The organizational flash for the U.S. Army Element, Special Projects Branch/Center Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, or SHAPE, was approved for wear on 24 November 1986.
Unlike the standard Department of the Army blue beret flash worn by Soldiers across scores of units and unit types, an organizational flash represents a single unit or organization and is authorized for wear on a colored beret associated with a specific unit type: maroon for Airborne, green for Special Forces, tan for Ranger, and brown for Security Force Assistance Command/Brigade.
The flash is centered on the stiffener of the beret, with Officers (except Chaplains) centering their insignia of rank on the flash and NCOs and Junior Enlisted Soldiers wearing their Distinctive Unit Insignia in like fashion (Regimental Distinctive Insignias are worn if the unit has not Distinctive Unit Insignia).
The Supreme HQ Allied Powers Europe is the headquarters of the North American Treaty Organization’s Allied Command Operations (ACO). From 1951 to 2003, SHAPE was headquarters of Allied Command Europe (ACE); with the expansion of the geographical scope of NATO’s activities in 2003, ACE was redesignated as ACO. Despite this change and the extension of NATO activities outside Europe, SHAPE retained its title for legal reasons.