+daddyairplanes 10,258 Posted June 14, 2011 http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110613/pl_afp/usmilitaryuniform_20110613230044 still in use for Class A's excuse me dress blues (should be the exclusive terrian of The Old Guard up in MDW tho them blues) thank you SMA Chandler for ending GEN Shinseki's experiment. when you try to make everyone special, aint no one special and i know many Rangers that are still pissed all these years later! no more tryin to figure out which cover to wear on Monday. I say Hooah! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Dave 2,322 Posted June 14, 2011 Sheila starting wearing hers today. She hated that damn beret. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ruggbutt 45 Posted June 14, 2011 aint no one special and i know many Rangers that are still pissed all these years later! One of the guys in my FPS squad is a Ranger and you should have heard his diatribe on comms about how pissed he was about the berets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+daddyairplanes 10,258 Posted June 14, 2011 funny story when they started issuing the berets. half the initial batch was made in china but this was right after the recon plane was downed by china. of course it wouldn't do for our new headgear to be made by the enemy. so Korea and CONUS got the new berets made elsewhere on Jun 14 2001 and the Guard and USAEUR got them in the middle of Feb 2002. Of course i had been a Bragg before being stationed in Germany so i had to listen to a SSG tell me how to wear a bere-T (like what ladies wear in their hair) instead of a bere-AY( like the headgear worn by Airborne personnel and units). Needless to say the class was interesting if he couldn't even pronounce it right! @ Dave if i remember your wife is a 92G or works with em. are the cooks still wearing berets in whites? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slartibartfast 153 Posted June 14, 2011 Me I wore them for both my stints in the UK military as daily headwear and they aint too great either... but never when out in the field working always a floppy hat much more useful... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr.Viper 131 Posted June 14, 2011 Just this year the Russian army went "berets for everyone" because they looked cool on the airborne guys and the special forces. I wonder if the switch is the work of the same Chinese factory... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JediMaster 451 Posted June 14, 2011 What's wrong with the tennis visor look? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geary 1,889 Posted June 14, 2011 Bringing back the patrol cap for the utility uniform isn't a bad idea, but the patrol cap visor only really protects your forhead a little. What about your ears and the back of your neck? The Army needs to institute the booney cap as the utility uniform head dress. Better all around. Problem is the rank at the top doesn't think it looks 'nice' enough for daily wear. But in defense of the beret, at least it got rid of the little green envelope we used to wear in clas s A's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+CrazyhorseB34 937 Posted June 14, 2011 (edited) The beret was cool in it's time. Nothing like a bunch of tobacco spittin TANKERS wearing their tanker boots and the black beret. A common mis understanding is who actually had the rights to the black beret. In the 50's the divisional ranger companies started wearing them on a completely unofficial basis. This continued in the 60's with the vietnam era LRRP's, again strictly unofficial wear. In the 70's the black beret was made official wear for amored troops, tankers and scouts. This only lasted I think three years before it got canned. After that the ranger regiment was authorized to wear berets when it was established also some time in the seventies. So in reality tankers where the first guys in the US Army to be officially authorized to wear the black beret. This whole thing started with the British Army Royal Tank Regiment. After WWI the RTR was seeking a form of headgear suitable to wear in a tank. The beret was chosen. Until that time ( 20's) the only soldiers in the world that wore berets where the French Chaussers Alpines. The RTR chose the beret because you could wear it while peering into gun sights without a visor from a peaked cap getting in the way. Also the color black was chosen because it hid grease and grime. At the beginning of WWII the british Army chose the Maroon Beret as the headgear for the Parachute Regiment. The choice was made by the novelist Daphne Dumaurier(sp?) who was the wife of one of the founding generals of the British Airborne force. Later the british army commandos adopted a green beret. When the Army commandos where abolished after WWII the Royal Marines continued to wear the green beret as a symbol of completion of ths RM commado course. So in reality....the beret is a really ugly and disfunctional form of headgear. The only people who ever had any real use for it where armor crewmen and world wide the black beret is a symbol of the mounted warrior. The reality of the situation is when you are in the field you wear a helmet any way so "soft head gear" is a matter of fashion trends more than functionality. My humble opinion is that BDU's where fine, Dress Greens where fine as well. All the US Army did was waste a bunch of time and money trying to look cool. The end result was goofy dress uniforms and combat uniforms only suited for the invasion of Neptune. The Army went to crap when they put pockets on our sleeves, but that is all part of what I call the "Commandoization" of the Army. The neglect of the backbone of our fighting strength, the heavy conventional force, and the homo erotic worship of the extremely small elite force. Besides, Tanks took Baghdad in 03, not Rangers. Oh and BTW the New Chief of staff and the new SMA are both TANKERS so go figure. Edited June 14, 2011 by CrazyhorseB34 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+daddyairplanes 10,258 Posted June 14, 2011 (edited) no doubt on the coolness of a beret depending on how you came about it. the beret for the airborne, Rangers and Green Beanies is the outward symbol of their esprit de corp, not the main source of it. as i recall the beret got issued to all so everyone can feel special... course this has been a part of a long line of tryin to teach Soldiers things that they inherently get or else cant be taught.like the Soldier's Creed, released after Jessica Lynch announced that she was too scared too shoot back. Yet the other female, the cook did her job and took rounds in her legs while layin down fire so her Troops could pull back and had trouble getting disability. sorry done ranting. was outta coffee and Household 6 aint lettin me smoke no more. makes me a lil cranky Edited June 14, 2011 by daddyairplanes Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Dave 2,322 Posted June 14, 2011 Good stuff Jamie and right on the money. Tankers were wearing them long before Rangers and Green Bee..... uncleal You are right, alot of people were pissed off. The mentality of the Army at the time is that they were an "Army of One". So no one was going to be unique. Its nice to see that the new SMA has his head on straight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+daddyairplanes 10,258 Posted June 14, 2011 (edited) I was under the impression that the Right to wear the Beret was a Badge of Honor, as the beret had to be earned. When they were given to everyone, as a part of their uniform they cheapened greatly. Are they still made in china, at one time they were ? And it wasn't all that long ago most i've ever seen were made in Canada, Mexico or Pakistan. I havent even heard of a Chinese one since the EP-3 went down in early 2001 (see my earlier post above) but in my opinion the Paki made ones actually fit the best with least shaping effort. course notice there doesnt seem to be America in the list of producers of American Military Headgear! what i forgot to mention in the above story was that as i recall all the chinese made berets were burnt or sold off to other countries. thats why half the Army had to wait til Feb the next year to get em. Edited June 14, 2011 by daddyairplanes Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+CrazyhorseB34 937 Posted June 14, 2011 The foreign made ones were only around about a year or so. The ones made in Canada where notorious for being really large diameter wise. I lucked out and got a USA made one from the get. I took my guys that got funky ones back to CIF and got most of them exchanged. They just had a big need for alot of berets in a short period of time and had to augment their US orders with foreign orders. After Wang Wei rammed the Orion you are right about the CHICOM berets being rejected for issue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Dave 2,322 Posted June 15, 2011 Wang Wei rammed the Orion. Wasnt that the name of a porno? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ruggbutt 45 Posted June 15, 2011 Besides, Tanks took Baghdad in 03, not Rangers. \ Rangers were in before tanks were deployed in any number. The Ranger (3Bn) in my FPS squad did two tours each in Iraq and A-Stan before the war started. I know, there were 40 of his buddies on comms every night worried about him returning alive and in one piece. Once when he had a layover here in town I told him I was glad that the Marines got him back in one piece. Rangers know all the cuss words, I promise you. I heard 'em all and then some. LOL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+CrazyhorseB34 937 Posted June 15, 2011 Complete rubbish. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Dave 2,322 Posted June 15, 2011 Yes but the armor was the first into Baghdad. The 1st AD, the 82nd, the 101 were the first boots in Baghdad. (if I recall correctly) The 3Bn, 75th Rangers were busy with the Republican Guard in another sector. While the rest were in Afganhistan lighting up the Tablian.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+CrazyhorseB34 937 Posted June 15, 2011 3rd ID took B-dad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Dave 2,322 Posted June 15, 2011 3rd ID took B-dad. Thats right.......god how did I miss that. Also elements of the 82nd and 101 right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+CrazyhorseB34 937 Posted June 15, 2011 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Baghdad_(2003) The basic story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ruggbutt 45 Posted June 15, 2011 First in were Rangers. Long before the war. Sorry if the facts annoy you but that's how it is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+suhsjake 11 Posted June 15, 2011 I am finally happy to see the PC instituted as the main utility head wear. Last weekend, I had to carry both, PC while in the motor pool and the beret for everywhere else. It has also been flippin hot in Texas, hit 101 F today in San Antone. Wool is not good for heat. Also glad to see the new PT test coming into play, but it is currently in trials. Very happy to see an SMA that is very active with the troops. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+CrazyhorseB34 937 Posted June 15, 2011 What was finally determined for the new test? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Dave 2,322 Posted June 15, 2011 Rugg The Rangers were hitting H2 or H3 airfield. Supported by armor that was airlifted by the C-17's out of McCord and Charelston AFB's. This was after the Rangers had jumped on the airfield and secured the tarmac. The C-17's dropped tanks right out the back without stopping to support the Rangers. Rangers got to B-dad after 3rd ID took it. SFC Paul Smith while with the 3rd ID taking Baghdad was posthumously awarded the Medal Of Honor. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+suhsjake 11 Posted June 15, 2011 Standard 60 yard Shuttle Run 1 Min of Rowers Standing Long Jump 1 Min of Push Ups 1.5 mi run Combat 400 Meter Weapon Run 40 Yard Casualty Drag transitioning into 40 Yard Ammo Can Run Point, Aim, Move Drills transitioning into 100 Yard Ammo Can Shuttle Sprint 100 Yard Agility Sprint Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
