While the blazon (description) provided by The Institute of Heraldry for beret flashes and ovals does not include the symbolism of the designs or colors used, in some instances it is very obvious why certain colors are included. In the case of the 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion flash and oval, the green background is for Special Forces, which are closely affiliated with Civil Affairs units; the purple and white of two diagonal bands are the branch colors of Civil Affairs; the blue diagonal band is for the sky, denoting the unit’s Airborne capabilities; and the gold of the borer signifies excellence.
The flash (it’s also called an organizational flash) is worn by Officers and Enlisted alike on the maroon beret that signifies that the unit is Airborne-qualified. NCOs and Junior Enlisted Soldiers in the 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion wear the organization’s
Distinctive Unit Insignia centered on the built-in stiffener on the beret. Officers (except for Chaplains) wear their non-subdued insignia of grade in like manner. The Sergeant Major of the Army (and personnel working in that office) and the Senior Enlisted Adviser to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff wear their unique collar insignia on the flash.
Ovals are also called background trimming because they are worn beneath Parachutist and Air Assault Badges. The primary portion of the badge is centered on the oval, with the star and star-wreath of two Parachutist badges projecting slightly above the oval. These two items are considered a single device when applying placement and measuring rules, with the outermost edge being used as a measuring point regardless of whether it’s the oval or the badge.
The oval-badge combination may be worn on the coats and shirts of the AGSU and ASU (including the ASU Dress Variation), as well as on the green or blue Army Maternity Tunic (female Soldiers only).
Both the beret flash and background trimming, or oval, were approved on 7 March 1997.
The 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion is assigned to the 354th Civil Affairs Brigade and is headquartered at McLeansville, North Carolina.