Why Do Special Forces Wear a Green Beret?

The US Army’s Special Forces (often referred to as Green Berets after their distinctive headgear) are an elite brotherhood of soldiers who, at their core, are problem solvers. They embody the ethos of special operations - working outside conventional units among indigenous personnel who share a common enemy, training them, and often fighting alongside them. This means learning culture and languages; it also means operating in small numbers and having to master countless combat skills in order to pack one of the hardest punches US ground troops have to offer.
Read what it means to be a Green Beret, according to 8 Green Berets here: coffeeordie.com/green-berets/
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[@yanossnicklefritz7064]

It still pisses me off long after it first happened that the black beret was stolen from the Rangers to be worn by general army. I was in the 82nd at the time and it was a stealing of the Rangers heritage to me.

[@deadsweetheart1]

That was done by general shinseki who bitched cause he couldn’t wear his maroon one when switching units. It’s like umm why didn’t you give the army a regular color instead of stealing the rangers black one.

[@yanossnicklefritz7064]

@@deadsweetheart1 Yep. There's a hell of a lot of colors out there. But they should have stuck with the traditional cap in the first place. If you want to wear a beret, you earn it.

[@TheHypernaught]

The Rangers have the sand beret, just like 22SAS. Rangers stomp on the shitty red beret your airborne forces have. They would never dream on stomping on the maroon machine.

[@cm-pr2ys]

@@TheHypernaught 2 para and 3 para are not comparable to Rangers, only 1 para.

[@TheHypernaught]

@@cm-pr2ys yOU THINK THERE IS MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE REGIMENTS. YOU HAVE NO CLUE. i ARGUE ANYONE THAT HAS PASSED P COY IS ELIGIBLE FOR SFSG. Those guys are way harder than your air borne forces. Only Rangers tsack up to British paras and that is a fact

[@troywitkowski3732]

My dad proudly wore one of these berets, during the vietnam war. Platoon leader and ass kicker, til the day he passed. An American Hero, Forever! Miss you, DaD!

[@WILDJaeger]

Let's clear up the distinction between Special Operations and Special Forces. Lots of people throw the term Special Forces around as if there were several different Special Forces. Negetive! There are several different Special Operations Units (75th Ranger Regt., Special Forces, PJs, TACPs, CCT, Delta, SEALs, Marine Special Ops., etc. etc.). There is only one Special Forces Regiment that wears the Green Beret. I had the privilage of wearing the black beret before it went tan, and then retired wearing the Green Beret. RLTW & DOL (Ricky Mills)

[@angryvietnamese]

Thank you! There is only ONE Special Forces and that's the GB!

[@TheHypernaught]

@@angryvietnamese UKSF?

[@frostbitepokin9520]

@@TheHypernaught what he said only applies to US

[@maxreymond7941]

French "commandos marine" also go on green (and wear it the same way as the english do, as a tribute) since the first French Commando (and so, properly speaking the first French special forces), "Kieffer group" who will participate to D-Day has been inspired and trained by the english.

[@TheHypernaught]

All modern forces are trained by the British.

[@LeDiamondDog]

Yep in Achnacarry

[@sethjr9815]

Light cav and recon in Australia is black, commandos is green, maroon/red is sas, only managed to get black, those two are real badass

[@Abel1120]

i almost joined the green berets....... but then I woke up from that dream, scary dream...

[@nateone6632]

They absolutely deserve their own color beret, it is good only special forces can have the green now though but anyone who grew up my age or before or kids who've learned now know the sacrifice

[@terenceballands3321]

It's from the British Commandos in WW2!

[@RO8s]

In 1942. And it was green because green was given us by the King after the siege of Gibraltar in 1705.

[@glennevitt5250]

Thank you for this information 😎

[@schizoidboy]

The British, who really were the ones who got the beret style going, once had to figure out what color the beret of the paratroopers should be, there was a meeting and one of the officers turned to one of the corporals in the room and he asked the soldier what color it should be. The corporal said "red sir." And so afterwards the British Parachute Regiment started wearing red berets, as did a number of parachute detachments across the world started doing.

[@RO8s]

Well, strictly speaking it's maroon. Red berets are worn by British Military Police.

[@schizoidboy]

@@RO8s Sorry, just what I heard in a book on elite forces, but that was decades ago. That being said the American paratroopers also wear maroon berets so there you have it, a fashion statement.

[@RO8s]

@@schizoidboy No, no, it's probably correct as far as it goes! And the story is a good one. The Airborne (and other American units) copied the same colours, so tankers wear black berets, Special Forces green and Airborne maroon.

[@wilksta156]

Trying not to be too much of a pedant, but the real story isn't actually known. There are two standing versions of the story, one as you state, and the other was that it was inspired by reknown author Daphne du Maurier, who was married to General FAM Browning who was the head of British Airborne forces. I have even heard a version involving both stories in that Browning was at dinner with his wife and was trying to think of a colour and asked a steward who suggested red and then his wife piped up with "how about maroon?" I kind of like that version as the maroon and blue colours of the Parachure regiment and airborne forces do complement each other and make a statement, someting I could see du Maurier being involved in EIther way the choice was made and history began

[@schizoidboy]

@@wilksta156 You'll excuse the pun but there are often "colorful" stories in such historical instances. They can't be proved but they're great stories to hear. Thanks for the comment.

[@SirKnight1096]

They wanted to look Fashionably French. JK JK JK I love our Green Beret brethren. LEGEN...wait for it...DARY

[@ChadronMike]

I have been told by veteran family members they were not fans specifically because it made them look like the "French".

[@buddyratcliff2894]

Still have mine 40 some years

[@RO8s]

And mine, um... 46 years on!

[@J.Tronix]

Are you guys receiving BAT (Basic Attention Token) coin on your website??

[@thor7856]

I can see a small "special" group of men who start wearing the two point cap the "c**t cap."

[@drmarkintexas-400]

🏆🏆🏆👍🇺🇲🙏 Thank you for sharing

[@safriedrich1631]

you know, with so many units wearing berets that they had to "color code" them all... would that make the old Marine Corps soft cover ( soft when lacking a little starch) DISTINCT ?

[@thomaszaccone3960]

I think Robert Rogers' rangers used berets but don't know the color

[@santosrobles1703]

It was rumored that slick Willie punished the rangers and had all soldiers wear black berets I don't think regular soldiers should wear berets it's disrespectful it should be for elite forces earned not given

[@LeDiamondDog]

0:03 French Béret vert ?

[@terenceballands3321]

And British Airborne forces adopted the Maroon beret.

[@kemalpratama23]

Different than Indonesia special force unit Indonesia Special Commando aka Kopassus wear Red Berret

[@vivelaresistance2526]

Because they look sick af

[@thaihoang9414]

I have a green beret. :)

[@jamespmullin21753]

A bigger question is why are so many soldiers and cops covered by tatoos?

[@mr_beezlebub3985]

Because they want to. Next question

[@jeffreyhaley991]

Hardly ever SEE them wearing it!

[@rickpilhorn]

It's neat and all but it's HOT AS HELL. I loved wearing it and it made me poke my chest out a little more. But it's still hot and makes your head sweat. So you have to wash it often or it gets a stink to it.

[@rickpilhorn]

Oh yeah: AIRBORNE ALL THE WAY!

[@andrewcombe8907]

Yeah, nah. The Green Beret dates its lineage to the training of US Army Rangers and OSS by the British Army and RM Commandos who wore green berets. When the Special Forces were raised in the 1950's many of them were veterans of WW2 and adopted the same beret they were presented with when they completed the Commando course.

[@greenultraj1687]

Can we see a video of why the rangers wear a tan beret?

[@mikewalker6920]

ties to the SAS missions

[@andypeterson8013]

@@mikewalker6920 ------> Nope.

[@andypeterson8013]

The Army decided that the regular Army was going to wear the the black beret so the Rangers had to switch from wearing a black beret to a tan beret to keep themselves distinctly special.

[@nathanammon4021]

I believe they do out of respect for the original OG special force Gangstas the SAS I think the SBS came at the same time or maybe a little later. There have been other specialists units like marine raiders after Pearl Harbor a combined Canadian and US unit that was later disbanded. I believe the air force has had something like combat controllers and para rescue since WW 2 maybe I know UDts were training before WW2 in preparation for hitting the Atlantic wall. I think the beret was worn in the spirit of like the French resistance so it had a practical application to. The original SAS had to be flexible and nimble of mind. If I’m not mistaken every special opps unit today takes some of training format and technique of the SAS and SBS. Kennedy made them official units. The rivalry among spec ops units is way more intense between Spec ops units in England to i read some where they official keep SBS and SAS away from each other because they’ll be at each other’s throats

[@JG-ib7xk]

SAS wear Sand coloured Berrets. Commandos wear the green

[@nathanammon4021]

@@JG-ib7xk the SAS and SBS are each other’s counterparts correct? The Royal Marines are considered commandos also but can operate in larger numbers like conventional forces I think

[@stephenoneill9850]

French legionnaires wear green beret.. and Irish army ranger wing.

[@pyeitme508]

Ye

[@earthquakemagoon2505]

Why green? Because if they were pink, then they'd be called 'Gay Berets' from Fort Dix.

[@theMooly]

Its from the Beret Vert french commando

[@maxreymond7941]

Frenches got that form the english ;)

[@RO8s]

No it isn't. The Royal Marines were given it in 1942 and it was green, if I remember correctly, because green was given to the Royal Marines by the King after the capture of Gibraltar in 1704 and the siege in 1705.

[@maxreymond7941]

@@RO8s yup

[@theMooly]

@@RO8s Sorry sir, You need history of France lectures (No offense meant tho, forgive my spelling).The Béret was born in Béarn (Used by the shepperd), in the French Pyrénées. The second most accepted theory about the first Béret in history, is given to the Muslims. (The Chéchia) It was later on, used by the mountains troops there, and used by different military units around the world. Sorry but it wasn't invented in a casern. :)

[@RO8s]

@@theMooly Bless you, we're not talking about the invention of the beret, but its colour.

[@dragoberghe5690]

it`s from the german Panzer Grendiers, they have the green Barret....;o)

[@marvinjz]

Jäger also

[@jasondelaney6849]

Barret?

[@grumpyolesilverback7211]

Just wanted to look as cool as Canadian Army personnel. Lol.

[@sepniner4848]

French cap literally

[@thor7856]

What about the Scottish Tam that a civilian can wear...I do.

[@speedoy2k]

So your SF troops wore the green beret like British Royal Marines have for a century, then the airborne wore a maroon on like the British Parachute Regiment have since their inception and the Rangers wore a beige one, like the British Special Air Service have done since mid WW2. Has any American ever come up with their own idea?

[@RO8s]

You've said everything that I was going to, better. I hate you. My green beret is upstairs. They can't have it...

[@RO8s]

Oh, and it was green because of the siege of Gibraltar in 1705. Given us by the King.

[@speedoy2k]

@@RO8s PMPT

[@RO8s]

@@speedoy2k And "A Life On The Ocean Wave" :))

[@nitrous_god]

Modern democracy

[@tkso.philly-7868]

BULLSHITT !!!!!! The LRRP/RANGERS' began the Black Berets' in Vietnam.It caught on after a photo was taken, showing a ☠️ skull, crossbones and someone holdy a Black Beret on the skull.My uncle was with 101st Lima Co.Rangers 69-72 based in Phu Bai,I Corps...I went in back in y 80's, and in our barracks we had ALL kinda' posters and banners with the same image, and that's not including some of our shirts.As for anyone who is of my age and remember.They took our"BERETS' from us, and give them to any average Jo'---Josaphine-----Ive said it before, and I'll say it again...I truly believe that some,young officer back in y 60's,70's that failed LRRP/RANGER SCHOOL, later became a General and got his way to be vindictive because of HIS failures-

[@cm-pr2ys]

It's all good man, Rangers should have the Green Beret anyway.

[@arthurbrumagem3844]

They don’t keep the sun nor the rain out of your face. Never cared for them.

[@cm-pr2ys]

Interesting thing is the Rangers should be the one to wear the Green Beret. The forefathers of the green berets never trained at achnacarry with the British commandos- only Darby's Rabgers did (before the Rangers established their own stateside training). The OSS had their own training center. The Alamo Scouts had their own training center. The Philippine Guerrellias were well, guerrillas. The 1st Special Service Force had their own training center. So technically, the Rangers should be the ones to have a green beret. Darby was actually going to try and make it official, but he was unfortunately KIA while serving with the 10th Mountain in Italy.

[@K9PT]

Not all Special Forces use Green Berets!!

[@WILDJaeger]

Not all "Special Operations" wear the Green Beret. RLTW & DOL (Ricky Mills)

[@kemalpratama23]

ITS Fact Indonesia special force aka Kopassus wear Red Berret

[@karliskokorevics6902]

They do in the US. Army Special Forces wear the Green Beret, that's why SF are referred to as "the Green Berets". Mind you, in the US, "Special Forces" refers to Army SF, while all other units: SEALs, Rangers, Delta (even though they have SF in their name), etc. are called "Special Operations Forces".

[@94JesseRay]

Yes, they do.

[@WILDJaeger]

@@94JesseRay 🤣

[@fredholmes6284]

Our sas wear sandy beige berets not green like sbs

[@Cue_D_ball]

Because they didn’t have any other color to pick from

[@karliskokorevics6902]

They actually had. When picking the colour of the Beret, the first US Special forces soldiers had individually racked up many different Berets from their European brothers they fought and served with in WWII.

[@Cue_D_ball]

@@karliskokorevics6902 understood

[@ChadronMike]

Word of mouth from vets is they didn't like them and made them look like the French. And wearing a beret in the jungle was stupid. Just what I was told

[@markwoods4574]

Commandos all originate from the British Army Commando of WW2 whether it American or European, my late Grandfather was in First Special Service Brigade they later became 1 Commando he was one of the first volunteers of British Wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s Famed Army Commandos whom Adolf Hitler was most scared of being kidnapped or executed by, the SAS , SBS all came from 2 Commando and the US Army Rangers were based on Wartime British Army Commandos. I hope that has put this question to rest all you have to do is simple research on the internet however I knew it anyway because of my family connection. #Commando1940-1945JerryWoods1Commando

[@johnmorgan9435]

What about the 'Commandos' led by Erskine Childers during the Boer war?

[@mikewalker6920]

they never where the 1st Commando en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Special_Service_Force Ranger are colonial en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Rangers#Colonial_period Rogers' Rangers was established in 1751[7] by Major Robert Rogers, who organized nine Ranger companies in the American colonies. Roger's Island, in Modern Day Fort Edward, NY, is considered the "spiritual home" of the United States Special Operations Forces, particularly the United States Army Rangers. These early American light infantry units, organized during the French and Indian War, bore the name "Rangers" and were the forerunners of the modern Army Rangers.

[@utbdoug]

Stealing a beret idea.. Just shows that America doesn't have traditions, just bad habits! (I'm just joking, don't flame me bro).. I live in Commando training country and there's no getting away from what those guys did in World War 2, and I think SF of the US have earned the right to use it to distinguish themselves. They are very worthy, whichever country you come from. Here in the UK, the SAS use a tan beret and the SBS and the other members of UKSF like Recon Regt, Signals, use the Commando green beret

[@dumpsterchild5734]

It's funny I guess you would say Navy Seals are not special forces because they don't wear the Green Beret or special beret and no they do not wear pink bows Navy Seals prefer they are crew badasses when don't need no beret

[@94JesseRay]

They're not Special Forces, they're special operations forces. Only Green Berets are named Special Forces in the US. SEALs dont have berets, true, they have their Trident. Thats their identifier.

[@dumpsterchild5734]

@@94JesseRay they say Special Forces only wear berets Navy Seals neverwhere Green Beret no berets only the boonie hat for fisherman hats some time cowboy hat lol..

[@94JesseRay]

@@dumpsterchild5734 Once again, thats because SEAls aren't Special Forces, they are SEALs. Special Forces are Green Berets. Navy SEALs are Navy SEALs.

[@dumpsterchild5734]

@@94JesseRay will Navy Seals our special forces but they never wear Green Beret or red beret never wear a beret some Delta Force don't even wear Berets to

[@dumpsterchild5734]

@@94JesseRay I guess you would say they are just a Commando something a little more dangerous than a Russian Spetsnaz