Thursday - April 23, 2009

The Cover Cover Up

Breaking news from the “Aw jeez, what next?” category ...

Soldiers Call for Army to Drop Berets

They’re hot, sweaty and do nothing to keep the sun out of your eyes during a long formation.

Those are just a few of the reasons the Army should stop making soldiers wear wool berets outdoors, a group of delegates said Friday at the 8th Army’s annual Army Family Action Plan conference.

“Everyone is affected by the beret,” said Sgt. Brad Stuckey, spokesman for a group that studied family-support issues. “This is an issue that your average soldier feels very strongly about.”

The group recommended that soldiers be required to wear lighter, cotton-nylon blend patrol caps instead. They block the sun, absorb sweat and are somewhat water resistant, Stuckey said.

Soldiers had a list of complaints about the black beret. Among them:

* It doesn’t match the Army Combat Uniform, which has no black in its pattern.
* It has to be shaved, washed and dried on a lampshade or hat stand to hold its shape.
* It can cost nearly twice as much as a patrol cap, and there’s no standard way to wear it.

“You have seven people wearing it seven different ways,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jon Butler.

He said people have complained about the beret since it became part of the uniform in 2001.

My father in law, who was Super Soldier back in the early 60s (Airborne Ranger and Green Beret and went from Private to Captain in two hitches and took several tours in that jungle) is cranky about the whole subject. In his day the beret - any beret - was a mark of distinction. Now that it’s common issue he feels the symbolism has been defiled. Sure, it makes the wearer look special. But there’s special, and then there’s special, like you have your own duct-tape safety harness to wear on the short bus. And I gather the thing is impractical as all get out, to the point where the Army has to run a special class just to teach people how to care for the thing. So I don’t really see the point. But I’m just a civilian, so what do I know?

I saw a young soldier in McDonald’s the other day wearing one of these things. I doubt if she was as old as 22. With her short cut head of sunny blonde hair, polished black boots, and the baggy cami uniform which still somehow managed to accent her perky bottom and other girlie bits, she had on this huge black beret at a rakish angle. I swear it was as big as a frying pan, and probably 5” tall. And yet ... she looked adorable. And she knew it too, and enjoyed the hell out of the attention it got her. Um, you don’t think the Army would issue a special hat just so soldiers would look cute? That doesn’t seem like a very military idea to me.

Posted by Drew458     on 04/23/2009 at 10:38 AM   
Filed Under: • Fun-Stuff • Military •  
• Comments (6) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

DISCLAIMER

THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.

Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

1. Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
2. Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
3. Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
4. Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere

It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

THE INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE ARE DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS WEBSITE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE AMERICAN COURTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPLICABLE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, THEN THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ACCESSED BY PERSONS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND ANY PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO USE OUR SERVICES UNLESS THEY CAN SATISFY US THAT SUCH USE WOULD BE LAWFUL.

Copyright © 2004-2008 Domain Owner