The 40th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Squadron beret flash is worn centered on the stiffener of the maroon beret, the color signifying the Squadron’s status as an Airborne unit. Officers wear their non-subdued insignia of grade in the center of the flash (except Chaplains, who wear their branch insignia), while their Enlisted counterparts wear either a Distinctive Unit Insignia or their Regimental Distinctive Insignia if they’re in a unit that doesn’t have a DUI (like this one). (Exceptions to the Enlisted wear guidance are found in paragraph 4-10(e), DA PAM 670-1.)
Dubbed ovals because of their shape, background trimming is worn by personnel in an Airborne or Air Assault unit who have earned a Parachutist or Air Assault badge. The oval is placed underneath the badge and worn on Service Uniform coats and shirts (AGSU* and ASU) and on the blue or green Army Maternity Tunic (female Soldiers only). The oval and accompanying badge count as a single item when calculating total number of allowable badges on a given uniform.
Refer to DA PAM 670-1 paragraph 21–32 for guidance on the wear of flashes and ovals and to paragraph 22–16(b)3(d) for information on measurement and placement of Parachutist and Air Assault badges worn with background trimming.
* Neither flashes or ovals are authorized for wear with the Class B Army Green Service Uniform.