According to the book U.S. Army Patches, Flashes and Ovals: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cloth Unit Insignia authored by insignia authority Barry Jason Stein, the current beret flash and Airborne background trimming, or “oval,” approved for the 82nd Aviation Regiment 1st Battalion is the third that has been worn by the unit. At one point, in fact, it wore a flash and oval that had been assigned to the 20th Aviation Battalion.
The flash worn by personnel in the 1st Battalion, 82nd Aviation Regiment is called an organizational flash because it represents a specific, discrete unit. Organizational flashes are worn on one of four colored berets depending on the unit type, in this case a maroon beret denoting the Battalion’s Airborne designation. It is worn centered on the stiffener of the beret, with the Officers (except Chaplains) placing their nonsubdued insignia of rank on the flash and, in the case of the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Aviation Regiment, Enlisted personnel wearing the Regiment’s Distinctive Unit Insignia is the same manner.
Ovals are called Airborne background trimming because they are worn beneath Parachutist or Air Assault badges, with the main portion of the badge centered on the oval and the combination worn on the coats of the AGSU and ASU, the shirt of the Class B ASU, and blue or green Army Maternity Tunics.
Guidance on the wear of flashes and ovals is found in subsections (a) and (b) of
Chapter 21-32, “Distinctive items authorized for other than infantry personnel,” of the January 2021 edition of DA PAM 670-1. Detailed instructions for placement and positioning of ovals and badges are found in
Chapter 22-16 (b) , "Wear of nonsubdued combat and special skill badges and special skill tab metal replicas,"of the same manual.
Related Items
82nd Aviation Regiment Unit Crest (DUI)