Prior to 2001, organizational flashes—“flashes” for short—were worn only by personnel in specialized organizations for which the Army had authorized the wear of distinctive headgear, i.e., berets. These organizations included Special Forces, Airborne, and Ranger units wearing green, maroon, and black berets.
But in 2001, Army Chief of Staff General Eric Shinseki mandated that all Soldiers wear black berets with Service and Dress Uniforms, which had two immediate consequences: It forced the Rangers to find a new distinct color their berets, and it led the Army to come up with a non-organizational flash to be worn on the black.
The standard Department of the Army (DA) flash is rendered exclusively in blue and white, two colors that at different times have served as the official Infantry branch color. It features thirteen stars, oriented with a single point up and placed around the edge of the entire insignia.
With the arrival of the new Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU), however, Soldiers will have one less uniform with which they can wear the black berets and blue flash: the standard headgear for this new Service Uniforms is a Garrison Cap, and the Unisex Heritage Green Service Cap, with brown leather trim worn “crusher” style, is the optional headgear.