Beret is out for normal use. No more fashion statement

[Niner]

Wonder if this fellow was in the 1st Air Cav?

[Niner Delta]

Doubtful, since he was never in the military.

Vern.

[riptidenj]

The whole "Berets for Everybody-One Army" nonsense was established 10 years ago by the then Chief of Staff of the Army Eric Shinseki to deal with very serious morale problems cause by Clinton. Among other things, Shinseki was alarmed that the retention rate for junior officers had plunged, way below the rate needed. Typical US military to deal with serious problems through eyewash.
I was never keen on berets, I went through Special Forces training in 1969, was awarded the flash to my beret and the "S" to my MOS, I ended up quitting SF and throwing away my beret because it wasn't what I thought it would be.
Also as a genuine US chauvinist, I ask why are we adopting other peoples' fashions, we have enough of our own.

[joseyclosey]

Nothing wrong with a beret, but they need to be worn with a certain amount of panache. They are a load better than the "crap hats" the Brits were/are issued.
US Forces wear their beret in a different manner than the British or French. Whereas the British and French have their berets generally moulded close to the head all over, the American style is a little larger and is moulded above the left eye to form a raised backing area for the badge.

Joe

[Tom-May]

".....Also as a genuine US chauvinist, I ask why are we adopting other peoples' fashions, we have enough of our own."

It is a fundimental truth that everyone adopts the fashion of success

In the middle of the 19th century, the French kepi was popular around the world, after 1870 and the Prussian victories, spiked helmets became ther thing to wear; after WW2 many countries adopted an 'American' cut of uniform, likewise, most naval uniforms can be traced back to the Royal Navy of Victoria and Edward VII ...
It's just fashion and it will change again (and again, and again .....)

Regards

Tom

[kermit]

of course you realize i had a black beret in the us navy. 61-64 also the black beret was worn by tankers before they took them away to give to US Army rangers. i wore my black beret at lindbergh field(san diego,ca) after 9-11 when we spent 6 1/2 months doing security duty there 40th ID HHC 2/185th armour. so i wore it twice in my 21 years total. i prefered the boonie hat and absolutely hated the c#nt cap we wore prior to beret. the C#nt cap was worn instead of the "bus driver hat"

[joseyclosey]

C*nt cap

Never heard that one before, whats one of those look like????

Joe

[Niner]

Joe, the common name would be garrison cap. Most new troops get these as formal headgear right out of basic.....or that's the way it used to be long years ago before this beret stuff. Looks like the British called it a "field service cap". The US slang derives from....well look at it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Side_cap

[joseyclosey]

Ahhh, cheers Robert i'm with the programme now, thats what i would call a "fore & aft cap".

Joe

[DuncaninFrance]

A forage cap....................................................

I still have my Army 'cowpat' beret which I wear on Remembrance Day and other formal parades over here. Cant say I think much of more modern military head gear.

When I served in the Royal Naval Reserve we wore blue berets for working in No: 8's but for No:1 (Gold Badge) & No:3 (Red Badge) uniforms it was the white top with an illegal 'bowave'