US Army gives away the Beret

I earned my AirBorne Mushroom the honest way.
I also trained with SF and Rangers and did the goofy Guy thing as they trained.
I was APPALLED when the whole Army went to the Black MushRoom!
I felt, and still feel,
it was a slap in the face to many true Heros that paid a price none of the
regular Army Units could ever stand up to.
I only hope that the change requires that all Service Persons that DID NOT earn a Ranger Patch can NOT wear a Black Beret ever again!

Give respect where respect is due!

[August]

Originally Posted by privateer

I earned my AirBorne Mushroom the honest way.
I also trained with SF and Rangers and did the goofy Guy thing as they trained.
I was APPALLED when the whole Army went to the Black MushRoom!
I felt, and still feel,
it was a slap in the face to many true Heros that paid a price none of the
regular Army Units could ever stand up to.
I only hope that the change requires that all Service Persons that DID NOT earn a Ranger Patch can NOT wear a Black Beret ever again!

Give respect where respect is due!

Unfortunately no. The black beret remains part of the new Class A Dress Blue uniform. The Rangers will keep their tan ones I guess. Not that I imagine they'd want the black one back either.

So you're a Paratrooper Privateer?

Originally Posted by August

So you're a Paratrooper Privateer?

Yes Mate, I am a ParaTrooper.
I left the service in the mid '80's.
But once a ParaTropper?
ALLWAYS a ParaTrooper!
It's that one step away from the rest of ManKind that makes us what We are.
It's the training and resolve to complete a mission no matter what that sets us apart.
My life was changed in a way that I can not describe once I became AirBorne!
I am Blood Winged! I Am AirBorne!

[August]

So there are three of us Paratroopers on the board then? Excellent! That's enough for a fire team!

Last I remember?
A Fire Team was 4 Troopers.
Each are more devistating then any regular Army Unit due to training and dedication.
They will complete any given Mission even if only one remains alive!
AirBorne Units from the U.S.A. are one of the top feared Forces in the World today for a very good reason.

[August]

Originally Posted by privateer

Last I remember?
A Fire Team was 4 Troopers.
Each are more devistating then any regular Army Unit due to training and dedication.
They will complete any given Mission even if only one remains alive!
AirBorne Units from the U.S.A. are one of the top feared Forces in the World today for a very good reason.

Maybe you're right. It's been a long time.

Hey remember this?

The Rule of the LGOPs


After the demise of the best Airborne plan, a most terrifying effect occurs on the battlefield. This effect is known as the rule of the LGOPs. This is, in its purest form, small groups of pissed-off 19 year old Paratroopers. They are well-trained, armed to the teeth and lack serious adult supervision. They collectively remember the Commander's intent as "March to the sound of the guns and kill anyone who is not dressed like you..." or something like that. Happily they go about the day's work.....

[Stealhead]

The Coast Guard for some reason liked the USAF blues so much that they went to them.

I recall back in 97' for the USAF 50th they allowed us to wear for a whole week any old USAF uniforms so long as they had our name tapes and correct (for that time period) ranks that was pretty cool some guys wore old WWII Air Corps/AAF stuff but many worn the old Tans that they got rid of in 68 or so.

The Tans where so popular afterwords that they even listed it on USAF uniforms surveys later in the lists of "desired" uniforms one of them was asking if you would like to see a return of the tan dress uniform and many people said yes according to the results that they printed out later but so far they have never gone back to them.

I think it has to do with politics though.I recall when before they went to the current USAF emblem (which I think is horrid) they did many surveys one that they e-mailed to every AF members .mil address asking questions about how they felt about the old emblem and the new one.Many of the questions where very vague in nature which was obviously done so that the new emblem would win out. Most guys liked the old emblem and wanted to see a new design of similar style because the new emblem in no way had esprit de corps of the old days of WWII AAF which the old emblem did.In my shop most everyone disliked the new emblem.I was in another shop across base and here is this NCO telling his troops that they like the emblem that is how it goes they already decided and they make you think you have a choice in things that represent your branch of service to the public same goes for the uniforms it just turned out that the brass at my shop was more liberal on that subject.

[Lord Justice]

Originally Posted by privateer

Give respect where respect is due!

Here here, I too was in disgust when my regiment was amalgamated into 16th air assault, we always had our own individuality. ex 2para then 4para.

[August]

As much as I like to tease them about being Dopes on a Rope the truth of the matter is that Air Assault is still Airborne just as much as their predecessors in the Glider Infantry earned their place among the Parachute Infantry Regiments in the WW2 Airborne Divisions.