Why is the Army getting new hats? Is there really a need to switch to berets? Were all the other Armies of the world snickering behind our backs because we wore those tacky ball caps all the time?
And why black berets? Of all the colors in the world, 3 were previously dibbied already. Maroon for the Airborne units. Green for Special Forces (Like they had any choice, they’re called the Green Berets for crying out loud. What else would they pick? Mauve?)*. Black for the Rangers.
My son has the 64 color Crayola box (with colors like: macaroni and cheese, purple mountain’s majesty and Granny Smith apple). You take out the Black, Maroon and Green and you still have 61 colors to choose from. Why’d the Army have to pick black for everybody and bump the Rangers to tan?
I see the need to get rid of the dopey-looking “overseas” cap (that’s the flat one, right?), but the “service” cap is kinda cool. But seriously, berets? We want to emulate the French Army?
Sorry if this sounds too rant-ish, but I’d just like to know…
Why new hats?
Why not tan for everybody and leave the Rangers alone?
Should the first sentance be “Why are the Army getting new hats?” I don’t think so because “Army” is singular so it would take “is”. But the construction looks funny.
As a Canuck we have berets up here. Most units wear dark green, now here are the exceptions that I can think of - Military Police - Red, Armoured - Black? (not sure anymore) I do know that the UN peacekeeping berets are a baby blue.
I don’t know why you just didn’t go with the dark green.
It’s all a plot. When the U.N. runs the world, all armies will have to wear the U.N. standard uniform. The beret is the the first step.
The new beret will help world peace. The berets will be made in China [see CNN]. In the future, China will be able to cut off our supply of berets and cripple our army’s ability to fight.
I agree it would have been better had they picked a color not being used by US troops.
The Army Chief of Staff was reviewing the mess in Somalia where the Rangers, a Mountain Division and another unit (Special Forces?)were operating as if they were3 different armies. He decided that what was needed was to make them all one happy family. So everybody gets black berets. Apparently he didn’t think about his decision, or discuss it with anyone before he announced it. One of the DC columnists wrote about it this morning (Georgie Ann Gier sp?). She said that it would be difficult to re-think a decision that hadn’t been thought through in the first place. The decison was on a par with “We don’t have enough pilots, so we’ll just hand out wings to everyone!” This is so stupid its hard to believe it isn’t a JANFU.
The purpose is to improve morale and esprit de corps service-wide. The reasoning is that since the black berets are valued and desired, and they are a mark of skill, determination, and training, the common soldier will now feel that he or she is someone special.
I view it as a watering-down of a standard. No, they’re not making everyone an Army Ranger, but it’s as if (to select a weak analogy from my sleep-addled mind) a National Honor Society pin were given to every student in the country to raise their morale.
Of course, as a civilian, I doubt I have the insight on the matter than someone who’s served would have.
No offence, but a lot of the uniforms you have today look kind of ridiculous. Take the Marine dress ensamble for a minute - white hat? Piping on the pants? Sword? Please.
Hey now, don’t go knockin’ the Marines dress uniforms. They are one of the snazziest uniforms there are. And the sword, while not especially modern, is so steeped in tradion, it just oozes cool. (The longest history of issue of any weapon, isn’t it?)
So our Army gets new berets just 'cause (Army chief of staff)Gen. Shineski said so. Good thing he didn’t deside on orange Speedos with body paint, and flip-flops.
Also, in SNAFU, SN=“situation normal”. In JANFU, JAN=“just a 'nother”? Yes?
Don’t get me wrong - I’m all for tradition. It’s just that all that time spent on polishing buckles could be better used polishing the inside of a CAR-15.
As for berets, I’m in full agreement with the OP. How about different colors for different branches of the army? You know, black for Armor, grey for Engineering, dark blue for Artillary, etc. Help build up that ole’ espirit du corps.
As a former Army enlisted man, let me say that there’s a HUGE downside to forcing - yes, FORCING - people to wear berets. The sun.
Keeping in mind that most State-side posts are in the South (occupational forces, we could say), the sun really sucks there.
When my Ft. Hood Texas company was brought under some batallion in Ft. Bragg’s heirarchy, we were forced to wear STUPID red berets. No offense to those who really EARNED the red berets, you know, TRUE airborne units. However, we became “airborne” in name only. Rather than feeling GOOD about the “honor” of wearing a red beret, it felt like crap - like being awarded a prize not deserved. Being the only company with red berets on Ft. Hood, it (the wearing of berets) attracted more than its fair share of attention (“where you from?” "Hey there, airborne! “Hey, you didn’t earn that, legs!”).
Also, the Texas sun is pretty bright most of the time. The good old brim on the field hat help tremendously with the sun. The stupid berets let the sun shine right into our eyes.
I bet when/if the Army issues it berets, it has a huge effect on markmanship.
It looks like the Army is doing in reverse with the black beret what it did with the campaign (smokey the bear)hats years ago. Before WWI they were standard bootcamp issue, with different colored cords for infantry, cavalry, etc., but becuase they couldn’t be folded up and stowed away easily they were replaced with the overseas cap (know as the pisscutter, a nickname that proves that homosexuality has always held a dear place in the US Army -ducks-). Later on, only drill sergeants were issued the campaign hat.
I was suprised at the choice of tan for the Rangers. Somehow I thought they’d keep black, and the average soldier would get olive drab or BDU berets.
Wait a minute - the berets are supposed to replace the field caps? That makes no sense. When you’re in the field, the only important thing is practicality, not appearence.
Let’s get things straight. There are two basic categories of uniform:
Field uniforms - I believe you call them “BDUs”, yes? Let’s call them “B” uniforms. They’re made from a rough, tough, loose-fitting fabric, and they’re designed to encounter a lot of dirt. When you wear those, you wear this “field cap”, a light, soft hat with a baseball-cap like bill. It keeps the sun out of your eyes, it can be easily crumpled into a pocket, and it’s no big deal if it gets lost.
Dress uniforms - the American military seems to have a lot of these (short-sleeved, long-sleeved, jacket, tie, whatever), but they all serve the same purpose, which is to be worn in town, or in an office, or a clean base. Let’s call them “A” uniforms. They’re made of a finer fabric, have a better cut, and are never worn whenever there’s a chance you’ll encounter dirt. When you wear them, you wear one of those “captain’s” hats, or those strange little folded-napkin hats, or - if you’re in the right unit - a beret.
So as I understood, berets were supposed to be worn with “A” uniforms, while when you wear “B” uniforms - exercises, firing ranges, marches, guard duty; in other words, times when nobody really cares what you look like - you’ll keep on using the Field Cap. Was I wrong? Because if so… it doesn’t sound very practicle. Or smart.
If I was in the Army now and was made to switch to a black beret, I’d feel like a “PX Commando.” Y’know, the guys that buy every campaign and honor ribbon at the PX, tie on the braided shoulder cord, affix the Airborne wings, and then go home on leave to impress their dropout buddies.
Berets have historically been earned. Wearing one you hadn’t earned was liable to earn you an ass kicking from those who did when I was in the Army.
I myself served too late to get issued a proper peaked service cap. Had to do with the “folded napkin” which was extremely convenient as I could easily pocket it or tuck it under my belt when indoors (my NCOs did not allow us to tuck it under our shirt/jacket epaulets like every other army in the freakin’ planet does…)
Someone commented on the Marines’ “retro” tendency of uniform style. But they can also be ahead of the curve, recently deciding that it was not enough to have a different BDU cap (cornered instead of rounded), but that they need a whole new BDU pattern. I guess they don’t expect to be fighting in the same jungle as the Army…
Even though I have no love whatsoever for the army, I too found it unsettling that they took the Ranger’s pride and distributed it so that the common dogfaces would be able to share the glory. The entire point of the Ranger black is that it IS coveted by those who haven’t earned it. I think LNO summed it up very well earlier. If you want it, go earn it.
I left the USMC just prior to them changing the utility uniform to something similar to the other services, where those stupid name tapes had to be put on. I would have had a lot of trouble wearing cammies after that. Our cammies were different that the others, because we were different. I still don’t like name tapes. But at least we have a decent cover (hat). I just hope that we never go to the army “anti-chemical” sleeve roll too.
As far as our dress uniforms being ridic…ridic… (deep breath) “odd”… with the red stripe, (not piping), I think it’s hard to find a prettier uniform. And leave my sword alone cuz it looks bitchin!!!
Hanofer & hardhead365 -
Thanks for correcting my acronymal ignorance.
Balthisar, doesn’t the Army (or whichever branch of the military you belong too) force you to wear any aspect of your uniform you care to mention? I mean, it’s your uniform. It’s what you wear, because that’s what you were told to wear. Whether or not a ball cap would be better or smarter really doesn’t enter into it. But then, I’ve never been in the military so my opinion really doesn’t carry much weight.
And, Alessan, isn’t the whole idea of the Dress Uniform that it is just a huge pain to keep sparkly? The BDU is utilitarian, it’s “work clothes”. Your Dress Uniform makes you more than just a grunt. It representd the honor and tradition of your branch of service. Shoes so shiney you can see yourself and sparkling brass show an attention to detail and pride in yourself. And they make you look good. Kinda the way every guy thinks he’s Jamed Bond when he puts on a Tux.
And why “Jarhead”? Do other branchs of the military have such loving sobriquets? Other questions for other threads…
The article in the paper that initiated my question said that in the field, the Army still gets their ball cap or their Kevlar helmet. I guess the beret is for “on base”.
When I started this thread, I wanted to know why they got new hats. But I expressed it poorly. Really I wanted to know if there is a reason for the change. Are they $0.12 cheaper by the gross? Is there International pressure for all Armies to wear berets? Was it just 'cause Gen. Shineski got a bee up his butt and decided “new hats for everybody”?
From this thread, and what I’ve found other places, I’m going with the “bee up his butt” theory. But I haven’t found any definite proof. Maybe I’m missing something obvious.
