Why do some soldiers wear a maroon beret (Airborne) with the Special Forces insignia?

Edward Samsen - Sure do, just never heard it called a candy bar. Candy stripe was what it was called in RVN in mid 1960s. Lots of them on C team in Vung Tau. Not even sure there was a long tab, we called the real ops flash qualified.

MAJ Ronnie Reams - Does the name George Syvertsen CBS News mean anything to you? I grew up with his son a teacher told hiom he would never amount to anything.....Some years later he returned to the school and threw a Bancroft Beret with 1-10 flash on her desk with his captains bars on it. Eric spoke Norweigan at home studied German in HS and then went ROTC in College and thentriple vilunteered

Edward Samsen - Vaguely

MAJ Ronnie Reams - George was killed in Cambodia in a communist ambush.

I see, thank you COL now i understand.

And COL Sir I do not agree with giving the Black Beret (Ranger) to every soldier so they do not feel left out and their feelings. Sir what happened to our military that we worry about their feelings in the states and we do not have berets like Rangers, SF etc... I would not trust one of them that feels that way to go to combat and cover my 6... I understand the people we protect and serve and their right to be that way but no way not in my military so I steer everyone to Special Operations so we don't have to be part of what I think is a screwed up military. And Special Ops don't have to take orders or even deal with the regular Army or military and Kiss our ass... Sorry Sir but I can't stand how the regular Army has become Pussies... and don't hurt my feelings. you and Col Burroughs can chew me out sir for this but then you will educate me as to how do I trust this generation...

Yep, or as is said flash qualified.

LTC Stephen C. - I don't have a dog in the fight when it comes to Army uniforms. I just don't understand the wide variety in the army. I'm going to make a gross generalization, that is probably full of holes, but... It would seem to me that being in the Army should be enough. I think their is way to much info conveyed by an Army uniform. I am not a fan of all the badges and gee gaws on Marine Corps uniforms either.

I never fired anything but expert on the rifle range and pistol range on qualification day day. I could do without those badges too.

I come by the indifference honestly, there must have been some Amish or Mennonite in the family history on the Bell side. My grandfather thought that wristwatches, wedding rings, and any color dress shirt other than white, were signs of vanity, ostentatious and a poor use of money. I remember getting dressed down for being a "damned peacock" for a four color rugby shirt.

I think the Army uniform selection process since post WWII has been nothing short of disastrous, Maj John Bell. Worst of all, there’s been no consistency. USN and USMC dress uniforms have been virtually unchanged for decades. My father was a LTJG in the Navy during WWII. I still have my father’s service dress blues coat that he had tailored at Brooks Brothers in NYC prior to commissioning. But for materials and aging, it’s almost a dead ringer for that worn today.
The Army just won’t leave things alone. Pitiful.

LTC Stephen C. - I am not a uniform historian, So this may be inaccurate; but I believe our Dress Blue uniform, minus a fabric change, was the US Army field uniform General Pershing mandated on Marines to simplify supply/logistics and differentiate from the Germans during WWI.

I wish we kept the same uniform as Dress Blue, in green, as our service alphas instead of the modified business suit we use now.

Maj John Bell, you’re most likely correct regarding all of the above! Here’s the man and the uniform!
I wouldn’t mind a return to the tunic collars for the Army as well. Pershing’s Own (ironic about the name, isn’t it!) wears them routinely.