Folks,
I know this is not a hunting/shooting/reloading question but I feel it is an important and interesting issue that warrants discussion.

Friday night the NBC Evening News ran a story on the decision of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to allow all members of the U.S. Army to begin wearing the Black Beret of the the Army Rangers in an effort to boost sagging moral.
This troubled me greatly. I was under the impression that the Ranger cover had to be EARNED. In my estimation this is a gross insult to all the brave men who have ever been associated with the Rangers-- MEN who suffered through the gruelling training and gave their life's blood in combat for the right to be called Ranger-- MEN who were and are the very best the United States Army has to offer.
The honor of wearing the Black Beret should not be a Politically Correct decision legislated by a Pentagon Brass Hat. True high moral comes from sensible, honorable leadership and the heartfelt desire of our service personnel to serve the nation --NOT a lowering of standards. Hopefully the Bush administration will stop this foolish policy.

Now what is your opinion?

Thanks,
HBB

I have a brilliant idea:

If they want to boost moral, they should put higher standards for enlistment. When you've got an Army Manual in the form of a comic book because the reading level is so low that should tell you something, namely that allowing anybody in won't cut the mustard.

The other branches of the Armed Forces have strict standards on who they let in, it's about time we did the same for the Army.

Ah, excuse me, Curtis, but the "Comic Books" you are referring to are actually TB's, or tech bulletins. The Army thought them up because they wanted to make sure that soldiers actually read them, instead of piling them in a corner.

I guarantee you this, my friend--read, as a started, FM 22-100 and FM 22-101. I guarantee that you'll find them quite informative, and educational--and not at all like comic books.

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Happiness is a 200 yard bughole.

Oh, and by the way--are you familiar with the current entry standards for the Army? Just wondering.........

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Happiness is a 200 yard bughole.

I have been out of the USMC for 6 yrs now but my sister-in-law is still in the Navy. My idea for boosting morale throught out our Armed Forces is a pay raise to a decent standard of living. The biggest joke in the Marines was every year at tax time when you got your W-2 they would also give you this paper saying how much you had actually earned with the $600 a month "apartment" you had in the barracks, your wonderful meals in the chow hall etc.

I do agree that allowing every one to wear something that should be earned is wrong. But isn't that why we have the ARMY for those that couldn't get an Eagle, Globe, and Anchor Sean

SEMPER FI
HBB

Let's see Gen.Shisaki on Oct., 8 2000 issued the order that issued black berets to every solidier in the US Army. His "logic" for the move was so strong that he had to issue a gag order to prevent public criticism by the units that were formerly allowed to wear it after it was EARNED (correst me if I'm wrong but I think it was the 8th Ranger Regiment). This is the same genious that declared heavy armor dead and is developing the "rapid responce force". Appearently no one has heard his logic for this idea as virtually every other emerging nation on the planet (Israel, South Afric, South Korea, Argentina, Brazil, India as well as several others) are BUILDING MBTs some of which are surprizingly effective. While others still are buying them, ie; the Gulf of Oman just bought 18 Challenger 2s. Meanwhile the US Army can't fulfill its recruitment requierements. My thinking is that when you let anybody in (I do mean anybody) the truely able soldiers will quit in disgust)

The US Marine Corps never had a recruiting problem chiefly because it isn't "come be one of us" it's "are you good enough to be one of us". Perhaps if the US Army would raise it's standards drastically and weed out the incompetent the reputation of "The Green Machine" would return to its glory days. Instead of investing in glorified doo-dads they should invest in their soldiers.

Gen Shisaki is apparently one of those touchy-feely types who places symbolism over substance. He said that the black beret is a symbol of excellence (it used to be when the Rangers wore it exclusively). Therefore, if everyone wears one they will feel better about themselves and be better soldiers.

Give me a break. If this isn't liberalism at it's best, I don't know what is. IMO, this general should be relieved from duty and checked into a mental hospital. He has no business being in command.

Maybe then he can be his "Army of one"

Kind of off thread, but somewhat relevant.
I saw this on the History Channel about a week or so ago.
During WW-2, we sent the firsy ranger contingents to train with the British Commandos, as they had the best system for that type of training, and we needed to learn all this from the "experts". which they were. After graduation (the Americans trained alongside the Brits)the british graduates were allowed to wear their badge of honor, a green beret. The Americans were ot allowed the same privelidge, although they underwent the same training regime.
Do the regular troops have the right to wear a black beret? I think not. Give them a pink one or purple, or maybe even chartreuse, but not the black one. Let them earn it like the rangers do, or a green one, if they're good enough. JMHO.
Paul B.