The Salvation Army CREST is a worldwide symbol of Christian compassion and service.  The International crest first appeared in print in 1879.  The design is credited to Captain William H. Ebdon.  The emblems in the crest symbolize Salvation Army doctrines.  The round figure, the sun, represents the light and fire of the Holy Spirit.  The cross in the center, the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.  "S" stands for salvation.  The swords, the warfare of salvation.  The shots, the truths of the Gospel.  There are 7 of them. The Crown, the crown of glory which God will give to all His soldiers who are faithful to the end.

The Salvation Army SHIELD is the "trademark" of the work in human services.  The Red Shield Service began in 1896.  The origin of the shape seems to indicate that the shield is an enlargement of the type worn in earlier days by Salvationists, mostly women, to join their collar.  "The message of the shield…tells of a fight on a spiritual battlefield which must last as long as life itself, and that God in Christ is a shield to protect and save us to the uttermost." (All the World, June 1917).

The Salvation Army FLAG:  Blue symbolizes the purity of God.  Red represents the blood of Jesus Christ.  Yellow is the fire of the Holy Spirit.  "Blood & Fire" stands for the shed blood of Jesus and purifying power of the Holy Spirit.  The Star represents the fire of the Holy Spirit.

The Salvation Army UNIFORM not only identifies the wearer as a member of a worldwide evangelical movement, but it is also a silent witness to the fact that the wearer is a Christian.  The wearing of a uniform signifies availability.  The Salvationist is always ready to render service, even though this may involve personal inconvenience.