Though the Black Watch is now a battalion in a super regiment - The Royal Regiment of Scotland - they have retained their distinctive "government" tartan while other regimental tartans like Seaforth, Gordon, and Cameron of Erracht are now history. I think it is safe to say that the Black Watch very much lives on.

They've also retained the Red Hackle and as a Royal regiment, the blue facings on their dress uniforms. On the face of it, the man who could say how things have worked out is the new member - who's likely not allowed to say, but the amalgamation and reorganization was supposed to be easier on the men, family life, career etc.

Modern armies evolve and adapt to changing external threats. Having cavalry give up horses for tanks or armoured cars must have seemed heresy once too.

As for the new US Ranger beret, a "sand" beret is the mark of an elite special forces soldier - and the Rangers seem to fit that bill sure enough.