Quote Originally Posted by bubba
Arrogcow, here's the history.

The tradition of wearing black berets began with armored units. In 1924 the British Royal Tank Regiment adopted the first modern military beret, based on the Scottish highland bonnet and French Bretonne beret. The regiment selected the headgear for its practicality--brimless for use with armored vehicle fire control sights and black to hide grease stains. In the US Army, HQDA policy from 1973 through 1979 permitted local commanders to encourage morale-enhancing distinctions, and Armor and Armored Cavalry personnel wore black berets as distinctive headgear until CSA Bernard W. Rogers banned all such unofficial headgear in 1979. Rangers received authorization through AR 670-5, Uniform and Insignia, 30 January 1975, to wear black berets. Previously, locally authorized black berets had been worn briefly by the 10th Ranger Company (Airborne), 45th Infantry Division, during the Korean War before their movement to Korea; Company F (LRP), 52d Infantry, 1st Infantry Division, in 1967 in the Republic of Vietnam; Company H (Ranger), 75th Infantry, 1st Cavalry Division, in 1970 in the Republic of Vietnam; and Company N (Ranger), 75th Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade, in 1971 in the Republic of Vietnam.
I actually found this info myself after my original post. Back when I was in, I had been told that US armor was wearing them in WWII (specificaly I was told that the 14th Cav started wearing them after the Battle of the Bulge - however I can't substantiate this). However, Cav/Armor units did start wearing them in 1973 (and they do go back to British Armor units pre WWII) and the rangers did not start wearing them until 1975.

http://www.armystudyguide.com/unifor...ory_tilley.htm

In 1979, permission was revoked for the Cav, and many berets were burned in protest.

However, to bring this all back around to the original posts, see what just a few years of a "tradition" has done in the US Army. It created all kinds of discontent when changed. I can only imagine how much more intense the feelings are when someone mucks with military traditions that go back 100's of years.

Adam