| Seal of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security | |
|---|---|
 The seal of the United States Department of Homeland Security. | |
| Armiger | United States Department of Homeland Security |
| Adopted | June 19, 2003[1] |
| Torse | U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY |
| Other elements | A graphically styled American eagle appears in a circular blue field. The eagle's outstretched wings break through an inner red ring into an outer white ring that contains a circular placement of the words "U.S. DEPARTMENT OF" in the top half and "HOMELAND SECURITY" in the bottom half. The outer white ring has a silvery gray border. As in The Great Seal, the eagle's left claw holds an olive branch with 13 leaves and 13 seeds (olives) while the right claw grasps 13 arrows. Centered on the eagle's breast is a shield divided into three sections containing elements that represent the homeland "from sea to shining sea." The top element, a dark blue sky, contains 22 stars representing the original 22 agencies and bureaus that have come together to form the department. The left shield element contains white mountains behind a green plain underneath a light blue sky. The right shield element contains four wave shapes representing the oceans, lakes and waterways alternating light and dark blue separated by white lines.[1] |
| Earlier version(s) |  |
| Use | To represent the organization and denote official documents, objects, vessels, aircraft, vehicles, and officers.[1] |
The Seal of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is the symbol of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and is used to represent the organization and authenticate certain official documents.[1]
The seal was developed with input from senior DHS leadership, employees, and the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts. The Ad Council, which partners with DHS on its Ready.gov campaign, and the consulting company Landor Associates were responsible for graphic design and maintaining heraldic integrity. The seal is also featured on the DHS flag, which consists of the seal itself emblazoned on a blue background.
- ^ a b c d Office of the Press Secretary (June 19, 2003). "Department of Homeland Security Seal". Fact Sheet. United States Department of Homeland Security. Archived from the original on October 24, 2006. Retrieved October 24, 2006.
Today Secretary Ridge unveiled the new Department of Homeland Security seal while speaking to 200 employees in Selfridge, Michigan.The seal is symbolic of the Department's mission - to prevent attacks and protect Americans - on the land, in the sea and in the air. Seal Description: In the center of the seal, a graphically styled white American eagle appears in a circular blue field. The eagle's outstretched wings break through an inner red ring into an outer white ring that contains the words "U.S. DEPARTMENT OF" in the top half and "HOMELAND SECURITY" in the bottom half in a circular placement. The eagle's wings break through the inner circle into the outer ring to suggest that the Department of Homeland Security will break through traditional bureaucracy and perform government functions differently. In the tradition of the Great Seal of the United States, the eagle's talon on the left holds an olive branch with 13 leaves and 13 seeds (olives) while the eagle's talon on the right grasps 13 arrows. Centered on the eagle's breast is a shield divided into three sections containing elements that represent the American homeland - air, land, and sea. The top element, a dark blue sky, contains 22 stars representing the original 22 entities that have come together to form the department. The left shield element contains white mountains behind a green plain underneath a light blue sky. The right shield element contains four wave shapes representing the oceans alternating light and dark blue separated by white lines. Background: The seal was developed with input from DHS senior leadership, employees, and the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts. The Ad Council, which currently partners with DHS on its Ready campaign, and the consulting company Landor Associates were responsible for graphic design and maintaining heraldic integrity. Going Forward: All 180,000 DHS employees will soon receive a DHS lapel pin and a personalized DHS certificate. The personalized certificate signifies that the employee was part of the Department of Homeland Security at its inception. The seal will ultimately be used on department materials, signage, credentials, badges, vehicles, sea vessels and aircraft. Media wishing to obtain a high resolution version of the new Department of Homeland Security seal should contact the press office.