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Gray berets which troops. Which troops wear black berets, how do soldiers get them

Gray berets which troops. Which troops wear black berets, how do soldiers get them

25.09.2019

During the years of the Cold War in the last century, the phrase "green beret" has already become a household word. What troops are these? This is the name of the soldiers of the special forces of the US Army. "Green Berets" - selected units that are designed to organize special sabotage, counter-terrorism operations and conduct guerrilla warfare. This well-trained strike group is capable of performing the most difficult combat missions in all climatic zones and geographic regions.

History of creation

The decision to create such units was made by the US command in 1950 after a series of successful combat operations in the colonies of Western European countries. Then the need of the States for special troops, similar to the English SAS, became obvious, which are capable of waging a guerrilla war on the territory of other countries, conducting reconnaissance and sabotage actions, ensuring the security of significant objects and acting against superior enemy forces.

In 1952, on the basis of the Office of Strategic Services, created during the 2nd World War and the CIA, formed in 1947, a special forces group was organized, consisting of ten people, with OSS officers Russell Faulkman and Aaron Bank at the head. The group became based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Symbolism

Members of the group wore bottle-colored berets, and they became its symbol. But this element of the uniform was not welcomed by the higher command, because the charter was not provided for. In 1956, wearing green berets was officially banned by order of the commandant of Fort Bragg, but this did not stop the special forces from continuing to use them. The detachment subsequently increased to 2.5 thousand fighters. In the next 9 years, the group members improved their learning and actively adopted the experience of CAC. The base of the SAS "Heford" became the place of their constant pilgrimage. At the same time, many US military officials treated the unit negatively, and therefore not enough resources were allocated to it.

Kennedy's position

Only in 1961, when John F. Kennedy became the American president, was the US need for troops of this type identified. The "Green Berets" of the United States came under Kennedy's tutelage. The President's position was dictated by the military-political situation. The Soviet Union fought the United States, actively supporting the anti-American national liberation movements in the Third World states.

In June 1962, Kennedy presented his vision of the situation at West Point to the graduates of the military academy. According to him, wars in the modern world have taken on an insurrectionary and sabotage character, these are wars of ambushes and infiltrations. In this regard, it is necessary to create armed forces for conflicts of this type with special uniforms, weapons and tactics.

Green beret of special forces

There was a small incident during Kennedy's visit to Fort Bragg. Captain W. Yarborough, who marched in front of the president in a forbidden headdress, infuriated the army leadership. However, a couple of days later, by Kennedy's decree, green berets were approved as the official headgear of special forces.

The special forces received their baptism of fire in Vietnam in 1961. There, they successfully formed detachments from the Vietnamese highlanders to fight the communists, and this greatly interfered with the Viet Cong. Since that time, the "green berets" managed to take part in several dozen wars that took place in all corners of the globe, destroy many significant enemy facilities, and overthrow more than one government objectionable to the United States.

American special forces today

Now any American student knows which US Army soldiers wear a green beret. This (which troops have such a headdress as an official symbol, we wrote above) is an elite sub-unit that operates to solve a number of tasks, namely the organization of insurgent movements behind enemy lines, raids behind enemy lines, intelligence in the interests of American armed groups forces, conducting sabotage operations, helping friendly governments in hostilities, building up armed forces, and suppressing uprisings.

In the event of an invasion of the territory of a large state by US troops, the main role in disabling strategic facilities, including nuclear weapons, will be assigned to these forces. In addition, the "Green Berets" act as military advisers in seventy states with regimes friendly to the United States, carry out humanitarian actions, helping to promote US policy around the world.

The distinctive features of special forces soldiers are their cultural and linguistic knowledge, thanks to which they act as a link between local regimes and the US government, i.e., this is actually a military unit of the US Foreign Ministry.

Structure

There was no decrease in the number of Green Berets due to the end of the Cold War. Now these troops number ten thousand fighters in seven groups: two - in the national guard, five - in the ground forces. Each of the groups of ground forces specializes in regions:

The first is the South Asian region.
The third is Central and South Africa.
Fifth - North Africa, Near and Middle East.
Seventh - the Caribbean and Latin America.
Tenth - Europe, including Russia.

Green berets. Russian troops

Few people know, but in our country there are types of troops in which fighters wear such hats. In the circles of military experts and specialists, people who have the right to wear berets command well-deserved respect.

Blue berets are traditionally worn by paratroopers, orange by representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and black by marines. However, there are hats, the color of which is the hallmark of elite special units. The maroon beret is the most famous in Russia - it is a symbol of the highest qualification and valor of a special forces officer in units and units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, whose history goes back more than thirty years. As for the green berets, they are worn by the military intelligence elite in the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In many armies of the worldberetsindicate the affiliation of the units using them toelite troops. Since they have a special mission, the elite units must have something to separate them from the rest. For example, the famous "green beret" is "a symbol of excellence, a sign of valor and distinction in the struggle for freedom."

History of the military beret

Given the practicality of the beret, the informal use of the beret by the European military goes back thousands of years. An example is the blue beret, which became the symbol of the Scottish military in the 16th and 17th centuries. As an official military headdress, the beret began to be used during the War of Succession to the Spanish Crown in 1830, commissioned by General Tomás de Zumalacárregui, who wanted to make headdresses resistant to the vagaries of the mountain weather, easy to care for and used on ceremonial occasions in an inexpensive way. .

Other countries followed suit with the creation of units of the French Alpine Chasseurs in the early 1880s. These mountain troops wore clothing that included several features that were innovative for the time. Including, and large berets, which have survived to this day.
Berets have features that make them very attractive to the military: they are cheap, can be made in a wide range of colors, can be rolled up and tucked into a pocket or under an epaulette, they can be worn with headphones (this is one of the reasons why tankers adopted berets) .

The beret was found to be particularly useful for armored car crews, and the British Tank Corps (later the Royal Tank Corps) adopted the headgear as early as 1918.

After the 1st World War, when the issue of official changes in uniform was considered at a high level, General Elles, who was a promoter of berets, made another argument - during maneuvers, it is comfortable to sleep in a beret and it can be used as a balaclava. After lengthy debate in the Ministry of Defense, the black beret was officially approved by His Majesty's decree of March 5, 1924.

The black beret remained the exclusive privilege of the Royal Tank Corps for quite some time. Then, the practicality of this headgear was noticed by the rest, and by 1940, all British armored units began to wear black berets.

German tank crews, in the late 1930s, also adopted the beret with the addition of a padded helmet inside. The black color has become popular in the headgear of tank crews, as it does not show oil stains.

The Second World War gave berets a new popularity. English and American saboteurs, thrown behind the Germans, in particular, to France, quickly appreciated the convenience of berets, especially dark colors - it was convenient to hide hair under them, they protected the head from the cold, the beret was used as a comforter, etc.

Some British units introduced berets as headgear for formations and military branches. So, for example, it was with the SAS - the Special Aviation Service, a special forces unit engaged in sabotage and reconnaissance behind enemy lines - they took a sand-colored beret (it symbolized the desert, where the SAS had to work hard against Rommel's army).

British paratroopers chose a crimson beret - according to legend, the writer Daphne DuMaurier, the wife of General Frederick Brown, one of the heroes of the Second World War, suggested this color. For the color of the beret, paratroopers immediately received the nickname "cherries". Since then, the crimson beret has become the unofficial symbol of military paratroopers around the world.

The first use of berets in the US military dates back to 1943. The 509th Parachute Regiment received crimson berets from their English counterparts, in recognition and respect.

The use of a beret as a headdress for military personnel in the Soviet Union dates back to 1936. According to the order of the NPO of the USSR, military women and students of military academies were supposed to wear dark blue berets as part of summer uniforms.

Berets became, by default, a military headdress at the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century, just like the cocked hat, shako, cap, cap, kepi, at one time in their respective eras. Berets are now worn by many military personnel in most countries around the world.

And now, in fact, about berets in elite troops. And we will start, of course, with the Alpine Jaegers - the unit that introduced the fashion for wearing berets in the army. The Alpine Chasseurs (Mountain Fusiliers) are the elite mountain infantry of the French Army. They are trained to fight in mountainous terrain and in urban areas. They wear a wide dark blue beret.

Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion wear light green berets.

The French Navy commandos wear the green beret.

The French Marines wear dark blue berets.

French Air Force Commandos wear dark blue berets.

French paratroopers wear red berets.

German airborne troops wear berets in maroon (Maroon).

The German special forces (KSK) wear berets of the same color, but with their own emblem.

They wear a large black beret.

The Royal Dutch Marines wear dark blue berets.

The Airmobile Brigade (11 Luchtmobiele Brigade) of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of the Netherlands wears maroon berets (Maroon).

The Finnish Marines wear green berets.

Italian paratroopers of the Carabinieri regiment wear maroon berets.

Soldiers of the special unit of the Italian Navy wear green berets.

The Portuguese Marines wear dark blue berets.

Soldiers of the British Parachute Regiment wear maroon berets.

Paratroopers of the 16th Air Assault Brigade of the British Army wear the same beret, but with a different emblem.

Special Air Service (SAS) commandos have been wearing beige berets (tan) since the 2nd World War.

The British Royal Marines wear green berets.

Canadian paratroopers wear berets in maroon (Maroon).

The Australian Army 2nd Commando Regiment wears green berets.

The American "Green Berets" (United States Army Special Forces) naturally wear the green berets that President John F. Kennedy approved for them in 1961.

US Army Airborne troops wear maroon (Maroon) berets, which they received in 1943 from their British counterparts and allies.

And in the United States Marine Corps (USMC), berets are not worn. In 1951, the Marine Corps introduced several types of berets, green and blue, but they were rejected by tough warriors because they looked "too feminine."

Georgian Army Special Forces wear maroon (Maroon) berets.

Serbian special forces soldiers wear black berets.

The Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan wears blue berets.

Hugo Chavez wears the red beret of the Venezuelan Paratrooper Brigade.

Let's move on to the valiant elite troops of Russia and our fellow Slavs.

Our response to the appearance in the armies of NATO countries of units that wore berets, in particular, parts of the US SOF, whose uniform headdress is green, was the Order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR dated November 5, 1963 No. 248. According to the order, a new field uniform is being introduced for special forces units of the USSR Marine Corps. This uniform was supposed to be a black beret, made of cotton fabric for sailors and sergeants of military service and woolen fabric for officers.

The cockades and stripes on the berets of the marines changed many times: replacing the red star on the berets of sailors and sergeants with a black oval-shaped emblem with a red star and bright yellow edging, and later, in 1988, by order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR No. 250 of March 4, the oval emblem was replaced by an asterisk bordered by a wreath. The Russian army also had many innovations, and now it looks like this:

After the approval of a new uniform for the Marine Corps, berets appeared in the airborne troops of the USSR Armed Forces. In June 1967, Colonel General V.F. Margelov, then commander of the Airborne Forces, approved sketches of a new uniform for the airborne troops.

The designer of the sketches was the artist A. B. Zhuk, known as the author of many books on small arms and the author of illustrations for the SVE (Soviet Military Encyclopedia). It was A. B. Zhuk who proposed the crimson color of the beret for paratroopers.

A raspberry-colored beret was, at that time, all over the world an attribute of belonging to the landing troops, and V.F. Margelov approved the wearing of a raspberry beret by military personnel of the Airborne Forces during parades in Moscow. On the right side of the beret was sewn a small blue triangular flag with the emblem of the airborne troops. On the berets of sergeants and soldiers in front there was a star framed by a wreath of ears, on the berets of officers, instead of an asterisk, a cockade was attached.

During the November parade of 1967, the paratroopers were already dressed in a new uniform and crimson berets. However, at the very beginning of 1968, instead of crimson berets, paratroopers begin to wear blue berets. According to the military leadership, the color of the blue sky is more suitable for the airborne troops and by order No. 191 of the Minister of Defense of the USSR of July 26, 1969, the color blue was approved as a parade headdress for the Airborne Forces. Unlike the crimson beret, on which the flag sewn on the right side was blue, the flag on the blue beret became red.

And the modern, Russian version:

The soldiers of the GRU special forces wear the uniform of the Airborne Forces and, accordingly, blue berets.

Special forces units of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia wear a maroon (dark red) beret. But, unlike other branches of the armed forces, such as marines or paratroopers, for the special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the maroon beret is a sign of qualification and is awarded to a fighter only after he has undergone special training and has proved his right to wear a maroon beret.

Until the moment they receive a maroon beret, special forces soldiers wear a protective color beret.

Soldiers of the reconnaissance of the internal troops wear a green beret. The right to wear this beret must also be earned, as well as the right to wear a maroon beret.

Our Ukrainian brothers are also the heirs of the USSR, and therefore, they have retained the beret colors used earlier in this country for their elite units.

The Marine Corps of Ukraine wears black berets.

Airmobile troops of Ukraine wear a blue beret.

The beret is a symbol of courage and courage, its wearing is practiced in almost all armies of the world. As a rule, in any branch of the armed forces of Russia, in addition to everyday uniforms, caps and peaked caps, there are also additional accessories just in the form of berets.

In some troops, everyone can get such a headdress, in other cases, they take it - a special thing, a relic, the right to wear which can only be obtained by passing a difficult exam. Today we will talk about one of these relics. This is the black beret, better known as the Marine Corps beret. We will learn how to get this honorable headdress, which troops wear it and how to care for it.

Who is eligible to wear and how is the exam

Marines, as well as fighters of special forces of the internal troops of Russia (OMON), can claim to wear a black beret. There is only one way to get such a right - with honor to pass a difficult test, which takes place at a separate training ground on a specially designated day. Passing for a black beret includes an exam consisting of several stages. Only fighters recognized as the best according to the results of the final test of skills acquired during the training period under the special forces program can be allowed to pass. The test itself goes like this.

At the first stage, the applicants will have to march, which includes such elements as overcoming a water barrier, orienteering, transferring a comrade, and performing various introductory ones. At the same time, the fighters have a complete set of calculations, including body armor, helmets and weapons. The next part of the test is a special obstacle course. The situation here is complicated by the fact that overcoming serious obstacles is carried out in conditions of smoke or gas contamination (respectively, the use of a gas mask is necessary). Also, the difficult path is accompanied by arbitrary explosions from different sides.

The remaining candidates are then required to demonstrate their fitness and endurance skills. For this, certain sets of exercises are provided. This is followed by the passing of shooting standards (here, the calculation is that the body is already exhausted, and the fighter will need additional concentration to hit the target). Finally, the final part of the exam is hand-to-hand combat. This test includes 3 sparring sessions (2 minutes each) with a change of opponents.

After successfully passing the exam, the time comes for the presentation of the black beret. Thus, those who were not broken by difficult trials, weapons and self-control did not fail, with all the formation, they are solemnly awarded the honorary right to wear a beret and are handed directly to the headdress itself. Due to the fact that the event takes place no more than once every six months, and there are usually not so many candidates, the award can be carried out by an outstanding and honored officer who distinguished himself by personal heroism and was awarded high ranks.

At first glance, it may seem that taking the black exam is somewhat easier than. But in fact, both checks require remarkable preparation, physical strength and a powerful spirit, and in terms of the amount of energy expended, they are approximately identical. Tests differ mainly in the length of the forced march, the time of hand-to-hand combat, penalties and the intricacies of building an obstacle course.

How to care

A black beret is a special headdress, so the owner simply does not have the right to neglect his appearance. In order for the beret to sit beautifully and stately, it must be beaten off. There are several ways from a simple “wet, iron, steam and beat with a hammer along the edge” to a real ceremony, after which the honorary headdress will look and sit perfectly on the fighter.

Considering the price at which the coveted accessory was obtained, any soldier treats the process of beating responsibly. The approximate order of how to beat off the beret of the Marine Corps looks like this:

first you need to carefully rip the lining;
place the beret in hot water, wait 2-3 minutes, then wring out;
inserting a cockade, put it on your head;
in front of the mirror, you need to give the beret the desired shape, pressing hard in the right places;
the fixation process is carried out by applying and tightly rubbing shaving foam into the fabric, this is done right on the head;
when the beret starts to dry, you can set it aside for final drying - it will not lose its shape;
in order for the beret to be smooth, you need to “shave” it with a machine, thereby removing the spools.

At the end of the procedure, the inside must be treated with hairspray, preferably in a large volume. Thus, the beret will not be able to lose its shape, and will become a real decoration on the head of a courageous and strong fighter.

Summing up, the following points can be highlighted:

black berets in the Russian army are assigned to the special forces of the Marines and OMON;
the right to wear a beret is only available to fighters who have proven their worth when passing a special test;
there are no age restrictions for passing the test, it all depends on the physical and psychological preparation of the fighter, you can get a beret even as a forty-year-old veteran, setting a real example of courage for young special forces.

If for a civilian, a beret is an ordinary headdress, which, in principle, is more popular among women, then for military personnel, a beret is not just an integral part of the uniform, but a symbol. Currently, each branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation has its own beret. Hats differ not only in color, but also in the rule and the right to wear it. Therefore, not everyone knows how it differs, for example, in taking the GRU special forces from the headdress of the marines.

The first mention of an army headdress

The very first army berets appeared at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries in England and Scotland. Then the warriors wear special caps that look like berets. However, the mass distribution of such a headdress began only during the First World War. The first who began to wear them were the soldiers of the tank and mechanized units of the French army.

Further, the baton for the introduction of such an element of clothing was the UK. With the advent of tanks, the question arose of what to wear to the tanker, because the helmet was very uncomfortable, and the cap was too bulky. Therefore, it was decided to introduce a black beret. The color was chosen on the basis that the tankers are constantly working and are near the equipment, and soot and oil are not visible on the black color.

The appearance of a beret in the army

During the Second World War, such hats became even more popular, especially among the Allied forces. US Special Forces soldiers noted the following conveniences of these headgear:

First of all, they hid their hair well;
Dark colors were not visible in the dark;
The berets were warm enough;
He could wear a helmet or a helmet.

Accordingly, some types and types of troops in Great Britain and the United States adopted a headdress as one of the main elements of uniforms. In the Soviet army, this element of clothing began to appear already in the early sixties, as the head attribute of the landing and special forces. Since then, the rules and wearing of such hats have not changed much.

Which one does the special forces take?

At the end of the 20th century, berets became an integral part of the daily and dress uniforms of the armies of many countries. Almost every defensive state has elite special units that have their own unique headgear:

The mountain infantry detachments of the French armed forces, the Alpine Chasseurs, wear a dark blue beret of a sufficiently large diameter.
The elite Foreign Legion is characterized by headdresses of a light green hue.
French naval special forces are distinguished by wearing a green beret.
German airborne troops and reconnaissance units wear maroon berets, but with different emblems on it.
The Royal Netherlands Marines are distinguished by wearing dark blue uniform elements, while the paratroopers are wearing maroon headdresses.
British special forces SAS have been wearing beige caps since the mid-forties of the last century, and the marines are green.
The US Rangers are recognizable by the same color as the British Special Forces - beige.
US Special Forces have been wearing green berets since 1961, earning their nickname.

It can be seen that most of the NATO member countries have an identical color range of hats. As for the shape, it is round for all armies, and differs only in size.

Distribution in the Armed Forces of the USSR

In 1967, an updated uniform was adopted for the Airborne Forces. The famous Soviet artist A.B. Zhuk submitted a proposal to General V.F. Margelov to use crimson caps as an attribute of paratroopers, referring to the use of such caps in other countries of the world. The commander agreed and approved the beret. For privates and sergeants, an emblem in the form of an asterisk was intended, which was attached to the front in the center of the beret, and a blue flag was located on the right, and a cockade was provided for officers.

A year later, a blue beret was adopted for the paratroopers, as the leadership considered that it more symbolizes the color of the sky. As for the marines, black was approved for this type of troops. Tankers also used black berets, but not as the main headgear, but during the maintenance and repair of equipment to protect their heads from dirt.

The difference between the uniform of the GRU special forces and the rest of the military branches

Special Forces developed with the Airborne Forces at the same time and due to similar specifics And the use and profile of the tasks of these troops, their uniforms were identical. The special forces soldiers wore exactly the same uniform as the paratroopers. Outwardly, it is very difficult to distinguish who is standing in front of you: a commando or an airborne officer. After all, the color, and the shape, and the cockade itself are the same. However, the GRU had one caveat.

Blue berets and the uniform of the Airborne Forces in Soviet times were mostly worn by special forces soldiers in training units or at a parade. After the training centers, the soldiers were assigned to combat units, which could be carefully disguised as other branches of the military. This was especially true for those who were sent to serve abroad.

Instead of a white and blue vest, beret and lace-up boots, the soldiers were given the usual combined arms uniform, for example, like tankers or signalmen. So you could forget about berets. This was done in order to hide the presence of the special forces from the eyes of the enemy. Thus, for the GRU, the blue beret is a ceremonial headdress and only in those cases when it is allowed to wear it.

The beret of the GRU special forces is not just a type of headdress and an integral part of the uniform, but a symbol of valor and courage, honor and nobility, the right to wear which is not given to every even the most experienced and brave warrior.

Video: how do they pass the standards for a maroon beret?

In this video, Pavel Zelennikov will show how the special forces elite receive an olive and maroon beret:

In many armies of the world, berets indicate that the units using them belong to the elite troops. Since they have a special mission, the elite units must have something to separate them from the rest. For example, the famous "green beret" is "a symbol of excellence, a sign of valor and distinction in the struggle for freedom."

(Total 61 photos)

History of the military beret.

1. Other countries followed suit after the creation of the French Alpine Chasseurs in the early 1880s. These mountain troops wore clothing that included several features that were innovative for the time. Including large berets, which have survived to this day.

2. Berets have features that make them very attractive to the military: they are cheap, can be made in a wide range of colors, can be rolled up and tucked into a pocket or under a shoulder strap, they can be worn with headphones (this is one of the reasons why tankers have adopted beret).

The beret was found to be especially useful for armored car crews, and the British Tank Corps (later the Royal Tank Corps) adopted this headgear as early as 1918.

3. After World War 1, when the issue of official changes in the form of clothing was considered at a high level, General Elles, who was a promoter of berets, made another argument - during maneuvers it is comfortable to sleep in a beret and it can be used as a balaclava. After lengthy debate in the Ministry of Defense, the black beret was officially approved by His Majesty's decree of March 5, 1924. The black beret remained the exclusive privilege of the Royal Tank Corps for quite some time. Then the practicality of this headgear was noticed by the rest, and by 1940 all armored units in the UK began to wear black berets.

4. German tank crews in the late 1930s also adopted the beret with the addition of a padded helmet inside. Black has become popular in the headgear of tank crews as it does not show oil stains.

5. The Second World War gave berets a new popularity. English and American saboteurs, who were thrown behind the Germans, in particular, to France, quickly appreciated the convenience of berets, especially dark colors - it was convenient to hide hair under them, they protected the head from the cold, the beret was used as a comforter, etc. Some English units introduced berets as a headdress for formations and military branches. For example, it happened with the SAS - the Special Aviation Service, a special forces unit engaged in sabotage and reconnaissance behind enemy lines - they took a sand-colored beret (it symbolized the desert, where the SAS had to work hard against Rommel's army). British paratroopers chose a crimson beret - according to legend, the writer Daphne DuMaurier, the wife of General Frederick Brown, one of the heroes of the Second World War, suggested this color. For the color of the beret, paratroopers immediately received the nickname "cherries". Since then, the crimson beret has become the unofficial symbol of military paratroopers around the world.

6. The first use of berets in the US military dates back to 1943. The 509th Airborne Regiment received crimson berets from their British colleagues as a sign of recognition and respect. The use of a beret as a headdress for military personnel in the Soviet Union dates back to 1936. According to the order of the NPO of the USSR, women soldiers and students of military academies were supposed to wear dark blue berets as part of summer uniforms.

7. Berets became the default military headgear at the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century, just like the cocked hat, shako, cap, cap, cap, at one time in the respective eras. Berets are now worn by many military personnel in most countries around the world.

8. And now, in fact, about the berets in the elite troops. And we will start, of course, with the Alpine Jaegers - the unit that introduced the fashion for wearing berets in the army. The Chasseurs Alpine (Mountain Fusiliers) are the elite mountain infantry of the French Army. They are trained to fight in mountainous terrain and in urban areas. They wear a wide dark blue beret.

9. The French Foreign Legion wears light green berets.

11. French Navy commandos wear a green beret.

12. French Marines wear dark blue berets.

14. French Air Force Commandos wear dark blue berets.

15. French paratroopers wear red berets.

17. German airborne troops wear maroon berets (Maroon).

18. German special forces (KSK) wear berets of the same color, but with a different emblem.

19. The Swiss Guards of the Vatican wear a large black beret.

20. The Dutch Royal Marines wear dark blue berets.

21. Airmobile Brigade (11 Luchtmobiele Brigade) Armed Forces of the Kingdom of the Netherlands wear maroon berets (Maroon).

22. Finnish Marines wear green berets.

23. Italian paratroopers of the Carabinieri regiment wear red berets.

24. Soldiers of the special unit of the Italian Navy wear green berets.

25. The Portuguese Marine Corps wears dark blue berets.

26. Soldiers of the British Parachute Regiment wear maroon berets (Maroon).

27. Paratroopers of the 16th Air Assault Brigade of the British Army wear the same beret, but with a different emblem.

28. Special Air Service (SAS) commandos have been wearing beige berets (tan) since World War 2.

29. The British Royal Marines wear green berets.

30. Riflemen from Her Majesty's Gurkha Brigade wear green berets.

31. Canadian paratroopers wear maroon berets.

32. The Australian Army's 2nd Commando Regiment wears green berets.

33. American Rangers wear a beige beret (tan).

34. The American "Green Berets" (United States Army Special Forces) naturally wear green berets, which were approved for them in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy.

35. The US Army Airborne troops wear maroon berets (Maroon), received in 1943 from their British colleagues and allies.

39. South Korean Marines wear green berets.

40. Special forces of the Georgian army wear maroon berets (Maroon).

41. Serbian special forces soldiers wear black berets.

42. The air assault brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan wears blue berets.

43. Hugo Chavez wears the red beret of the Paratrooper Brigade of Venezuela.

Let's move on to the valiant elite troops of Russia and our fellow Slavs.

44. Our response to the appearance in the armies of NATO countries of units that wore berets, in particular parts of the US SOF, whose uniform headgear is green, was the Order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR dated November 5, 1963 No. 248. According to the order, a new field uniform is being introduced for special forces units of the USSR Marine Corps. This uniform was supposed to be a black beret, made of cotton fabric for sailors and sergeants of military service and woolen fabric for officers.

45. Cockades and stripes on the berets of the marines changed many times: replacing the red star on the berets of sailors and sergeants with a black oval-shaped emblem with a red star and bright yellow edging, and later, in 1988, by order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR No. 250 of 4 March, the oval emblem was replaced by an asterisk bordered by a wreath. There were many innovations in the Russian army too, and now it looks like this.

After the approval of the new uniform for the Marine Corps, berets appeared in the airborne troops. In June 1967, Colonel General V.F. Margelov, then commander of the Airborne Forces, approved sketches of a new uniform for the airborne troops. The designer of the sketches was the artist A. B. Zhuk, known as the author of many books on small arms and as the author of illustrations for the SVE (Soviet Military Encyclopedia). It was A. B. Zhuk who proposed the crimson color of the beret for paratroopers. A raspberry-colored beret was at that time an attribute of belonging to the landing troops all over the world, and V.F. Margelov approved the wearing of a raspberry beret by military personnel of the Airborne Forces during parades in Moscow. On the right side of the beret was sewn a small blue triangular flag with the emblem of the airborne troops. On the berets of sergeants and soldiers in front there was a star framed by a wreath of ears, on the berets of officers, instead of an asterisk, a cockade was attached.

46. During the November parade of 1967, the paratroopers were already dressed in a new uniform and crimson berets. However, at the very beginning of 1968, instead of crimson berets, paratroopers begin to wear blue berets. According to the military leadership, the color of the blue sky is more suitable for the airborne troops and by order No. 191 of the Minister of Defense of the USSR of July 26, 1969, the color blue was approved as a parade headdress for the Airborne Forces. Unlike the crimson beret, on which the flag sewn on the right side was blue, the flag on the blue beret became red.

47. And a modern, Russian version.

48. The soldiers of the GRU special forces wear the form of the Airborne Forces and, accordingly, blue berets.

49. Special forces units of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia wear a maroon (dark red) beret.

50. But unlike other branches of the armed forces, such as marines or paratroopers, for the special forces of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the maroon beret is a sign of qualification and is awarded to the fighter only after he has undergone special training and has proved his right to wear a maroon beret.

61. And finally, a little exotic. Soldiers of the Zimbabwe Presidential Guard wearing yellow berets.