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The 'maroon beret' has been the international symbol of elite airborne forces since its selection for use by the Airborne Forces in World War II. This distinctive head dress was officially introduced in 1942, at the direction of General Frederick Browning, commander of the 1st Airborne Division.. The maroon colour of the beret reportedly was chosen by his wife, the novelist Daphne du Maurier.Army Black Beret: A Short History of the Use of Berets in the U.S. Army It was first worn by the men of the Parachute Regiment when it went into action in North Africa during November 1942.
Australian Army
Maroon berets are worn by paratroopers in the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and A Field Battery or soldiers employed as Parachute riggers.
Belgian Army
The Paracommando Brigade (Belgium) wear the Maroon Beret with various types of cap badges.
Brazilian Army
In the Brazilian Army, the use of maroon berets and brown boots is restricted to the members of the paratroopers brigade - Pqdt (paraquedistas) - one of the few elite regiments of the Brazilian Armed Forces.
British Army
In the British Army, most regiments wear headress or cap badges which reflect regimental traditions.
All personnel (othere than those in the non Parachute Regiment Infantry Battallion) serving with 16 Air Assault Brigade wear the maroon beret (with their own cap badge), whether they are jump-qualified or not. Only members of the Parachute Regiment are permitted to wear it no matter where they are posted. The beret is often called the "red beret" or (within the Army) the "cherry beret". The Paras refer derisively to those who do not wear the maroon beret as "craphats".
Canadian Army
Jump-qualified personnel in parachute units are allowed to wear the maroon. These are currently C Company, 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry; M Company, 3rd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment; A Company, 3rd Battalion Royal 22e Régiment; Para Company, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada.
French Army
Since the First Indochina War, the French paratroopers wear a dark red beret. French Foreign Legion paratroopers wear a green beret though.
Finnish Army
The Finnish parachute ranger corps (Finnish: Laskuvarjojääkärikomppania) trains personnel in the Utti Jaeger Regiment, Utti, Finland. Jump-qualified personnel are allowed to wear the maroon beret.
German Army
A Maroon beret is worn by the German Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK, Special Forces) and by all members of the Division Spezielle Operationen (DSO, containing Airborne troops) and the Division Luftbewegliche Operationen (DLO).
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force special forces unit, the Garud Commando Force, wears the maroon beret.
Indian Army
A number of Indian Army parachute-trained special forces wear the maroon beret, including Para Commandos and Special Frontier Force.
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy special forces unit, MARCOS, has started wearing the maroon beret.
Iraqi Army
The elite Iraqi Republican Guards wore maroon berets as well as red boots until their dissolution after the 2003 Iraq War.
Israeli Army
In the Israel Defense Forces, maroon beret is worn by the Paratroopers Brigade and elite special forces units (Sayeret Matkal, Oketz, Maglan, Duvdevan and others).
Malaysian Army and Police
The Malaysian Army's elite 10 Paratrooper Brigade has worn the maroon beret since its establishment in 1994. The Malaysian Police Pasukan Gerakan Khas Detachment A or Special Actions Unit has worn the maroon beret since in 1975.
Pakistan Army
The Special Service Group (SSG) is an independent commando brigade of the Pakistan Army.
Portuguese Army
The "Comandos" (Commandos) wear a red beret since 1974.
Russian Armed Forces
The marron beret is worn by members of elite MVD Spetsnaz units, although it is referred to as 'Krapoviy' meaning crimson. In a contrast to the western style, Russian troops wear the badge over the right eye on the beret. In the Soviet day, paratroopers wore a maroon beret until the early 1960s when General Margelov decided that a maroon beret for paratroopers was a western idea and introduced a cornflower blue beret. This may have been influenced by the cornflower blue of the Soviet Air Force and the cornflower blue helmets worn by Soviet paratroopers during the Great Patriotic War.
South African Special Forces
The maroon beret is worn by Special Forces Operators of the South African Special Forces. See www.recce.co.za
Swedish Army
The ''Fallskärmsjägarna'' (or ''Fallskärmsjägarkåren'': Parachute Ranger Corps), is a Swedish military Special Operations unit. The unit is an airborne commando unit focused on intelligence gathering and forms part of Sweden's Special Forces.
Royal Thai Army
The Royal Thai Army Special Operations Force and paratroopers in the 31st Infantry Regiment (Royal Guard) wear the maroon beret.
Turkish Army
The Turkish Army's Special Operations Force, ''Bordo Bereliler'', translates as "The Maroon Berets".
Dutch Army
The Dutch Army's Special Operations Force, ''11 Luchtmobiele Brigade'', which translates to Airmobile Brigade, wear the "The Maroon Berets" (aka the Red Beret) as a sign of their status upon completion of their training.
United States Air Force
Air Force Pararescue Parajumpers (known as PJs) perform combat search and rescue duties.
United States Army
In 1943 Frederick Browning, commander of the British First Airborne Corps, granted a battalion of the US Army's 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment honorary membership in the British Parachute Regiment and authorized them to wear British maroon berets. US Army advisers to Vietnamese airborne forces wore the Vietnamese maroon beret during the Vietnam War.
Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) policy from 1973 through 1979 permitted local commanders to encourage morale-enhancing distinctions and airborne forces chose to wear the maroon international parachute beret as a mark of distinction. This permission was rescinded when in 1979 the army introduced a policy of standardized headgear, but on 28 November 1980 permission was given for airborne organizations to wear the maroon beret.
Venezuelan Army
The elite 42nd infantry paratrooper brigade wear red berets that have also been popularized outside of the army by supporters of President Hugo Chavez, a former lieutenant-colonel of the unit.
Footnotes
See also
★ Maroon (color)
★ Beret
★ Black beret
★ Green beret
★ Tan beret
★ Pathfinders
References
★ Army Black Beret: A Short History of the Use of Berets in the U.S. Army on the U.S. Army website.
External links
★ ArmyParatrooper.org - The DropzoneThe premier internet community for Paratroopers of all eras and countries.
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