Also referred to as an organizational flash, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, 2
nd Battalion flash is worn on the maroon beret that signifies the wearer serves in a unit that has been classified as Airborne. This flash is essentially identical to the one worn by the Regiment’s HQ and HQ Company but with the addition of two small black notches indicating the unit’s numeric designation within the parent organization.
The flash is worn centered on the beret stiffener, with Officers wearing their non-subdued insignia of grade centered on the patch and NCOs and Junior Enlisted Soldiers wearing either their Distinctive Unit Insignia or Regimental Distinctive Insignia is the same manner; members of this Battalion wear the Regimental Distinctive Insignia. (A couple of rare exceptions to the wear guidance for Enlisted Soldiers are detailed in paragraph 4-10(e), DA PAM 670-1.)
Ovals are officially referred to as background trimming because that is their function: they are placed beneath Parachutist and Air Assault badges, providing backing for the devices when worn on Service Dress uniforms (AGSU and ASU, including ASU Dress), Service Uniform shirts (except on the Class B Army Green Service Uniform shirt), and on the blue or green Army Maternity Tunic (female Soldiers only ).
Commonly referred to as an “oval” for obvious reasons, Airborne background trimming is worn by personnel who (1) have earned a Parachutist or Air Assault badge, and (2) are currently serving in a unit identified by the HQ, Department of the Army as Airborne or Air Assault.
Ovals are worn beneath the badge (hence the name “background trimming”) and the two items are counted as one when determining maximum allowable badges or devices for a particular uniform (four badges for AGSU, six for ASU). Detailed instructions on the placement of the oval-badge combination is found in DA PAM 670-1, paragraph 22
–16(b)3(d).
Related Items
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia
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2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment was originally organized as Company B, 160th Aviation Battalion in April 1982 and, like the Regiment’s 1st and 3rd Battalions, saw its first action less than 18 months later during Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of Grenada. Other battle honors include the Panama Armed Forces Expedition, two campaigns in the Persian Gulf War of 1990-1991, and an impressive nine War on Terrorism campaigns (a half-dozen in Iraq and three in Afghanistan). Its military decorations include a Valorous Unit Award, a Meritorious Unit Commendation, an Air Force Meritorious Unit Award, and two Army Superior Unit Awards for accomplishing difficult missions under challenging circumstances in peacetime.
The Battalion is stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky as part of the 160th SOAR, 101st Airborne Division.