Black not enough, LEGS now wearing Maroon berets

[2RHPZ]

Something similar happened recently in Czech Army and it pis... off a lot of real Airborne and SOF guys. What do you think?


Last weekend while at drill I had to go on post to run some errands. I saw a LOT of soldiers wearing the Maroon beret and figured they were on Ft.Bliss to prep for deployment to some God-forsaken desert somewhere (other than El Paso that is).

I mentioned this to my CO who told me that no, the 108th ADA Bde was wearing the Maroon now because they are tasked to the 18th ABN Corps. WRONG!!!!!!! Regs state the maroon is for wear only by those troops currently ON JUMP STATUS! The troops I asked about it said it's a new policy started by the C0C, who thinks it's OK cause they have an AIRBORNE tab above their patch and work for 18th. Who cares that they have nobody on jump status, it looks cooler than the black beret everyone else is wearing!

Im so pissed I cant see straight!

They also make a big deal of being "Airborne" on their website http://www.bliss.army.mil/LocalUnitLinks/108th/108th/Index.htm

so I dropped them a nice comment in their guestbook.

[fantassin]

It's been the same thing with the Brits for a long time. Those who were posted to then 5 ABN Bgde and now 16th AA Bgde wear the marroon beret, regardless of jump status.

For example, I worked alongsides men and women from the 13 Air Assault Support Battalion Royal Logistic Corps last year and they were all wearing marroon berets even though none were para qualified.

The "blue badge of courage" (!) (the brit para wings) makes the big difference between the "craphats" and the others.

[shrek]

Sorry brother, but when the unit makes the Maroon Beret there headgear, everybody has to wear it. I wore one for a year early in my career when I was assigned to an airborne unit but didn't have airborne school. Anyone that comes into my SF unit as a leg still wears the Maroon beret!

[Beowulf]

Sorry brother, but when the unit makes the Maroon Beret there headgear, everybody has to wear it. I wore one for a year early in my career when I was assigned to an airborne unit but didn't have airborne school. Anyone that comes into my SF unit as a leg still wears the Maroon beret!

true

edit: soft cap is much better anyway...

[Tane Angle]

shrek's got a point, it's do what the CO says. Of course, the CO might have made a disrespectful call, but orders are orders.

b, I take it I'm not the only one to almost never wear a beret unless necessary? Soft cap all the way, ever tried keeping the sun out of your eyes with a beret? p-)

[Wakizashi]

If im not mistaken, i believe sf support used to wear the green beret quite a while ago, or so im told (which i could be wrong, which im sorry if i am)

anyways, the story that i was told was that some SF sgt major one day saw a pregnant women in bdu's with tennis shoes/sneakers walking into the px with a green beret on. The sgt major was so disgusted (no offence to the ladies out there) that he went up the ladder to have only 18 mos qualified soldiers wear the gb......

.....just an interesting story i heard from an instructor awhile back, i thought it kinda had to do with the subject. Although for all i know, the story could be false.

[Uncle Sam]

Ahh, the beret debate. Although the beret is a symbol and not at all functional, I wore it with pride for many years.

..."That's all I have to say about that"...

[martinexsquaddie]

unfortunatly most americans have no idea how to wear a berat regardless of color :(

[RS_Leo1A5]

b, I take it I'm not the only one to almost never wear a beret unless necessary? Soft cap all the way, ever tried keeping the sun out of your eyes with a beret? p-)
Well, in the Bundeswehr tankers wear their black beret on every possible occasion.
One day, when I was sitting on my tanks turret wearing the field cap, my platoon leader asked "Why are you wearing the fool's hat?"...
:D

(It's a matter of tradition: Originally there were only three units with berets in the Bundeswehr: Panzertruppe (black), Jäger (green) and Fallschirmjäger (bordeaux-red).)

[NcDeuce]

Yeah, many soldiers still do not know how to wear the beret properly. I was at the 502nd's change of command ceremony the other day...some had the flash in between their eyes... :|

Edit: Since we're on the topic, I was at work when I had a woman come in wearing jeans, a black shirt, and a beret...BACKWARDS. WTF?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Deuterium]

Yeah, many soldiers still do not know how to wear the beret properly. I was at the 502nd's change of command ceremony the other day...some had the flash in between their eyes... :|

Edit: Since we're on the topic, I was at work when I had a woman come in wearing jeans, a black shirt, and a beret...BACKWARDS. WTF?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep I've had a green beret now for almost 20 years and I still can't shape it or wear it right... Who cares.

[Flagg]

I've always thought the USMC issue cover is the mutts nuts....simple, easily identifiable, and functional.

I've only worn my beret 2-3 times this year...it's green, but a totally different kind of green from Deuterium's or Royal's ;)


I prefer my nasty old J-hat....or my Batt Grp woolie when it's cold!

[Deuterium]

I've always thought the USMC issue cover is the mutts nuts....simple, easily identifiable, and functional.

I've only worn my beret 2-3 times this year...it's green, but a totally different kind of green from Deuterium's or Royal's ;)


I prefer my nasty old J-hat....or my Batt Grp woolie when it's cold!

Give me no head gear or a black watchcap in the winter and I'd be happy(okay I'm mighty partial to my MICH or GENTEX when needed).

[4CDO PARA]

I would love to see a LEG in the Canadian Forces wearing a Maroon beret, that would get SO messy SO fast! Bif!BANG!POW!

Ex Coelis,
AIRBORNE!

[abncougar]

this is outrageous

[Merik]

Wouldnt have this problem of it werent for the almighty Shinseki.

[Scrim]

They need to fire their webmaster. Check out the guestbook. They get the beret, and the airborne patch?
OOHH were so bad-ass we run a nine-minute mile!