When reading this, keep in mind that this was pre-COO.
Setting: Funeral in Raleigh-Durham for an SF soldier KIA in RVN 1972. Our ODA from the 7th SFG on burial detail.
Background: Family of KIA did not want the African-American NCOs on our team to participate. Some debate over this and the funeral went as scheduled.
Post-Op: An older relative came over to us and apologized for the behavior of the Klan-oriented (literally) members of the family. Trying to make small talk, she asked one of the African-American NCOs, a veteran 12B, if he was really a Green Beret. He took off his beret, held it out towards her, and told her in a matter-of-fact voice, "No, ma'am - this is a Green Beret...I'm a n*****." Silence - a rush to the bus and a hilarious journey back to Fort Bragg.
Richard's $.02