What would you consider the proper wear of the beret?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 May 2015 13:38:36 -0400

The beret can be worn in many ways but if you want to go into technicalities regarding the beret, i would look at AR 670-1. Now to the actual topic of discussion. Most people realize that when they graduate Basic Training, their berets usually dont look there best, so the soldier usually gets corrected by a senior leader with the same look to their beret. Should the Army start to issue pre-shaped berets to new recruits?

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2015 1:53 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 May 2015 13:53:51 -0400

I would not issue preshaped berets as everyone's head is different. I know that I have reshaped mine SEVERAL times. When we were issued ours when we got to 3rd phase in tech school, there was an instructor that "made themselves available" in order to pass down the knowledge to properly shape your beret. I think something like this would be more plausible. Once one member has the knowledge, let them share it!

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2015 2:23 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 May 2015 14:23:06 -0400

No the army should not issue preshaped berets leaders should sit down and train Soldiers how to properly shape there beret to include shavining it.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2015 4:02 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 May 2015 16:02:56 -0400

SSG Private RallyPoint Member as 1SG Private RallyPoint Member leaders should sit down and train soldiers. Is not just for us but for them, in my BCT my Drill Sergeants had a sense of pride in the way we look in front of the others Platoons. I'm pretty sure SFC Private RallyPoint Member will tell you the same, if one of his trainees look 8up in their Graduation Day that will look bad on him. In my BCT we spent a whole night shaving and preparing our berets for our last Rock March. I wouldn't get a "pre-shaped" beret, where would be the pride of getting ready to celebrate what I've accomplished?

P.S. Thanks for participating and bringing discussions so the Junior Enlisted can get adviced by leaders.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made May 19 at 2015 4:03 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Tue, 19 May 2015 16:03:22 -0400

No, they should teach people to wear them properly and call them out when they are not.

Response by SGT Richard H. made May 19 at 2015 4:05 PM

SGT Richard H. — Tue, 19 May 2015 16:05:12 -0400

Hey....it could ALWAYS be worse.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2015 6:00 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 May 2015 18:00:13 -0400

Nope. I miss having to polish boots. We should take the time and pride required to wear the beret right. I think this guy does a good job at it. You have to lean it a bit tilt it. When done right the badassery increases.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 20 at 2015 7:36 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 20 May 2015 07:36:17 -0400

The army should just get rid of head gear. Berets and patrol caps seem to never be worn properly. When not worn properly, it looks like crap. So if we get rid of headgear, that issue would be gone. Or switch to rigid caps like what the marines use, and go back to the side caps used in WWII

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 11 at 2016 4:28 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 16:28:15 -0400

First of all, no. No pre-shaped/pre-shaved berets for the FNGs. They need the discipline and attention to detail that preparing a beret instills. Second, being in a Basic Training environment, I see this every week. Some of the berets (on the heads of the motivated and high-speed Trainees) look the way a beret is supposed to, if a little short. But many of them are lazy and will tell you to your face "I didn't feel like doing all that."

Now, according to DA PAM 670-1: "The beret is worn so that the headband (edge binding) is straight across the forehead, 1 inch above the eyebrows. The flash is positioned over the left eye, and the excess materials is draped over to the right ear, extending to at least the top of the ear, and no lower than the middle of the ear. Personnel will cut off the ends of the adjusting ribbon and secure the ribbon knot inside the edge binding at the back of the beret. When worn properly, the beret is formed to the shape of the head; therefore, Soldiers may not wear hairstyles that cause distortion of the intended shape of the beret."

Granted, some people and some units kind of....bend this a bit more than a little. But these things have since become tradition. As an Infantryman, I have found that in many Infantry units, we wear our berets parallel to the marching surface, but excessively long (mine hangs down to my neck, well past the ear). the 82nd is WELL known for the Elephant Ear beret that sits the beret cocked over and pulled low. And Rangers have been know to wear theirs damn near only halfway on their head. These things have become identifiers and traditions for units and specialties. Is it wrong and out-of-regs? Yes. Is it likely to change? Probably not.

Response by CW2 Ernest Krutzsch made Apr 8 at 2017 1:48 PM

CW2 Ernest Krutzsch — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 13:48:29 -0400

On French Foreign Legionairres

Response by SSG Robert Spear made Sep 14 at 2017 5:57 AM

SSG Robert Spear — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 05:57:07 -0400

Proper wear is in the bottom of my drawer , still in the plastic bag it came in, and long forgotten about. Berets are stupid.

Response by GySgt Robert Anderson made Sep 18 at 2017 8:25 AM

GySgt Robert Anderson — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 08:25:52 -0400

They look like shit in a hole I hated it