Black berets

C

corv

New member
Was passing thru the DC area yesterday and heard on the radio that the US Army will have black berets as there headgear next year.Anybody else hear this?
 
Just to clarify, the proposed changes replace the dress green headgear only. (Popular name is ****cap or Pisscutter) the BDU cap will stay issue for regular troops with the BDU's. The color, supposedly, will be black. This is the same color as the Ranger Beret, but, it won't make that big a difference. About 30% of my unit, including all of the officers, are ranger qualified and wear the beret already. Don't be getting all excited about this though, It's not even a submitted proposal yet, and will be years down the road even if it gets approved.
 
The berets are a pain in the ass. I hated them. They have that "elite" look - but to get the berets to sit right - takes a lot of work!
You thought it was tought getting that spitshine?
You have to cut out the liner, shave it, fold it, steam it, press it, and play with it until the beret finally relents and does what it is supposed to.
If you dont work it properly, your beret wont lay right and will want to stand back up on you and you end up looking like an idiot... or even worse - an FNG!

While I liked the look - it was hard to get. You look tough with the beret on - and in clean pressed BDUs... SHARP!

But when it was time to be practical - the softcap with the Ranger Roll was much easier to live with.

[This message has been edited by George Hill (edited October 18, 2000).]
 
The beret was more or less a bragging right. It symbolizes some of the toughest training the military has to offer. For a soldier to finish all 3 phases and stand proud wearing that black beret, is an accomplishment nobody can ever take away. Beret or no beret, what means the most is knowing you stand among the best. Nobody can ever take those feelings or experiences away from you.

They can wear whatever beret they wish. However, they'll never have that tab on their shoulder. Nor will they have those memories and nightmares that will last a lifetime.

[This message has been edited by ArmySon (edited October 18, 2000).]
 
Most importantly, the regular grunt wont have his self esteem lowered by the constant reminder that he was too soft to get to and throught the training required to earn the beret. This is just a bunch of feel good BS. Yes, the berets are simply a symbol, and yest they are a pain in the keister to work right, but none the less they were a symbol of ones ability to withstand and master some very tough training. I guess we can no longer afford the training for all sodiers so we are gonna replace it with the beret. Much cheaper anyway.

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"Liberty is never unalienable; it must be redeemed regularly with the blood of patriots or it always vanishes."
-R.A. Heinlein
 
I guess swuave (sp) uniforms are next right.

As for black head gear I recall 1 US Army unit that wore them and were proud of them but the NY "black hats" were from the civil war.
 
I was with the 1/504th 82ABN DIV. and the Maroon Beret with Flash and Crest (not jump school or "cherrie" crap...) was an honor and a priveledge to earn! The motivation to earn the coveted beret and jump wings, and to wear them proudly helped me get through the tough training that followed...

And yes they were a bitch to form, by the time you got one to fit and feel right they were on you to get new headgear because the old was "too faded or worn"... But we always took pride in our "old faded shi*" as it showed our time in grade, and was a reminder to the FNG`s of who had been around awhile...

I think that if they cheapen it by letting any REMF wear a beret, then they might as well let them put on TABS and WINGS and SCROLLS just because it makes everybody "FEEL GOOD" :mad:

I can`t even talk about this anymore as it is giving me a sickening feeling in my stomach!

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SHOOT,COMMUNICATE AND MOVE OUT !

[This message has been edited by GIT_SOME.45 (edited October 18, 2000).]
 
Heh... I remember a guy in my unit during basic training... About halfway through the cycle, the DIs let him, and a few of us others (we'd done good...) wander off on a PX, clothing supply and beer pass... So, we went by clothing supply, and the guy had a buncha stuff sewn on his shirts... Then we went to the enlisted club, and proceded to see how many beers we could drink in the remaining three hours... With about 45 minutes left until we had to "run" (yeah, right... more like a weaving stagger...) back to the company area, a handful of MP trainees, fresh outta their classes, wanders in... And they looked around, and saw a shaved-head recruit with a whole buncha stuff sewn on his shirt, and proceded to attempt to remove the patches...

It wasn't his fault that he looked like a kid - he just had that basic baby face, even more with no hair... He'd gotten out, and to get back in the service, they made him go through basic again... He'd been a special forces combat medic, and did more for the guys in our platoon than sick call ever did... When the MP trainees attempted to remove his wings, etc., he cleaned house.

The DI who was watching the barracks lined us up when we got back, and delivered a scathing "They called me up and bitched at me, and I don't know which of you did this, and don't let it happen again" speech, all approximately 3" in front of the guy's nose... They got a big kick out of a "recruit" whuppin' up on the MP trainees...
 
If they can't fight because formations have been downsized and the budget for training has been reduced, at least they can look sharp. Oh wow! Mebbe we ought to dress them as Civil War Soldiers to promote overseas tourism in the U.S.
 
Maybe we should just let everyone wear one of every award, ribbon and rank insignia that way no one will feel left out. More social engineering to fix a moral problem that stems in-part from to much social engineering to begin with. Its time for all combat arms types to take another week class in sensitivity training.

We need to get these people out of the White House before the whole military Quits.
 
I thought black berets were for Army Rangers and British Commando's. So what do they get to re-distinguish themselves?

Maybe with this administration, GI's can get the MOH just for finishing their enlistment.

Man, whats next. Actually, I really don't want to know. Bye.

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Robert
Littleton CO
NRA Life, CSSA, RMGO
 
I think what they want to do is make the military look cool. With unemployment levels low they are having a hard time finding recruits.

Well, why not. I always thought the US uniforms were ugly. Many europeans armies wear berets. US Airforce security wear berets (nothing tremendously special about them from what I can recall).

The problem of course is that it screws the Rangers over who had to earn the black beret. Perhaps the Army could do something special for the Rangers so that they could look different again.

It wasn't too long ago, I think it was during Jimmy Carter's reign of terror that they forced all Army units to do away with their berets because they thought it was elitest. The 82nd Airborne had a beret burying ceremony. So, I guess things have come full circle. First, no one was allowed to be special. Now everyone is special.
 
It's just a hat - the hat does not make the soldier

For further clarification - only the members of the various Ranger Battalions wear the black beret in the US Army. An individual does not have to be Ranger qualified to wear the black beret, only assigned to a Ranger unit.

Ranger qualified personnel, like Special Forces qualified personnel, wear a tab showing their status.

Spark

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Kevin Jon Schlossberg
SysOp and Administrator for BladeForums.com
www.bladeforums.com
 
A Staff Sergeant I worked with thought the army uniform was too dull. His idea of a great looking uniform was a plumed helmet, gold braided epauletts, riding boots with spurs and of course, a sword. Glad he was never placed on any uniform review board. When I was assigned to Fort Hood, Tx in the mid 70's, I couldn't believe all the different hats being worn at that post. Red berets, black berets, white stetsons (1st Cav), black stetsons (2d AD), every color ball cap imaginable, hell there might even have been a plumed helmet or two. Everybody wanted a special headgear to distiguish their unit. A little stupid as far as I was concerned.
 
Think Monica had something to do with this??
She's got a thing for berets, and the Chief Exec's ear to whisper into (when she can whisper)

Next, maybe blue dresses.
 
Lonestar! Drop and give me Fifty!

The idea of a Ranger on his knees before Clinton with his mouth wide open...

Push the Earth Away!
In Cadence!
Excercise!

You do pushups until I get tired!
 
Allegedly supposedly, General Shenzeki (sp) has made the decision to have the entire Army switch over to the Beret.

There has been much discussion over the past 20 or so years over this issue. Each time the proposal was rejected by a loud outcry from the Special Ops/Airborne community.

From what I have read about Shenzeki (Father of the "Medium Brigade" ;-> concept) I believe he is the type of guy to do this.

Rob

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It's amazing what a large group of stupid people can accomplish.
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Shinsucki does a lot of things. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't like the hot dog hats we enlisteed guys gotta wear with our Class-A dress uniforms. If they insist on giving us berets, fine, but it shouldn't be black, maroon, or green. Maybe gray or some other military looking color. I'm just afraid we're going to end up looking like the canadian forces with their olive-drab sack cloth uniforms and bright red berets...(canadian MPs...saw them at Annual Training)
 
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