I wore a black beret before Rangers were ever authorized, wore black as a Ranger, Red as Airborne, and the PC, Infantry all the way. Never knew a soldier who did what they did because of the beret, nor really one who really cared who wore what except those who were jealous someone actually got to wear them. Gen. S was in my opinion right at the time of the change to do so. The headgear was, and still isn't, about those of us who have put out the sweat and blood to be who we were. I will even say this, I wore a green beret though I wasn't even SF (172nd Inf Bde, Ft. Wainwright Alaska), headgear has changed over the history and no individual group has the real right to say they lost a specific color except the tankers (they wore it first to help while riding and working inside the tank). I say Gen S was right because the purpose was recruitment which was badly needed at the time. That time has come and gone and as with anything, change moves us on. I do give one exception to the SF simply because President Kennedy decided to re-authorize it's wear and it has become synonymous with that branch and as such serves as a great recruitment tool. (although in the words of the instructors at Camp McCall, if your here for the beret I suggest you quit now and go buy one).
Good call then on changing the beret, good call now on dumping it.
