Both the beret flash and Airborne background trimming—more commonly called an “oval”—authorized for personnel serving in the 2nd Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment were approved on 8 July 1992. Their designs are identical to those approved for the unit’s parent Regiment but with the addition of two notches on the left and right sides to denote the Battalion’s numerical status.
Also called an organizational flash, the shield-shaped insignia with a semicircular bottom is worn on the maroon beret authorized for wear by personnel in Airborne units in lieu of the standard black beret introduced service-wide in 2001. (Other colored berets include green for Special Forces, tan for Rangers, and brown for Security Force Assistance Command/Brigades.)
It is centered on the stiffener of the maroon beret, with Battalion Officers (except Chaplains) centering their nonsubdued insignia of rank on the flash and NCOs and Junior Enlisted personnel wearing the 505th Infantry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia in the same fashion.
Unlike flashes, ovals are worn exclusively by personnel in Airborne units who have been awarded a Parachutist or Air Assault badge. The oval is placed beneath the badge before the badge is positioned on the coats of the AGSU and ASU/ASU Dress variant, Class B AGSU shirt, and the blue or green Army Maternity Tunic. Rules for placement of the oval-badge combination and the maximum number of badges vary between the AGSU and ASU; regulations regarding these topics is found
Chapter 22-16 (b) , "Wear of nonsubdued combat and special skill badges and special skill tab metal replicas,"of the January 2021 Edition of DA PAM 670-1.
Related Items
505th Infantry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia