainted metal, where every detail comes from the depth and quality of the die strike.
Do you make coins for units at Joint Base Lewis-McChord?
Yes. We’re based an hour from JBLM in Port Orchard and build coins for units stationed there.
What is the minimum order?
Our minimum order is 50 coins per design.
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