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U.S. Army Abandons Unpopular Beret for Patrol Cap
Fox News ^ | 6-14-11

Posted on 06/14/2011 10:41:17 AM PDT by STARWISE

The U.S. Army said Monday that it was 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, U.S. Army spokesman Col. Tom Collins said.

The move came after outgoing Army chief of staff, Gen. 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.

*snip*

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 foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: beret; gone; usarmy
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FReeper Canteen ~ Happy Flag Day ~ Happy Birthday United States Army ~ 14 JUNE 2011


1 posted on 06/14/2011 10:41:21 AM PDT by STARWISE
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To: 2LT Radix jr; 80 Square Miles; acad1228; AirForceMom; AliVeritas; aomagrat; ariamne; ...

..Ping!


2 posted on 06/14/2011 10:42:18 AM PDT by STARWISE (The overlords are in place .. we are a nation under siege .. pray, go Galt & hunker down)
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To: STARWISE
See also:

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

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2734574/posts

3 posted on 06/14/2011 10:46:06 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: STARWISE
About time!

Shaping those things are a pain — and there is good reason why there called “Monicas”.

Four million berets bought from CHINA thanks to that pusillanimous traitor — the Sink Emperor.

4 posted on 06/14/2011 10:46:38 AM PDT by BenLurkin (This post is not a statement of fact. It is merely a personal opinion -- or humor -- or both)
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To: STARWISE

I guess that WILL be a big disappointment to the gays!


5 posted on 06/14/2011 10:48:53 AM PDT by texson66 ("Mr Obama, tear down this wall of bureaucratic opression of freedom!")
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To: STARWISE

Looks French.


6 posted on 06/14/2011 10:50:13 AM PDT by Sybeck1 (It's in the cards ------- Romney/Bachmann 2012)
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To: STARWISE

BTTT


7 posted on 06/14/2011 10:51:59 AM PDT by E.G.C. (Edward's Soft Rock Playlist: On Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/my_playlists?p=A7A56731DE671E6A)
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To: STARWISE

Good move. Now maybe the Black Beret can go back to the Rangers where it was and should always be.


8 posted on 06/14/2011 10:52:23 AM PDT by mosaicwolf (Strength and Honor)
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To: mosaicwolf

Hear, hear!!!


9 posted on 06/14/2011 10:56:43 AM PDT by SMARTY (Conforming to non-conformity is conforming just the same.)
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To: mosaicwolf

The beret used to be distinctive and a source of unit pride in those units that featured berets. But, it lost its distinctiveness when issued to everybody. Not hard to understand.


10 posted on 06/14/2011 11:05:02 AM PDT by Redmen4ever
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To: Sybeck1

IIRC, the beret was a Clinton-administration idea to make our military more in sync with the Europeans.


11 posted on 06/14/2011 11:06:02 AM PDT by Thane_Banquo
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To: STARWISE
GOOD.

""Plus it makes head/skin break out."

It does that to you because you didn't earn it.

(Old RANGER here.. 'plank holder' A/1/75th here)

12 posted on 06/14/2011 11:10:04 AM PDT by LegendHasIt
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To: Thane_Banquo

Actually, it was then-Gen. Shinseki’s (Army Chief of Staff, as I recall, roughly 2001 timeframe) attempt to make the line troops feeeeeeeeeel as elite at the true elites of the Army...Hell, I was there.

Still have mine (and wear it!). Some basic attention to detail at the start, and keeping it folded instead of storing it flat, along with giving a rat’s backside about how it is to be worn, and it looks pretty good. But still a pain to put on with one hand, ‘tho it can be done...


13 posted on 06/14/2011 11:14:46 AM PDT by castlebrew (Gun control means hitting where you're aiming!)
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To: Thane_Banquo

... still serving, btw...


14 posted on 06/14/2011 11:16:33 AM PDT by castlebrew (Gun control means hitting where you're aiming!)
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To: BenLurkin

Your right on that. Clinton did it on purpose, he hated the military.....and figured he’d make them a joke...


15 posted on 06/14/2011 11:16:42 AM PDT by goat granny
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To: castlebrew

Can the Rangers have THEIR black beret back, now.


16 posted on 06/14/2011 11:16:47 AM PDT by razorbak
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To: Thane_Banquo; BenLurkin

The idea originated with Gen. Eric Shinseki during the WJC admin. And yes, the original order was placed with the Red Chinese. After it was so revealed Shinseki allegedly changed to US suppliers after his bitter and asinine public defense of the PRC award. Shinseki was about as valuable as SecDef Less Ass-spin. Were quite a few FR threads back then.


17 posted on 06/14/2011 11:16:47 AM PDT by Covenantor ("Men are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern." Chesterton)
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To: STARWISE

Sounds like my son will keep his maroon Airborne one though.


18 posted on 06/14/2011 11:18:11 AM PDT by 5thGenTexan
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To: STARWISE

When I was in a “Patrol Cap” was a steel pot!


19 posted on 06/14/2011 11:23:22 AM PDT by mountainlion (A nation that forgets it's past has no future. WinstonChirchill)
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To: 5thGenTexan
Well, one son will keep his maroon Airborne beret, the other son will go to the duty cap.

One just released Marine son and two active Army Reserve sons is a lot to keep up with...

:-)

20 posted on 06/14/2011 11:23:43 AM PDT by 5thGenTexan
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