Tim Rollins Photo courtesy of Beth Rollins

In a speech at the Association of the United States Army last Tuesday, Chief of Staff General Eric K. Shinseki announced plans for all Army soldiers to be given berets to wear as a part of their uniforms. Shinseki’s claim is that this "symbol of excellence "once reserved for members of elite units "will be made available to all soldiers as "a signal to the young that we are moving, we are changing."

What a bunch of crap! As one who has worn the uniform myself through service on active duty in the Army National Guard, I think that the General is not only wrong, but that such a move is not only appalling, but a symbol of just how ‘out of touch’ Shinseki is on this issue. What is even more galling is that General Shinseki is an Army Ranger himself, and he himself has first-hand knowledge of what it entails to earn the honor of wearing a beret.

For those not familiar with the Army, allow me to explain this matter in a little detail. In the Army, there are presently only three elite units who are authorized to wear berets. The Special Forces personnel wear green berets hence the name, Airborne soldiers wear maroon berets, and Rangers wear black berets. The privilege to wear a beret in the Army is a hard fought hard earned and well-deserved honor for only the best of the best – for those who are a cut well above the rank-and-file soldier.

When I was in the service, I was an administrative specialist. I did everything from making my bosses’ coffee in the morning to special projects. I ran wiring through the building to hook more desks up to computer terminals that would later end up on desks and I spent a fair amount of time in the air learning about flying. When I had all my work done, I went up and flew with the pilots in my unit. I became like a Corporal Klinger of MASH fame, in that I could get just about anything quickly and discreetly in about two or three phone calls. At one point in 1990, I even considered filing an application for Special Forces. I later changed my mind when I realized that I would fail a jump school physical on account of my knees, which had been giving me trouble for an extended period on account of a prior injury during a formation run earlier that year.

Regular soldiers in the Army currently wear what is called a BDU (Battle Dress Uniform) Cap. It’s like a baseball cap, except unlike the Marine Corps version, it has a flap tucked in the inside that can be unfolded to help keep your ears warm in mild winter weather. It is completely suitable for the needs of everyday Army soldiers, and to trivialize the honor of the Rangers, Special Forces and Airborne soldiers by just ‘giving away’ berets is to cheapen the sacrifice and commitment made by those who have worn and continue to wear the berets of our elite today.

From my experience, I see no need to replace the BDU cap for everyday soldiers, as nothing would be gained from it. It works fine for their needs, and to use the Harvard Business School quote, "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!" is something that the Army brass needs to remember. While the Army has not as yet decided what color the beret will be, I do not believe that the chaplain’s assistant or the company clerk should have the same symbol of distinction as our elite soldiers unless they themselves have completed the necessary training to wear them in their own right. These actions on the part of General Shinseki and his senior staff show a couple of disturbing things.

First, this seems to be a capitulation to the politically correct philosophy that says that there should be no winners or losers. The fact of the matter is that armies the world over prepare for war while trying their level best to maintain the peace and as such, the PC way of thinking has no place in a modern fighting force – for in every war, there is a winner and a loser. We may have lost Vietnam, but we won decidedly in the Persian Gulf just under ten years ago. Second, the cost of making this fashion statement can be better spent in other areas of the defense budget, such as improving pay and living conditions for our military and their families. And lastly, we need to have members of the Joint Chiefs to possess the courage and integrity to pass on their best opinions and options to their Commander-in-Chief, whether he agrees with their recommendations or not.

The ideas of berets for all soldiers should die a quick and ignominious death and be shelved for good. The men who wear these berets go into harm’s way in order that we may sleep safely in our homes at night enjoying the freedom so many take for granted. Too many men have died for their honor to be cheapened by handing out berets as if it were a prize in a Cracker Jack® box.

Copyright © 2000 by Timothy Rollins.
All Rights Reserved.

-Published with permission