Berets of the United States Army

Last updated
Two officers from 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), one wearing a maroon beret and the other a rifle-green beret, participate in change of command ceremony, 2017 US Army 7th Special Forces Group change of command ceremony.png
Two officers from 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), one wearing a maroon beret and the other a rifle-green beret, participate in change of command ceremony, 2017

The United States Army has used military berets as headgear with various uniforms beginning in World War II. Since June 14, 2001, a black beret is worn by all U.S. Army troops unless the soldier is approved to wear a different distinctive beret. A maroon beret has been adopted as official headdress by the Airborne forces, a tan beret by the 75th Ranger Regiment, a brown beret by the Security Force Assistance Brigades, and a green beret by the Special Forces.

Contents

In 2011, the Army replaced the black wool beret with the patrol cap as the default headgear for the Army Combat Uniform. [1] [2] [3]

In 2019, the Army proposed the creation of a new grey beret for USASOC soldiers qualified in psychological operations (PSYOP), but has yet to receive its official approval. In the meantime, grey berets are only issued to Army Junior ROTC cadets. [4]

History

An arctic-qualified infantryman with 1st Bn, 60th Inf. RGT, 172nd Inf. BDE wearing olive-drab beret, c. 1970s US Army soldier with 1st BN-60th Inf RGT-172nd Inf BDE wearing olive-drab beret-circa 1970s.png
An arctic–qualified infantryman with 1st Bn, 60th Inf. RGT, 172nd Inf. BDE wearing olive-drab beret, c. 1970s

In the United States military, the beret was unofficially worn by a variety of special operations units during and following World War II. In the spring of 1951, the 10th and 11th Ranger Companies wore black berets during their training at Camp Carson, Colorado, before their deployment to Japan.

After the Vietnam War, morale in the U.S. Army waned. In response, from 1973 through 1979, the Department of the Army authorized local commanders to encourage morale-enhancing uniform distinctions. Consequently, many units embraced various colored berets, for example various armor and ranger units adopted the black beret. Similarly, many other units embraced various colored berets in an attempt to improve dwindling morale. In particular, the 1st Cavalry Division assigned various colored berets to its three-pronged TRICAP approach. In this implementation, armored cavalry, airmobile infantry, air cavalry, division artillery, and division support units all wore different colored berets, including black, light–blue, kelly–green, and red. [5] [6] [7]

Various Army branch–specific berets were also worn by some soldiers in the 1970s which were dyed to match the heraldic colors of their branch. [5] [6] Enlisted soldiers attached their regimental distinctive insignia while officers attached their polished metal rank insignia on these branch-specific berets positioned over the left eye. [5] [6] [7] By 1979, the Army put a stop to the use of berets by conventional forces, leaving only special forces and ranger units the authority to wear berets. [5] [6] [7]

Black

The black beret was worn by various reconnaissance, ranger, and armored units in the 1960s and 70s. Today, the black beret is worn by regular soldiers of the U.S. Army. [5] [7] [8] [6]

In 1975, the black beret was officially authorized for wear by the newly created battalions of United States Army Rangers who had worn it unofficially during the Vietnam War. [9] Also in 1975, a unique black beret was authorized for wear by female soldiers but was of a different design than the one worn by male soldiers. [10] [11] [12]

In 2001, the black beret became the primary headgear for both the service uniform (in garrison setting) and dress uniform for all United States Army troops unless the soldier is approved to wear a different distinctive beret. [5] [13] [14] In 2011, the Army changed back to the patrol cap for primary wear with the utility uniform, with the beret remaining the headgear for the dress uniform. [15]

US Army soldier from Recon Platoon-2nd Bn 8th Cav Regt-1st Cav Div wearing black beret-1970.jpg
A US Army infantryman with the 1st Cavalry Division, 1st Brigade, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, Reconnaissance Platoon wearing black beret with platoon beret flash, 1970 [7]
US Army Ranger School graduating class 11-71.png
US Army Ranger School Class 11-71 commander wearing black beret with his Ranger Tab and rank insignia, 1971 [16]
Former US Army 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment black beret-circa 1970s.jpg
A U.S. Army NCO with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment wearing black beret with Armored Cavalry Oval, DUI, and rank insignia, c. 1970s [7]
Former US Army 1st Cavalry Division soldier wearing TRICAP black beret-1976.png
An infantryman with 1st Cavalry Division, 1st Brigade, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry wearing black beret, 1976 [17]
Former US Army Armor School cadre wearing black beret-1976.jpg
An armor officer with the US Army Armor School wearing black beret with Armor School Instructor Flash and rank insignia, 1976 [7]
YoungestBeret1stBattalion23rdInfantryRegiment.jpg
A soldier from 2nd Infantry Division, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment wearing black beret, c.2001

Brown

A soldier from the 1st SFAB wearing a brown beret, 2018 US Army Security Force Assistance Brigade Beret.jpg
A soldier from the 1st SFAB wearing a brown beret, 2018

The brown beret was created in 2018 for soldiers of the U.S. Army's then-new Security Force Assistance Command and its brigades or SFABs. [18] Soldiers assigned to the command and its brigades are authorized to wear the brown beret—with a brigade specific beret flash and distinctive unit insignia (DUI)—to recognize these new specialized units whose core mission is to conduct training, advising, assisting, enabling, and accompanying operations with allied and partner nations. According to an official U.S. Army article, "SFAB soldiers will be on the ground with their partners - fighting side-by-side with them in all conditions, so the brown beret symbolizes dirt or mud akin to the 'muddy boots' moniker given to leaders who are always out with the troops." [19]

Maroon

Dan McKinney-SonTay Raider-1946-2017.jpg
Then CPT Dan McKinney—a Sơn Tây raider—with the US Army Infantry School's Airborne Department wearing maroon beret, c. 1973
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Alexander Woody, with the 82nd Airborne Division, stands for the national anthem during a ceremony celebrating the U.S. Army's 237th birthday in Times Square June 14, 2012, in New York 120614-A-AO884-084.jpg
Then 1LT Alexander Woody with 1st Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at a ceremony for the U.S. Army's birthday, 2012

In 1943 General Frederick Browning, commander of the British First Airborne Corps, granted the U.S. Army's 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion honorary membership in the British Parachute Regiment and authorized them to wear British-style maroon berets. [20] [21] During the Vietnam War, U.S. military advisers to Vietnamese airborne units often wore the Vietnamese French-style red beret.

With the Department of the Army policy in 1973 permitting local commanders to encourage morale-enhancing distinctions, airborne forces began to wear the maroon beret as their mark of distinction. [5] [6] [7] [8] [22] This permission was rescinded in 1979 when the army Chief of Staff, General Edward C. Meyer, required all units to adhere to the uniform regulation. [5] [6] [7] [22] On 28 November 1980, updated uniform regulations authorized airborne (parachute) units to resume wearing the maroon beret. [5] [6] [22] In the interim, airborne units wore the Hot Weather Cap (olive-drab hats resembling a baseball cap) with their parachutist badge and airborne background trimming affixed above their rank insignia with the combat uniform and the Airborne Insignia on the garrison cap with the service dress uniform.

Tan

James Smith-3rd Ranger Battalion-KIA 1993.jpg
SPC James Smith from 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment wearing black beret with original beret flash—note the white border around the flash—c. 1993
COL Richard Clarke official portrait-Cropped.png
COL Richard Clarke from 75th Ranger Regiment wearing tan beret with new beret flash—note the black border around the flash—c. 2007

On 14 June 2001, U.S. Army Rangers assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment and the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade were authorized to wear a distinctive tan beret to replace the black berets that had recently become the army-wide standard. The color was chosen by the members of the 75th Ranger Regiment as being similar to other elite units with similar missions worldwide, notably the British, Australian and New Zealand Special Air Service regiments.

The change in color also required modification of the associated beret flashes worn by the Ranger units, changing the borders from white to black in order to provide better contrast to the lighter beret.

Green

US Army Special Forces UDT training-1956.png
A special forces detachment from 8231st Army Unit, U.S. Army Japan prepare for a combat dive operation near Okinawa, Japan in 1956, wearing their green berets prior to their approved wear in 1961. c. 1956
US Army Special Operations Center of Excellence Command Chief Warrant Officer CW5 Robert W. Hart.png
Former JFK Special Warfare Center and School Command Chief Warrant Officer wearing his green beret, c. 2018

In the United States Army, the green beret may be worn only by soldiers who have graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course, signifying, along with the Special Forces Tab, they are Special Forces qualified paratroopers.

The 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (10th SFG) had many veterans of World War II and Korea in its ranks when it was formed in 1952. Members of the 10th SFG began to unofficially wear a variety of berets while training, some favoring the red or maroon airborne beret, the black beret, or the British Commando green beret. In 1953, a beret whose design was based on that of the Canadian Army pattern, and which was rifle-green in color, was chosen for wear by Special Forces units. [5]

Their new headgear was first worn at a retirement parade at Fort Bragg on 12 June 1955 for Lt. Gen. Joseph P. Cleland, the now-former commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps. Onlookers thought that the commandos were a foreign delegation from NATO. [5] [23]

In 1956 Gen. Paul D. Adams, the post commander at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, banned its wear, even though it was worn on the sly when units were in the field or deployed overseas. This was reversed on 25 September 1961 by Department of the Army Message 578636, which designated the green beret as the exclusive headgear of the Army Special Forces. [5]

When visiting the Special Forces at Fort Bragg on 12 October 1961, President John F. Kennedy asked Brig. Gen. William P. Yarborough to make sure that the men under his command wore green berets for the visit. Later that day, Kennedy sent a memorandum that included the line: "I am sure that the green beret will be a mark of distinction in the trying times ahead". [24] By America's entry into the Vietnam War, the green beret had become a symbol of excellence throughout the U.S. Army. On 11 April 1962 in a White House memorandum to the United States Army, President Kennedy reiterated his view: "The green beret is a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom". [24] Previously, both Yarborough and Edson Raff had petitioned the Pentagon to allow wearing of the green beret, to no avail. [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green beret</span> Military headdress

The green beret was the official headdress of the British Commandos, a special-forces unit active during World War II. It is still worn by members of the Royal Marines after passing the Commando Course, and personnel from other units of the Royal Navy, Army and RAF who serve within 3 Commando Brigade and who have passed the All Arms Commando Course.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parachutist badge</span> Military badge rewarding parachute training completion

A parachutist badge is a badge awarded by armed forces or paramilitary forces of many states to personnel who have received parachute training and completed the required number of jumps. It is difficult to assess which country was the first to introduce such an award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Side cap</span> Foldable military cap

A side cap is a military cap that can be folded flat when not being worn. It is also known as a garrison cap or flight cap in the United States, wedge cap in Canada, or field service cap in the United Kingdom; or in vulgar slang as a cunt cap or piss cutter. In form the side cap is comparable to the glengarry, a folding version of the Scottish military bonnet. It has been associated with various military forces since the middle of the 19th century, as well as various civilian organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black beret</span> Military cap, worn by armored forces and other units

The black beret is a colour of beret, a type of headgear. It is commonly worn by paramilitaries and militaries around the world, particularly armored forces such as the British Army's Royal Tank Regiment (RTR), the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC), and Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) and the Indian Army Armoured Corps and Indian Border Security Force. Notable non-armored military units to wear the black beret include the non-military police and non-special forces elements of the Irish Defence Forces, MOD Guard Service, Russian Naval Infantry and Russian OMON units, the United States Air Force (USAF) Tactical Air Control Party (TACP), Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) members, and the Royal Canadian Navy. It was also worn by the United Kingdom's Royal Observer Corps (ROC) with their Royal Air Force (RAF) uniform, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distinctive unit insignia</span> Badge or device worn by soldiers in the United States Army

A distinctive unit insignia (DUI) is a metallic heraldic badge or device worn by soldiers in the United States Army. The DUI design is derived from the coat of arms authorized for a unit. DUIs may also be called "distinctive insignia" (DI) or, imprecisely, a "crest" or a "unit crest" by soldiers or collectors. The U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry is responsible for the design, development and authorization of all DUIs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoulder sleeve insignia</span> United States Army insignia

Shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI) are distinctive cloth patches worn on the left sleeve of the United States Army uniform just below the shoulder seam by soldiers assigned to divisions, corps, armies, and other specifically authorized organizations. They are also worn on the right sleeve by soldiers to indicate former overseas service with certain units during periods of U.S. military operations in hostile conditions (MOHC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">509th Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 509th Infantry Regiment is an airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army. The unit was initially activated as a single battalion, the 504th Parachute Infantry Battalion, in October 1941 at Fort Benning, Georgia. Nicknamed "Geronimo", the 509th conducted the U.S. Army's first combat jump during World War II on 8 November 1942, flying 1,500 miles from England to seize Tafarquay airport in Oran, Algeria. The 509th made a total of five combat jumps during the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Full dress uniform</span> Uniform for wear on formal occasions

Full dress uniform, also known as a ceremonial dress uniform or parade dress uniform, is the most formal type of uniforms used by military, police, fire and other public uniformed services for official parades, ceremonies, and receptions, including private ones such as marriages and funerals. Full dress uniforms typically include full-size orders and medals insignia. Styles tend to originate from 19th century uniforms, although the 20th century saw the adoption of mess dress-styled full-dress uniforms. Designs may depend on regiment or service branch. In Western dress codes, full dress uniform is a permitted supplementary alternative equivalent to the civilian white tie for evening wear or morning dress for day wear – sometimes collectively called full dress – although military uniforms are the same for day and evening wear. As such, full dress uniform is the most formal uniform, followed by the mess dress uniform.

The uniforms of the Canadian Armed Forces are the official dress worn by members of Canada's military while on duty.

This page details the uniforms and insignia of the Israel Defense Forces, excluding rank insignia. For ranks, see Israel Defense Forces ranks and insignia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Army branch insignia</span>

In the United States Army, soldiers may wear insignia to denote membership in a particular area of military specialism and series of functional areas. Army branch insignia is similar to the line officer and staff corps officer devices of the U.S. Navy as well as to the Navy enlisted rating badges. The Medical, Nurse, Dental, Veterinary, Medical Service, Medical Specialist, Chaplains, and Judge Advocate General's Corps are considered "special branches", while the others are "basic branches".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cavalry Stetson</span> Traditional cavalry headgear in the United States Army

The Cavalry Stetson is a cavalry traditional headgear within the United States Army, typical worn by cavalrymen in the late 1860s, named after its creator John B. Stetson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maroon beret</span> International symbol of airborne forces

The maroon beret in a military configuration has been an international symbol of airborne forces since the Second World War. It was first officially introduced by the British Army in 1942, at the direction of Major-General Frederick "Boy" Browning, commander of the British 1st Airborne Division. It was first worn by the Parachute Regiment in action in North Africa during November 1942.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tan beret</span> Military Headdress

The tan beret, also known as a beige beret, has been adopted as official headgear by several special operations forces as a symbol of their unique capabilities.

The red beret is a military beret worn by many military police, paramilitary, commando, and police forces and should not be confused with the maroon beret worn by airborne troops all around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States military beret flash</span>

In the United States (US) military, a beret flash is a shield-shaped embroidered cloth that is typically 2.25 in (5.72 cm) tall and 1.875 in (4.76 cm) wide with a semi–circular base that is attached to a stiffener backing of a military beret. These flashes—a British English word for a colorful cloth patch attached to military headgear—are worn over the left eye with the excess cloth of the beret shaped, folded, and pulled over the right ear giving it a distinctive appearance.

The uniforms of the United States Army distinguish soldiers from other service members. U.S. Army uniform designs have historically been influenced by British and French military traditions, as well as contemporary U.S. civilian fashion trends. The two primary uniforms of the modern U.S. Army are the Army Combat Uniform, used in operational environments, and the Army Green Service Uniform, worn during everyday professional wear and during formal and ceremonial occasions that do not warrant the wear of the more formal blue service uniform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military beret</span> Berets as part of a military uniform

Troops began wearing berets as a part of the headgear of military uniforms in some European countries during the 19th century; since the mid-20th century, they have become a component of the uniforms of many armed forces throughout the world. Military berets are usually pushed to the right to free the shoulder that bears the rifle on most soldiers, but the armies of some countries, mostly within Europe, South America, and Asia, have influenced the push to the left.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tabs of the United States Army</span> American Army insignia

In the United States Army, tabs are cloth and/or metal arches that are worn on U.S. Army uniforms, displaying a word or words signifying a special skill. On the Army Combat Uniform and Army Service Uniform, the tabs are worn above a unit's shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI) and are used to identify a unit's or a soldier's special skill(s) or are worn as part of a unit's SSI as part of its unique heritage. Individual tabs are also worn as small metal arches above or below medals or ribbons on dress uniforms.

This article describes the use of the beret as part of the uniform of various organizations. The use of the beret as military headgear is covered in a dedicated article, Military beret.

References

  1. Lopez, C. Todd (June 15, 2011). "ACU Changes Make Velcro Optional, Patrol Cap Default headgear". U.S. Army. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  2. Pierce-Lunderman, Cursha (June 23, 2011). "Bye-Bye, Beret: Switch to Patrol Cap Brings Mixed Feelings". U.S. Army. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  3. Shaughnessy, Larry (June 14, 2011). "Army Backtracks on Black Berets After More than a Decade of Debate". CNN . Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  4. "The Army is Thinking About Giving SOF PSYOP Soldiers a Distinctive New Beret". 10 November 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 A Short History of the Use of Berets in the U.S. Army, army.mil via WebArchive, dated 03 November 2000, last accessed 26 March 2019
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The Beret in U.S. Military Uniform History, The Balance Careers, by Rod Powers, updated 27 June 2019, last accessed 14 September 2019
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 US Army berets - blue, black, green, maroon, tan..., The US Militaria Forum, last accessed 24 June 2024
  8. 1 2 History of the Army Beret, CSA SENDS - THE ARMY BLACK BERET, armyreal.com, last accessed 12 February 2020
  9. History of the Black Beret, Army Study Guide, by SMA Jack L. Tilley, last accessed 23 December 2020
  10. AR 670–1 1981 (OBSOLETE):Wear and appearance of Army uniforms and insignia, Department of the Army via Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library, dated 1 November 1981, last accessed 21 November 2020
  11. Appendix–D, Women's Army Corps Uniforms 1942–1978, University of Göttingen, last accessed 12 May 2019
  12. Youngest Beret, 1st Battalion, 23rdInfantry Regiment, Fort Lewis's 23rd Infantry Regiment official homepage, last updated 15 July 2002, last accessed 29 December 2020
  13. Defense Leaders Uphold Army's Black Beret Decision (Corrected Copy), American Forces Press Service, by Linda D. Kozaryn, dated 16 March 2001, last accessed 20 November 2021
  14. "Army dumps beret as official ACU headgear". Archived from the original on 2014-02-20.
  15. Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade (ARTB), Graduates, 1971, Class 11-1971, benning.army.mil, dated 1971, last accessed 13 June 2020
  16. Fort Hood, TX - 1976 - when I was in the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry (Mechanized Infantry) in the First Cavalry Division. A great looking uniform with the black beret - the 1/12 had lots of unit citations too., US Army photograph hosted on Facebook, curtesy of Quentin Robinson, dated 1976, posted 11 November 2015, last accessed 15 January 2022
  17. "It's official: Army unveils brown beret, new patch for military advisers, SFAB". 8 February 2018.
  18. 1st SFAB hosts activation ceremony; Heraldry announced, Army.mil, dated 8 February 2018, last accessed 2 March 2018
  19. 509th PIB Red Beret, 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, America's First Combat Paratroopers, History of the 509th PIB in WWII (1941 - 1945) Archived 2022-03-31 at the Wayback Machine , 509th Parachute Infantry Association, dated 2006, last accessed 19 October 2021
  20. Earning it: A complete history of Army berets and who's allowed to wear them, ArmyTimes, by Meghann Myers, dated 19 November 2017, last accessed 19 October 2021
  21. 1 2 3 All American Legacy Podcast Ep 25 - The French Hat, 82nd Airborne Division Official YouTube Channel, dated 26 June 2017, last accessed 25 April 2022
  22. P.32, "Inside the Green Berets" by Charles Simpson III
  23. 1 2 3 LeFavor, Paul (2013). US Army Special Forces Small Unit Tactics Handbook. Blacksmith Publishing. p.  90. ISBN   978-0-9895513-0-4.