|
The change went into effect in January 1993. I had just graduated Airborne School the previous month, and had to change berets shortly after getting back to Group.
The change wasn't just a color change, but a purpose change. Previously, the green beret was a unit distinguishing item. The change made it, like the tab, an indication of your qualification.
Before then, the tab distinguished SF-qualified from non-SF-qualified in an SF unit. Before the tab, the full flash vs. "candy stripe" served the same purpose. I have no idea what the rule was before the candy stripe.
The change also applied to Ranger-qualified personnel, so the black beret also went from being a unit item to a qualification item, and Ranger-tabbed support personnel in an SFGA could wear the black beret with the group flash.
As I recall, the change came from USASOC, so it only applied within units under it. After Shinseki's "let's male everyone feel special" policy change, I assume the rule applied Army-wide, but that's after my time. Though maybe some units still have their own exceptions - even if SF-tabbed, I don't think you'd wear green instead of tan if you were in the 75th, though maybe it's different in RTB. Anybody know what XVIII Corps and the 82nd's policy is?
|