Since early recorded history, warring tribes often carried banners or flags marked with emblems to represent factions and motivate their warriors to fight for the cause. It is to this historical tradition that we can trace the evolution of military emblems and patches. As the Air Force begins transitioning from the current Airman Battle Uniform to the Operational Camouflage Pattern, there is a renewed focus on emblems and patches across Air Force units, as Airmen will once again be able to wear unit patches on their sleeves, which had been phased out when the ABU was deployed in 2007.