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In US Army, the beret is out and the cap is back
Yahoo News ^ | Mon Jun 13, 7:00 pm ET | AFP

Posted on 06/14/2011 10:06:41 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US Army is abandoning the beret, after a failed 10-year experiment.

The black beret, which proved deeply unpopular with American soldiers, will be replaced by a patrol cap for everyday wear, US Army spokesman Colonel Tom Collins said Monday.

The move came after outgoing Army chief of staff, General Martin Dempsey, asked the army's sergeant major "to go out and talk to soldiers across the force and see what was on their minds," Collins told AFP.

"One of the things that soldiers consistently brought up was the desire to wear the patrol cap as part of their duty uniform," he said.

The beret will still be part of the Army's dress uniform, but will no longer be worn in the field as soldiers complained that it was impractical, he said.

"It does not have a visor and doesn't shield the sun, doesn't absorb sweat well," Collins said.

One soldier put it more bluntly.

"I hate wearing a wet sock on my head," Chief Warrant Officer Mark Vino, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, told the Army Times. "Plus it makes head/skin break out."

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: army; beret
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To: edcoil

I had to wear that damn USN ice cream vendor uniform. I never got to wear the traditional uniform. Some hate it, but if worn smartly, is a good looking getup.


21 posted on 06/14/2011 10:33:35 AM PDT by rlmorel (Capitalism is the Goose that lays The Golden Egg.)
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To: Responsibility2nd
the beret is out and the cap is back
IIRC, ten years ago, the original order for the berets went to a Chinese manufacturing company. I believe it was public outcry that forced the DoD(?) to switch it to the US.
I also don't recall who specifically placed the original order, but it just goes to show what feckin' morons we have in the 'gubmint (and they want to run my healthcare?!?).
22 posted on 06/14/2011 10:34:04 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Previous thread for all to view comments there. It is well over 12 hours ago, so no big deal. I hated this decision since it started.

Posted on Monday, June 13, 2011 8:19:19 PM by cll

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2734273/posts


23 posted on 06/14/2011 10:34:04 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (zero hates Texas and we hate him back. He ain't my president either.)
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To: edcoil

As a Navy man myself, I liked the caps. I never got the attachment to a hat that doubles as a dog dish.


24 posted on 06/14/2011 10:34:07 AM PDT by Melas (Sent via Galaxy Tab)
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To: niteowl77

The garrison cap, aka C- Cap is the ugliest thing to have ever been worn in any service.


25 posted on 06/14/2011 10:36:16 AM PDT by Melas (Sent via Galaxy Tab)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Good for the Army and the Rangers get their Beret back!


26 posted on 06/14/2011 10:36:59 AM PDT by vpintheak (Democrats: Robbing humans of their dignity 1 law at a time)
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To: ladyvet
I remember thinking how stupid it was for everyday work like in the motor-pool.

The patrol cap is authorized for details in motor pools. In Texas we are authorized to wear boonie hats to protect us from the extreme heat.


27 posted on 06/14/2011 10:38:31 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (zero hates Texas and we hate him back. He ain't my president either.)
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To: kidd

“In the new gay Army,
fashion is everything.”

You mean the beret and barrett bunch?


28 posted on 06/14/2011 10:38:50 AM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: niteowl77

Anything, ANY-THING, instead of that weanie beanie garrison cap!


29 posted on 06/14/2011 10:38:50 AM PDT by clbiel (Hey Islam! Satan's on the line says he's not giving back your religion without a fight.)
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To: Melas
The garrison cap, aka C- Cap is the ugliest thing to have ever been worn in any service.

It all depends on how it's worn...


30 posted on 06/14/2011 10:41:20 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: Grunthor
I could never look any SF guys in the eye again when wearing it

Exactly.
I always thought the beret was a social experiment in equal outcome rather than equal opportunity - kind of like everything else the Socialists want to do (the mortgage fiasco comes to mind...).

31 posted on 06/14/2011 10:44:38 AM PDT by grobdriver (Proud Member, Party Of No! No Socialism - No Fascism - Nobama - No Way!)
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To: All
I just hope is not "pink" yet...

I CAN'T believe that the leaders of this country - even the Military brass themselves - are ready to sacrifice the honor of the only government institution that most Americans feel some true affection and admiration for... just so that a bunch of degenerates can feel a bit like decent human beings... which they are not!... Not matter what the try to corrupt: boys scouts, Catholic Church and now the arm forces... their stench will still linger on with them.

The idea that when everything "stinks" then they will be more in tune with the world... won't work, but by then we will have sacrificed everything that is worth admiring... the the loss will immeasurable... and who knows what kind of a country we will be then.

32 posted on 06/14/2011 10:45:00 AM PDT by ElPatriota (The SILENCE of the Catholic Church in protecting our culture from perversion is ** DEAFENING **)
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To: Arrowhead1952
I'm wearing a tan and brown boonie hat today, a leftover from my last deployment. It's much cooler when mowing the lawn than even a patrol cap. And it provides a brim to keep the sun out of your eyes.

I have a nice, conservative gray woolen beret (civilian) that I wear in the winter (mainly to funerals). I can't imagine putting that oven on my head today. It's already 100F here in Ft. Worth.

/johnny

33 posted on 06/14/2011 10:46:56 AM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Responsibility2nd
The black beret, which proved deeply unpopular with American soldiers

Think they'll stop with allowing open perverts in the military since they are "deeply unpopular" as well, before they spend millions? *rolls eyes* Probably not, can't stop the agenda to destroy the military, ya know!

34 posted on 06/14/2011 10:49:10 AM PDT by Sister_T ("Calling ILLEGAL aliens "immigrants" is like calling shoplifters 'customers'!"-UCFRoadWarrior ><>)
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To: Responsibility2nd
I can't believe this - or stop laughing.

This story can't be true. Or maybe I should say: knowing the US Army, the story must be true.

I can remember the hoopla that accompanied the change to the beenie, which no one thought of calling a wet sock. Everyone - all the soldiers, esp the licks-piddle functionary officer corps - stood and cheered when the beenie was introduced.
The beenie was a symbol of the renewal of the Army, at least that's what all the officers said.
“Now, we're all members of an elite force. We're as good as the Marines.”
If I recall, didn't the “Rangers” get angry when the black color was stolen by the straight leg types.And the poor “Rangers” had to be mollified with a brown beret.

Now, did the officers really believe that introduction of a beret would transform them into a great fighting force? I don't know. But from what I've observed, almost all have their opinions and beliefs shaped by whatever directive emanates from DOA. Stay tuned, folks. Round two coming up.

35 posted on 06/14/2011 10:50:56 AM PDT by quadrant (1o)
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To: vpintheak

Really? The tankers were authorized to wear the black beret in 1973. The Rangers had that tanker authorization removed in 1979 and then had that authorization given to themselves.

I realize some wore them in the 1940s while preparing to invade Japan. Rangers deserve the respect they get, but I don’t get the fashion wars, especially when the infantry guys get involved. I’ve seen infantry LTs who were made PLs of cav units wear a stetson with a blue cord. That’s just plain BS. If you aren’t cav, you don’t wear spurs and you don’t wear a stetson. Those are earned by being cav.

No one in the army can have a distinctive item for their branch that is cool without some infantry LT who just *has* to wear it too. Well, they are Queen of Battle.


36 posted on 06/14/2011 10:52:26 AM PDT by cizinec ("Brother, your best friend ain't your Momma, it's the Field Artillery.")
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To: Responsibility2nd

What will one wear with khaki dress (Class B)?


37 posted on 06/14/2011 11:04:25 AM PDT by onedoug (If)
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To: JRandomFreeper

I have several straw hats I wear when I work outside during the summer. My daughter gave me a mesh type hat that is really cool. I can’t stand to have the sun beating down on me all day here. I do wear my older boonie hats when dove hunting.


38 posted on 06/14/2011 11:05:28 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (zero hates Texas and we hate him back. He ain't my president either.)
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To: quadrant
Everyone - all the soldiers, esp the licks-piddle functionary officer corps - stood and cheered when the beenie was introduced.

Umm, no - it was not all that popular with the troops or the officer corps when introduced. It was popular with the political leadership (elected, appointed or commissioned).

There were a goodly amount of internal complaints about the beret when introduced, but command directives are not generally open to debate. Complaints from the force about the beret led to numerous changes in uniform policy within individual commands and posts; exceptions to when the beret was required, etc. In many ways, that made the situation worse, because Joe might be perfectly fine with his headgear on one post and completely unsat in another, doing the exact same work for the same types of unit.

39 posted on 06/14/2011 11:16:47 AM PDT by AzSteven ("War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." Jean Dutourd)
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To: Melas

Good old piss cutters!


40 posted on 06/14/2011 11:22:59 AM PDT by Mr. Jazzy (The United States Marine Corps, your greatest friend or your worst enemy. YOU choose.)
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