The Airborne background trimming (oval) and organizational flash worn by personnel in the 167th Support Battalion were both approved on 28 April 2005. Less than two months later, the Battalion was assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division to serve as its Brigade Support Battalion. The lightning-flash in the middle of these insignia was a nod to its parent organization the 25th Infantry Division, nicknamed “Tropic Lightning,” as well as to the 4th BCT (Airborne), whose insignia also have the trademark "Tropic Lightning" flash.
Prior to its assignment to the 4th BCT that led to its Airborne designation, the unit had served as the 167th Support Group and had deployed outside the U.S. on several occasions, but it did not see combat until it was redesignated as the 167th Corps Support Group and mobilized in 2003 and deployed in earl 2004 to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Its year-long service from February 2004 to February 2005 as part of Task Force Danger was recognized with a Meritorious Unit Commendation issued in September 2007.
In 2006, the Battalion was inactivated and its personnel reflagged as the 725th Brigade Support Battalion, temporarily ending the lineage of the 167th Support Battalion until it was reconstituted and reactivated in the U.S. Army Reserve. Today, it serves as the 167th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion and is assigned to the 655th Regional Support Group, 316th Expeditionary Sustainment Command. Its Headquarters and Headquarters Company is based in Londonderry, New Hampshire.
Regulations regarding the wear of the 167th Support Battalion organizational flash (beret flash) and oval (Airborne background trimming) can be found in
Chapter 21-32, subsections (a) and (b) of the January 2021 edition. Detailed instructions on the placement and positioning of the Parachutist and Air Assault badges worn with the oval are located in
Chapter 22-16, subsection (b).