OIF/OEF Theatre Made Insignia

[Legion Para]

Over the years I have seen many insignia which were locally made in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have seen unit shoulder patches, pocket patches, rank insignia, name tapes, novelty patches and others.

 

What I haven't seen are beret flashes and parachute ovals. If you have an example please post a photograph of it. Thank you.

 

Does anyone have a 1st Battalion 143rd Infantry (Airborne) beret flash or parachute oval which was theatre made?

[RedLegGI]

Over the years I have seen many insignia which were locally made in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have seen unit shoulder patches, pocket patches, rank insignia, name tapes, novelty patches and others.

 

What I haven't seen are beret flashes and parachute ovals. If you have an example please post a photograph of it. Thank you.

 

Does anyone have a 1st Battalion 143rd Infantry (Airborne) beret flash or parachute oval which was theatre made?

 

Those are some rare birds if they ever got made. Not much of the garrison stuff was made over there. On this forum I've seen maybe 2 examples of full color SSI's that were theater made, and thats it, nothing more.

 

[vzemke]

There would have been no reason to have those insignia made overseas, since flashes and ovals are not worn in a combat zone (unlike some previous conflicts).

[Legion Para]

There would have been no reason to have those insignia made overseas, since flashes and ovals are not worn in a combat zone (unlike some previous conflicts).

 

It's not about need and what's worn in a combat zone. Almost everything and anything was made in those tailor shops. Take a look at all the novelty patches.

 

True unlike previous conflicts, things have changed, and few beret flashes and parachute ovals were probably made. With that said, and taking into consideration the number of troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, some beret flashes and parachute ovals must have been made. If for no other reason then to sell to collectors in America.

[Sivart]

Here are two that I have found while in Kabul.

 

505th PIR and the 48th IN BDE.

 

Both are much larger than normal flashes, they are full SSI size.

 

Travis

 

edit - I now realise that the 48th is an SSI, not a flash.

[Thor996]

The 505th PIR is nice example!

[NorBn]

I have one in my collection, ID'ed as 3rd Special Forces Group Personnel assigned to CJOSTF-Afghanistan

[Cadillac15]

I will say I never saw any custom flashes for sale. If people did it, they would have been a custom order thing. I know I had a custom order OIF Combat Medic patch made that is on the back of my Motorcycle Jacket, I also had a Cadillac Name tape, an O'Malley Name tape, and a Cadillac tab (like an airborne tab) made. But most of the patches that were pre made weren't unit specific.

[USMarineCorps]

Here's an Afghan made 4th MISO flash (Kabul, 2012)