The 131st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Squadron, C Troop beret flash and oval, the latter officially called Airborne background trimming, were both approved on 5 May 2010 and both subsequently amended to correct the unit designation on 19 July 2011.
Centered on the stiffener of the maroon beret authorized for personnel in Airborne-designated units, the beret flash—more accurately referred to as an organizational flash because it points to a single unit or organization—was worn by all members of the Troop regardless of their individual Airborne or Airborne-related qualifications. Troop Officers, except for Chaplains, wore their nonsubdued rank insignia centered on the flash, while NCOs and Junior Enlisted Soldiers wore the 131st Cavalry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI) in the same fashion.
As its official designation suggests, ovals are worn to create trimming or a border around Airborne-related badges, specifically Parachutist and Air Assault. This is achieved by centering the main portion of the badge on the oval before placing them on authorized uniforms; these include Service Uniform coats, (AGSU and ASU, including the ASU Dress variant), the ASU Service Uniform shirt (Class B ASU) and Army Maternity Tunics (green and blue).
An Alabama Army National Guard unit, the 131st Cavalry Regiment was created in September 2008 through the redesignation of the 131st Armor Regiment, with the newly minted Regiment being assigned the DUI and coat of arms of its forebear on 1 September 2008. Nicknamed “Southern Leaders” and adopting the motto “Taught To Lead, the 1st Squadron participated in the State Partnership Program the DoD created in 1993 by deploying to Romania and taking in the “Red Dragon” exercise with the Romanian 528th Light Reconnaissance Battalion.
On 11 September 2016, the 131st Cavalry Regiment was inactivated and its single component, the 1st Squadron, was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, 173rd Infantry Regiment and assigned the 131st Cavalry Regiment DUI, motto, and Special Designation “Southern Leaders.” As a non-Airborne organization, the new Regiment did not inherit 131st Cavalry Regiment’s beret flash or oval.