Ranger black berets- earned or issued?

[BrainyBeauty]

Hey all you military types. What is your feeling on this order for the Army to switch everyone over to the Ranger's black beret starting in June?

The 2 guys who are walking to DC to protest this came through our town this weekend. Seems like they have a good point. And if it was the Army's goal to boost morale, it seems to have backfired and really irritated a bunch of cool guys from an elite unit. Thoughts?

 

[WriterDom]

If it gets more warm bodies in the army who think black berets are cool then it's probably a good idea.

 

[Andra_Jenny]

A ranger is a ranger.
A marine is a marine.
A seal is a seal, and
a beret is a damn silly thing to wear.
But it does not change the pride and accomplishment.
Urrah!

 

[KillerMuffin]

A beret is symbol of excellence earned. The black beret is the symbol of the Rangers. It is a symbol of something that they went through and accomplished that puts them a cut above the rest. The rangers went through a nasty tough bit of hell to earn that black beret. A nasty tough bit of hell that would have SEALs crying in their saltwater. The entire army did not earn the beret. What's next, giving everyone in the army a green beret?

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Obviously the MORON at the top didn't notice that. I bet they change headgear again soon.

Black berets belong to Rangers.
Green berets belong to Special Forces.
Red berets belong to Airborne.

General Shit-For-Brains, the poag ass jerk needs to be fired.

 

[CreamyLady]

I am an Army of One?

(runs like hell)

 

[KillerMuffin]

oh my gawd LMAO!

 

[Sparky Kronkite]

Whoever in the ARMY......

thought this to be a good idea.....

Needs to wear dunce caps.

No way - no regular dog boy - gets any kind of beret. Piss cutter's for the punks - until they prove different.

 

[Bushido71XS]

I earned mine. It's black and I have this little gold and black tab that goes with it. More on this issue later when my ire is back under control.................

 

[OUTSIDER]

Not having been in any of her majesty's armed forces my self I can only offer an outsider's view, no pun intended, but it seem's that rather raising up all those GI's they are mearly promoting mediocrity...I'll shut up now and let people who've served debate this one I don't really have the right.

 

[dancinvixen]

A beret is symbol of excellence earned. The black beret is the symbol of the Rangers. It is a symbol of something that they went through and accomplished that puts them a cut above the rest. The rangers went through a nasty tough bit of hell to earn that black beret. A nasty tough bit of hell that would have SEALs crying in their saltwater. The entire army did not earn the beret. What's next, giving everyone in the army a green beret?

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Obviously the MORON at the top didn't notice that. I bet they change headgear again soon.

Black berets belong to Rangers.
Green berets belong to Special Forces.
Red berets belong to Airborne.

General Shit-For-Brains, the poag ass jerk needs to be fired.

I have only one thing to add here,

HOOAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ambrosious]

HOOAAHHH?

 

[dancinvixen]

Teehee, it's Army for just about everything <g>.

 

[Ambrosious]

Well, HOOAAHHH!!!! to you. Did your HOOAAHHH!!!! come back from the cleaners? What's for dinner, HOOAAHHH!!!! again?

I think I get it.

 

[dancinvixen]

Well, HOOAAHHH!!!! to you. Did your HOOAAHHH!!!! come back from the cleaners? What's for dinner, HOOAAHHH!!!! again?

I think I get it.

LOL, it took my mom asking my hubby how come my brother was saying it all the time. <g> She just had no idea. <My brother is at this moment working his way through training to earn his black beret.> Bushido, I agree with you completely. Even my hubby < a regular punk in the Army> agrees with you. You don't give someone something they haven't earned. And I don't recall every person in the Army having gone through Ranger training.

 

[brazenblaze]

Big Bad idea!!! My opinion on this one has been stated repeatedly on other military related threads.

Nothing more dishonorable to those who've died for that beret than to put an overweight poag in that beret.

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Colin Powell was tasked yesterday by President Bush to come up with a color beret to be adopted by all Army service members on June 14, 2001. Needless to say, doubt seriously it will be Black, Green or Maroon. Brown and Kaiki are the front runners at this time.

 

[Expertise]

Some old friends of mine will be almost stupified with myrth. A whole new army of "crap hats" to make fun of.

Berets in and of themselves ARE NOT a symbol of an elite unit in the military formations of countries who have adopted them.

Certain beret COLORS do indicate affiliation to a branch/service/specialty etc. eg. red/airborne.

When and where this does occur the badge or crest for the beret becomes the significant determinant of a unit. For example the Pegasus of several airborne units is as important as the color of the beret. Further all canadian soldiers sport green berets(since the Airborne Reg. was disbanded) the "badge" is the important thing.The thing that differentiates an RCR infantryman from a PPCLI infantryman, a Hussar from a Dragoon.

This is really much ado about nothing since I am sure that Colin Powell (isn't he State? ) will have the great good sense to choose a non offensive and suitibly dashing color.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Berets in and of themselves ARE NOT a symbol of an elite unit in the military formations of countries who have adopted them.

Certain beret COLORS do indicate affiliation to a branch/service/specialty etc. eg. red/airborne.

Actually sexy, you're a touch wrong here. In the US Army, the beret is only given to those in the special operations groups, theoretically. The beret itself is a symbol of the unit.

Which is why Special Forces isn't called SF, it's called the Green Berets.

At least it used to be that way. *sigh*

Badges, tabs, and other assorted chest cheese is allo find and wonderful, but the beret itself... well when you graduate from the selection courses the proudest moment is when you take off the old hat and put on the new one, the one that says I did it! The beret does mean something.

 

[Expertise]

Hey KM

I don't pretend to be an expert on the US military but I have seen even lowley zoomie(correct derogatory for air force?) gate guards with berets. I'm thinkin' that these guys aren't exactly the best of the best. Conversly to that as I recall SEALS an elite unit (navy or not,hee hee) don't wear berets. Not Army examples I realize so maybe your right.

Never met any "green berets". Met some Rangers and plenty of your airborne who were far more proud of their jump wings and Ranger patches than of their berets.

The troops of many many countries world wide use berets. But it is the color and the badge that makes the distinction, not the hat itself. U guys are just odd about some things, god luv ya'.



[Edited by Expertise on 01-24-2001 at 05:32 AM]

 

[Andra_Jenny]

The bite of it is that, just like when we switched to cammies, you gotta pay for their change, the new outfit looks a hell of a lot worse that the new one, and what do you do with your old greens, spray starch, and ironing boards.

Maybe you need a symbol to be proud, I do not know, I do not understand. I was very proud to have been a marine whether I looked like Gomer Pyle or a Bush (not dubya you trolls!).

Uhrrah!

 

[KillerMuffin]

Well, it's probably just me then Exp. I've spent most of my military wife career with special ops. Everyone wore berets, except the LRRPs, who had no badges or whatever. They like brownies alot. And fresh baked bread. And cussing. Anyway.

 

[Skibum]

The Army really pissed me off back in 1979 when they took the black beret away from the armored troops. That is tradionally a symbol of armor in armies world wide, but the Army Chief of Staff at that time didn't want any but "elite" troops to have distictive headgear. I hated giving up my black beret then, and I am glad to see them coming back into use.

I do like the idea of a light blue beret for infantry, and a red one for artillery if berets are going to be regular issue. Branch pride is a great morale booster.