SPC Mark Beard 462214 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I felt very sad and anger about it to me it just was not right how did you feel and do you feel 2015-02-07T22:48:39-05:00 SPC Mark Beard 462214

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I felt very sad and anger about it to me it just was not right how did you feel and do you feel

2015-02-07T22:48:39-05:00 2015-02-07T22:48:39-05:00 CW4 Private RallyPoint Member 462223

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I bet the other branches felt the same way the their black beret was taken away. <br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.army.mil/features/beret/beret.htm">http://www.army.mil/features/beret/beret.htm</a>

2015-02-07T22:53:52-05:00 2015-02-07T22:53:52-05:00 SGT Jim Z. 462227

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Although I did not earn the black beret I thought it was a crock. I thin the regular Army should have gotten the tan beret and the black remain with the Rangers.

2015-02-07T22:56:36-05:00 2015-02-07T22:56:36-05:00 MAJ David Vermillion 462234

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It never bother me because the brown beret is also unique.

2015-02-07T22:58:01-05:00 2015-02-07T22:58:01-05:00 SGT James Korman 462245

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>'Tis a disgrace, a measure of the Joint Chiefs Catering to and cowering before political leadership that endlessly seeks to destroy our military preparedness. We now have fewer ships than we had prior to WWI and only ten army divisions of which 9 are deployed. In addition, through freezes another 180,000 are to be removed from active duty.<br /><br />Am completely convinced that Clinton &amp; Obama seek nothing more than the enslavement of our nation by any means possible!

2015-02-07T23:05:18-05:00 2015-02-07T23:05:18-05:00 SPC David S. 462258

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>GEN Skinseki's biggest blunder. The black beret will forever haunt his name.

2015-02-07T23:16:03-05:00 2015-02-07T23:16:03-05:00 LTC Private RallyPoint Member 462925

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>My father, an Armor/Cav guy, wore the black beret in the 1970s. <br />Of course as I became more aware in the 1980s, maroon=airborne, green=SF, black=ranger, but I always wondered about those Armor/Cav guys losing their black beret.

2015-02-08T10:22:53-05:00 2015-02-08T10:22:53-05:00 SSG Private RallyPoint Member 463024

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Great question. Like SFC John Gates stated, I too believe it was a political move but for what reasons I just don't understand. Prior to this change, I had spent the previous 10+ years serving in two different SF Groups where we, as support personnel, wore the maroon beret and the SF guys wore the well known green beret. I had always been honored and proud to wear a beret and was a bit excited to be able to still wear one upon PCSing to Fort Riley. The excitement was minor though in comparison to my disgust that the new "headgear" was going to be the black beret, which had always been a symbol of the Rangers. Since the Rangers retained the beret as headgear, it didn't make any sense to change their color to tan and give the black one to the rest of the Army. It would have been better for the Rangers to retain the black beret and the rest of the Army go to the tan beret.

2015-02-08T11:20:30-05:00 2015-02-08T11:20:30-05:00 COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM 463089

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>- The Rangers having to switch from black beret to tan beret was a symptom, not the illness.<br />- The illness was the then CSA&#39;s decision for all Soldiers to wear the black beret in order to &quot;symbolize our desire to transform&quot;. Symbolism can be tangentially helpful but rarely direct helpful. A better way to &quot;symbolize our desire to transform&quot; would have been to get off our collective ass and transform. We are Soldiers, not politicians. Soldiers measure desire by results. Politicians generally do not even measure desire, they talk about it at best.<br />- Placing the beret onto every Soldier was ill conceived for several reasons. Elite Soldiers look good in a beret while the average Soldier does not (height/weight, high/tight haircut, discipline to shave and mold the beret properly, etc). Hats and caps are functional and protect from rain/sun while the beret does not. Hat/cap emplacement is a one handed operation while beret emplacement is a two hand operation. Hats/caps do not require a lot of preparation or maintenance while berets do.<br />- Finally, the implementation of the decision was flawed at best. We had to rely upon Chinese manufactorers to make the berets that suddenly everyone needed to wear.

2015-02-08T11:59:12-05:00 2015-02-08T11:59:12-05:00 LTC Stephen C. 463101

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div><a class="dark-link bold-link" role="profile-hover" data-qtip-container="body" data-id="481074" data-source-page-controller="question_response_contents" href="/profiles/481074-spc-mark-beard">SPC Mark Beard</a>, that was just another bad decision in a compounding series of bad decisions, concerning the composition and wear of the Army uniform, that the Army has been making since post WWII. For example, to me there is nothing more ridiculous than to see an SF trooper wearing dress blues/ASUs with a green beret and bloused boots.

2015-02-08T12:06:58-05:00 2015-02-08T12:06:58-05:00 SSG Private RallyPoint Member 463430

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I did not like it at all <a class="dark-link bold-link" role="profile-hover" data-qtip-container="body" data-id="481074" data-source-page-controller="question_response_contents" href="/profiles/481074-spc-mark-beard">SPC Mark Beard</a> . Especially saying that since they had not worn it for more than 25 years it was not a tradition yet. Weak excuse. It is all good though because I believe the Tan suits them better. It looks even more BADASS! IMO of course. <br /><br />It was one of those crazy Political things where someone who felt a need to make their mark before leaving their position.<br /><br />This new generation of everyone gets a trophy gives a false sense of success.<br /><br />Those that earned their Beret know who they are. A person who went above and beyond the scope of the average Soldier. Someone who took it upon themselves to achieve something more.

2015-02-08T15:23:11-05:00 2015-02-08T15:23:11-05:00 SGT Kristjan Rahe 733106

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>The tan does look better, but the methodology in removing the black and granting across the boat to make everyone "feel" special was incorrectly accomplished a change of male headgear on the Class A from the hate Garrison cap to one modeled on the WWII pattern would have helped. The patrol cap provides veteran coverage and protection for ACU.

2015-06-08T11:44:51-04:00 2015-06-08T11:44:51-04:00 1LT William Clardy 733181

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I thought that the reasoning behind issuing the black beret Army-wide was silly, but the switch to tan for Rangers actually made sense if you recognized the Angliophile roots of some of our 1970s beret color selections. We picked the maroon beret from from the RA Parachute Regiment, and some tankers and cav units borrowed black from the RA's armor uniform.<br /><br />In that light, the switch to tan for Rangers was effectively color-matching them to the SAS -- while also making the beret more prominent with color change.

2015-06-08T12:14:47-04:00 2015-06-08T12:14:47-04:00 CW4 Private RallyPoint Member 741401

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>The rangers were not the original group to wear the black beret. <br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.army.mil/features/beret/beret.htm">http://www.army.mil/features/beret/beret.htm</a><br /><br />• Black Beret. The tradition of wearing black berets began with armored units. In 1924 the British Royal Tank Regiment adopted the first modern military beret, based on the Scottish highland bonnet and French Bretonne beret. The regiment selected the headgear for its practicality--brimless for use with armored vehicle fire control sights and black to hide grease stains. In the US Army, HQDA policy from 1973 through 1979 permitted local commanders to encourage morale-enhancing distinctions, and Armor and Armored Cavalry personnel wore black berets as distinctive headgear until CSA Bernard W. Rogers banned all such unofficial headgear in 1979. Rangers received authorization through AR 670-5, Uniform and Insignia, 30 January 1975, to wear black berets. Previously, locally authorized black berets had been worn briefly by the 10th Ranger Company (Airborne), 45th Infantry Division, during the Korean War before their movement to Korea; Company F (LRP), 52d Infantry, 1st Infantry Division, in 1967 in the Republic of Vietnam; Company H (Ranger), 75th Infantry, 1st Cavalry Division, in 1970 in the Republic of Vietnam; and Company N (Ranger), 75th Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade, in 1971 in the Republic of Vietnam.

2015-06-11T13:00:04-04:00 2015-06-11T13:00:04-04:00 CPO Private RallyPoint Member 2520155

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I could not believe it. What kind of Dip Shit would do that. I thought the Rangers would raise enough hell about it so they could keep them.

2017-04-25T09:06:49-04:00 2017-04-25T09:06:49-04:00 CPL Larry Carroll 2598947

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Hated it, RLTW

2017-05-25T14:10:13-04:00 2017-05-25T14:10:13-04:00 CW3 Kim B. 2670442

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I wonder if the tankers felt the same way.when it was taken from them?

2017-06-22T12:26:59-04:00 2017-06-22T12:26:59-04:00 SP5 Briborne 18 Wolf 2678465

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>As soon as I heard of the ridiculous striping of the Black Beret from our Ranger brothers I was pissed and insulted even though I wasn&#39;t one. I am Airborne and cannot imagine how it would feel to make our Blood Beret common place. It&#39;s ridiculous!!!

2017-06-25T16:15:35-04:00 2017-06-25T16:15:35-04:00 SFC Robert Jackson 2726845

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Black berets in the U.S. Army Edit<br />In 1973, permission was granted to local commanders to encourage distinctive, morale-enhancing uniform items and the black beret was adopted by armor and armored cavalry units in the United States.<br /><br />Dang Ranger&#39;s did not lead the way on the black beret??? Lol

2017-07-13T11:39:24-04:00 2017-07-13T11:39:24-04:00 SSG Andrew Salgat 2824034

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Every time I saw someone(not a ranger) wear the black beret it looked like crap. It takes time and knowhow to get a beret looking good. I was in the 82nd. It took a minimum of a couple weeks to get the beret looking high speed

2017-08-11T22:35:14-04:00 2017-08-11T22:35:14-04:00 SP6 John Banning 2908125

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It was a mistake and took some of the pride from the rangers

2017-09-10T22:06:03-04:00 2017-09-10T22:06:03-04:00 SPC Jeffery Cleland 2908962

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Pissed me off mightily. The beret as a WHOLE was to identify and......seperate the soldiers who had gone above and beyond in their training to become something more. It was awarded to those who were good but wanted to be better. The ones who were better but wanted to be the best. The best who wanted to be great. It WAS a symbol of not only pride but also of accomplishment. The black beret should&#39;ve NEVER been taken from the Rangers. The tradition alone should&#39;ve dictated that. Everyone one gets a participation award type mentality. Just an old Airborne troopers thoughts. AATW RLTW

2017-09-11T09:52:04-04:00 2017-09-11T09:52:04-04:00 SPC Don Harris 2910289

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It was bull shit. You have to go the extra mile to earn a beret.

2017-09-11T18:07:53-04:00 2017-09-11T18:07:53-04:00 SFC Scotty Anderson 2913168

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I&#39;m sure the tankers felt the same way when the army took it from them and gave it to the rangers. Imagine how special ops felt when the rangers got airborne status, and started calling themselves special operations. It really gets interesting when someone gets assigned to a ranger battalion, deploy to combat then gets told they are not a real ranger by a guy with a tab but didn&#39;t deploy anywhere.....

2017-09-12T21:20:58-04:00 2017-09-12T21:20:58-04:00 PO2 Albert Robbins 2913457

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Unsat. Tradition is being flushed away.

2017-09-12T23:50:35-04:00 2017-09-12T23:50:35-04:00 SFC Deamon Cusco 2913979

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>As a ranger I was pissed ..told to wear the shit sack..first 100.000. We&#39;re sent back..had made in China on it

2017-09-13T08:03:55-04:00 2017-09-13T08:03:55-04:00 SSG Jeffrey Monk 2915495

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Wings and Tabs are earned. The beret was just a piece of head gear that changed from unit to unit your in. No different than the non airborne qualified (we had allot of them in at Ft Richardson) who still wore the maroon or the guy who served four years in Ranger Bat who PCSed to a line Division.

2017-09-13T16:49:45-04:00 2017-09-13T16:49:45-04:00 SGT Chester Beedle 2915898

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>No worse than I would have if I&#39;d have been around when the tankers had their black berets taken away. Then later given to the rangers. They were so pissed that some burned their berets in protest over the rangers getting them.

2017-09-13T20:47:45-04:00 2017-09-13T20:47:45-04:00 CPT Wayne Knight 2916382

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Not happy. I earned my black Ranger beret. And ad vain as it may sound, I put up with Ranger School and continued @75th for the privilege of standing out in the sea of green. If you want to look special then be special.

2017-09-13T23:56:16-04:00 2017-09-13T23:56:16-04:00 SSG John Patrick O'Hara 2922176

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It made me sick.....pres.Clinton is an A hole!

2017-09-16T10:21:21-04:00 2017-09-16T10:21:21-04:00 Anne Rawls 2922606

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Different colors should signify different training. i.e. BLk rangers tan infantry red whatever

2017-09-16T14:41:02-04:00 2017-09-16T14:41:02-04:00 PO2 Albert Robbins 2925887

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Didn&#39;t think it was a good idea. Still miss my crackerjack and dixie cup.

2017-09-17T23:17:32-04:00 2017-09-17T23:17:32-04:00 SGM Tomes Alexandrescu 2934858

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It pissed me the hell off.Still does.

2017-09-21T07:06:32-04:00 2017-09-21T07:06:32-04:00 SSG Mike Angle 2939479

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I am a former RANGER taking away the black beret was wrong. If the ARMY wanted the conventional troops to wear a beret then they should have been given the tan

2017-09-22T17:49:42-04:00 2017-09-22T17:49:42-04:00 2LT Michael Tiedel 2947148

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Sad!!!!

2017-09-25T19:54:58-04:00 2017-09-25T19:54:58-04:00 SFC Steve M. 2953051

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Pissed and disgusted.

2017-09-27T20:51:03-04:00 2017-09-27T20:51:03-04:00 SFC Steve M. 2953054

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Lost total respect for shinseki after that...

2017-09-27T20:51:35-04:00 2017-09-27T20:51:35-04:00 SGT Robert Haire 2960522

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Too many simularities, personally I didn&#39;t have a problem with the baseball type or field cap, the baseball looked best. It the field type cap was more practical

2017-09-30T16:17:01-04:00 2017-09-30T16:17:01-04:00 PO1 Greg Aardal 2961551

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Not involved.

2017-10-01T02:07:22-04:00 2017-10-01T02:07:22-04:00 SFC Jeff Roy 2976742

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I think the Rangers should have kept their black berets. It was their signature.

2017-10-06T19:10:41-04:00 2017-10-06T19:10:41-04:00 SSG Henry Kearsley 2984417

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I was not happy about that because that was who the ranger are and part of there history.

2017-10-09T14:47:05-04:00 2017-10-09T14:47:05-04:00 MAJ Mark Kottka 3027026

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Older, retired Combat Arms Mustang was once again scratching my head. Specially headgear for those specialized units, sure. To take the headgear color of a unit already established, shameful.

2017-10-23T19:45:39-04:00 2017-10-23T19:45:39-04:00 1LT Private RallyPoint Member 3141894

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I was pissed... The Black Beret should have been considered an award...like the Green Beret is for the guys in SF. The Black Beret was EARNED. Taking their beret away and handing it out to anybody and everybody was a slap in the face to the Rangers.

2017-12-03T22:12:52-05:00 2017-12-03T22:12:52-05:00 SMSgt Lawrence McCarter 3141953

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Although I&#39;m not Army I think it never should have been done and not only the black berets but any beret should have been reserved for people in special units where the beret had to be earned. The Air Force also does have some members that wear berets but not everyone, they are used to identify people with special skills that they trained for. Black berets were only for Rangers in the Army and Combat Controllers in the Air Force and both required extensive special training to qualify for.

2017-12-03T22:44:45-05:00 2017-12-03T22:44:45-05:00 Maj John Bell 3142240

<div class="images-v2-count-1"><div class="content-picture image-v2-number-1" id="image-194356"> <div class="social_icons social-buttons-on-image"> <a href='https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rallypoint.com%2Fanswers%2Fhow-did-you-feel-when-you-heard-of-the-black-beret-of-our-ranger-brothers-being-taken-away-and-replaced-with-tan%3Futm_source%3DFacebook%26utm_medium%3Dorganic%26utm_campaign%3DShare%20to%20facebook' target="_blank" class='social-share-button facebook-share-button'><i class="fa fa-facebook-f"></i></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How+++did++you+++feel++when++you++heard++of++the+++Black++beret++of++our+++ranger++brothers++being++taken++away+++and++replaced++with++tan&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rallypoint.com%2Fanswers%2Fhow-did-you-feel-when-you-heard-of-the-black-beret-of-our-ranger-brothers-being-taken-away-and-replaced-with-tan&amp;via=RallyPoint" target="_blank" class="social-share-button twitter-custom-share-button"><i class="fa fa-twitter"></i></a> <a href="mailto:?subject=Check this out on RallyPoint!&body=Hi, I thought you would find this interesting:%0D%0AHow did you feel when you heard of the Black beret of our ranger brothers being taken away and replaced with tan%0D%0A %0D%0AHere is the link: https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/how-did-you-feel-when-you-heard-of-the-black-beret-of-our-ranger-brothers-being-taken-away-and-replaced-with-tan" target="_blank" class="social-share-button email-share-button"><i class="fa fa-envelope"></i></a> </div> <a class="fancybox" rel="a1b089ada9e26e47f24e76016d81c71c" href="https://d1ndsj6b8hkqu9.cloudfront.net/pictures/images/000/194/356/for_gallery_v2/77433383.jpg"><img src="https://d1ndsj6b8hkqu9.cloudfront.net/pictures/images/000/194/356/large_v3/77433383.jpg" alt="77433383" /></a></div></div>What could be worse...?

2017-12-04T03:07:55-05:00 2017-12-04T03:07:55-05:00 SGT Rick Myers 3568249

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Bottom line it blows! It wasn’t broken so don’t fix it!! Big snafu when they did it!!

2018-04-22T21:58:43-04:00 2018-04-22T21:58:43-04:00 SSG Rick Miller 3584206

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It was wrong, wrong, wrong. The black beret belongs to Rangers, not every soldier.

2018-04-28T12:20:54-04:00 2018-04-28T12:20:54-04:00 2015-02-07T22:48:39-05:00