20
20
0
So I posted a picture with my beret and found that there is a few different opinions on how one is to wear your beret. My first duty station was Bragg and wearing a beret was an art form there. I have seen others wear their beret and look like a cast member from Myth busters.
How do you wear yours?
How do you wear yours?
Beret
Airborne School
Ranger
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 71
47
47
0
They should go back to patrol caps for everyone other than Airborne, Rangers and Special Forces, in my opinion. General Shinseki never should have changed this.
(47)
(0)
1SG Steven Kirkman
I respectfully disagree. I like the beret because I think it makes a much more professional appearance, but I too have witnessed and been frustrated by many jacked up berets. The proper wear just needs to be properly taught and enforced by NCO's just like any other uniform item.
(0)
(0)
24
24
0
1SG Steven Kirkman
I copied and pasted my response to to SPC Erich Guenther's comment above because I'm a typist of very limited skill, but I respectfully disagree. I like the beret because I think it makes a much more professional appearance, but I too have witnessed and been frustrated by many jacked up berets. The proper wear just needs to be properly taught and enforced by NCO's just like any other uniform item.
(1)
(0)
SSG Robert Webster
SGT(P) Harry Clyde Jr. - 82nd Airborne Division (Expert) Dragon Gunners Badge. There was also one for the TOW, in blue.
(0)
(0)
14
14
0
I prefer the old fashioned look, CPT (Join to see), as shown in these two photos of Special Forces troopers, both MOH recipients.
(14)
(0)
SPC Robert Passini
That top picture is definitely the way they are supposed to look. That's how John Wayne wore his by God.
(3)
(0)
LTC Stephen C.
Forget John Wayne, SPC Robert Passini! The top photo is of COL Ola Lee Mize (now deceased) He was a recepient of the MOH, served THREE tours with SF in Vietnam, and started the SF scuba school in Key West! Believe me, I like the Duke, but he was simply emulating (correctly I might add) the real McCoy!
(2)
(0)
SFC Jim Ruether
When did wearing the beret involve shaving the wool so it would lay like a dead dog along your head? Why hasn't the practice been stopped? We were told if you get caught shaving your headgear your beret was going in the garbage, you would be responsible for getting another at your cost and it would be worn properly or else.
(0)
(0)
13
13
0
Yea sir I've noticed that outside of the Airborne community (Legs) everyone wears their beret like how I guess it supposed to be worn according to AR 670-1. I say no thanks. It's kind of funny too, because even within the Airborne community (SF, 75th, and regular Airborne) we all wear it somewhat differently. low and dangerous all the way is what I always say though sir.
(13)
(0)
MSG Dan Castaneda
SSG (Join to see) - I PCS'd from the 101st to 82nd and ended up there back when we still had 11Hs. It was pretty awesome initially. I went to Haiti, Kosovo, and the invasion of Iraq (OIF 1) with 1-325. But as soon as we got back in early 2004, I just hated going to work and instead of ETSing, I chose to go to Selection. The unit would have preferred me to get out of the Army than go SF. I chose to go SF and for 4 months between Selection and the Q-course they treated me very badly. I was the only E-6 in the BN pulling company CQ that E-4s and E-5 pulled, and I had it every Saturday. Instead of challenging the command, I just did as I was told and asked the SF recruiter to rush my orders to the Q-course. The 1SG threatened my career every opportunity he had, and it was just an awful experience. Glad I'm not there anymore.
(5)
(0)
SSG (Join to see)
MSG Dan Castaneda sounds about right. My old SL went through exactly the same situation this past year. Not so much with our 1SG but definitely the CSM
(3)
(0)
MSG Dan Castaneda
SSG (Join to see) - I don't know what their trip is? I know a lot of SF guys that started off in the 82nd and are squared away SF Soldiers. Their time in Division brought a lot discipline to their everyday being, but they decided that their goals were never going to be met or even challenged in the 82nd so they left to do other things. I don't understand why they would rather see a Soldier get out of the Army entirely than go SF. My BN CSM told me I was ruining my career. Look at me now Sergeant Major.
(2)
(0)
12
12
0
Like it was an honor to wear one. BACK WHEN you had to DO SOMETHING to EARN a Beret, people wore them with pride (As still today the AIRBORNE, RANGER, and Special Forces Do) But when they put Berets on every LEG in the Army so, that in the words of General Keene "They will feel good about themselves." The Black Beret became something that lost it's value. Thanks a PANTLOAD there Chet! We appreciate you taking the beret and giving it away...Great decision there Peanut.
(12)
(0)
SSG Roger Ayscue
SPC Kevin Kilch - NO NO....Reread what I said there Turbo....General Keene said that, I was at Fort Benning wen that all came down. Benning too, like Huachuca, is not the place to wear a Black headgear of any type.
From the LA Times, Feb 10, 2001
"But starting this summer, as part of an Army push to boost morale, all soldiers, right down to private, will wear the black beret, regardless of whether they work in the motor pool or lead commando raids."
It was General Shinseki's desire, along with the "Army of One" campaign to raise moral. That and since old Eric was a Tanker (Death Before Dismount) who at one point had wanted Black Berets for Tankers (Like the rest of NATO) but could not have them, so he took it when he became Chief of Staff. Not the best Chief the Army ever had...I see a comparison to light bulbs located in the hallway.
From the LA Times, Feb 10, 2001
"But starting this summer, as part of an Army push to boost morale, all soldiers, right down to private, will wear the black beret, regardless of whether they work in the motor pool or lead commando raids."
It was General Shinseki's desire, along with the "Army of One" campaign to raise moral. That and since old Eric was a Tanker (Death Before Dismount) who at one point had wanted Black Berets for Tankers (Like the rest of NATO) but could not have them, so he took it when he became Chief of Staff. Not the best Chief the Army ever had...I see a comparison to light bulbs located in the hallway.
(2)
(0)
LTC (Join to see)
You answered my question, we can blame General Shinseki. Shinseki was an awesome general but I think that was one of his bad decisions. Luckily, I had a major who was going to Fort Bragg to do some work at the Civil Affairs school house and he told me he could get me a molded Beret and he did and the molded berate was perfect and even the Battalion Commander commented so getting it molded is half the battle. I wore an Airborne Beret even though I was a leg because I was in a civil Affairs Airborne unit that was in transition. I was allowed to wear the maroon Beret until I transferred over to a to non Airborne unit and we then went back the patrol cap thank God!
(0)
(0)
SFC Jim Ruether
Berets were first worn by tankers in WWII so don't talk about giving them away to everyone in the ARMY. I felt the same way as you did that you earn a beret. When they started passing them out and they had the UN Flash on them I was very concerned. They told us we would or could possibly end up under the command of some foreign officers in the next conflict. Now berets have the flash from their current unit brigade or Division on them which calms my soul just a little bit.
(0)
(0)
SGT Laura Colwell
Trust me. We didn't want to wear them any more than you wanted us to! I hated that thing. No matter how I tried I couldn't get it to sit on my head the right way. Probably had something to do with extra hair being in dual French braids. But bottom line is... yuck! You could have kept them! No love lost here.
(0)
(0)
8
8
0
8
8
0
First off you must cut all excess cords, shave all the fuzz, wet it, wring it, wear it around the house for a while, shave it some more, hang it up somewhere overnight, wear it the next morning, flash always over left eye and folded over right ear. Yep I wore the maroon beret with lots of pride and prefered the PC over the "new" black beret!
(8)
(0)
SSgt (Join to see)
CW4 Angel C. I stumbled across a styrofoam head at Hobby Lobby. I use that to keep my beret's form now - I still wear it for Central Missouri Honor Flight Homecomings.
(2)
(0)
(1)
(0)
6
6
0
5
5
0
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google