What is wrong with NBB headgear?

[MIKE]

I'm not against the beret as headgear... I'm against how it's been applied in CAP, but my views may be a bit too Euro for CAP. 

[Hawk200]

....If they stopped issuing the beret and renamed the actvity... How many people would still go?

I've been interested in attending Blue Beret for awhile. I'm probably one of the few that would go, and wouldn't wear the beret afterwards.

I wear a beanie in the Army Guard, and frankly, I hate the thing. It doesn't help me in my job in any manner, it's useless in the field, and you need both hands to put it on in a decent looking manner. I still think it's a joke that I went to the firing range a couple months ago, and got corrected for wearing a patrol cap at the range. I was told "Patrol caps are not authorized.". It's a field environment, not a formation. How does the beret help me when I'm there?

[Chris Jacobs]

I went to NBB for the air show, not for the beret.  Obviously it is a bonus thing, and i do like the beret, but it is not what made me want to go.  Tomorrow if the beret was taken away from the activity I would still go.  but i don't think that it would take away from the attitudes that are formed when a cadet goes to any special activity.

[Earhart1971]

That takes me back a few years in Florida Wing (late 60s early 70s).

Florida Wing had a Ranger School.

It was Army sponsored Ranger Training out of Eglin AFB, a course designed by and taught for CAP by real Army Rangers.

Cadets and Seniors who had passed the school, were allowed to wear the Ranger tab and the Black Beret.

A certain Wing Commander asked to be allowed to wear the Beret (without going to the School)

He was told, yes you can wear if, if you pass the course offered.

That was the end of the Black Beret wearing and the end of the School.

[Hawk200]

A certain Wing Commander asked to be allowed to wear the Beret (without going to the School)

He was told, yes you can wear if, if you pass the course offered.

That was the end of the Black Beret wearing and the end of the School.

Why do I get the feeling I know who the Wing CC was?

Although I do have some issues with the wear of the Army Ranger tab if you didn't attend the Army Ranger course.

[Earhart1971]

A certain Wing Commander asked to be allowed to wear the Beret (without going to the School)

He was told, yes you can wear if, if you pass the course offered.

That was the end of the Black Beret wearing and the end of the School.

Why do I get the feeling I know who the Wing CC was?

Although I do have some issues with the wear of the Army Ranger tab if you didn't attend the Army Ranger course.

LOL, other than that he was a pretty good Wing Commander.

My Squadron members were Reserve Army Rangers, they helped get the program started, and it was a great program while it lasted.

But darn it, they closed it down as I became a buck Cadet Sgt and qualifed to go.

[fyrfitrmedic]

 I've seen some really crappy attitudes and bad behavior from a few NBB grads and staffers over the years, and I've seen some really crappy attitudes and bad behavior from a few HMRS grads and staffers over the years.

Clothes don't make the man, and bling and beanies don't make the [fill in colorful word for not-nice person here]. It's way too easy to demonize either program and seems to be a full-time occupation of various agendists around the organization as a whole.

Anybody else remember when DEWG wore maroon berets and had the 'DIRT' program? I had signed up as a cadet and received notice that the plug had been pulled; rumors seemed to swirl for a while as to why but I don't remember ever hearing anything beyond scuttlebutt.

[JohnKachenmeister]

I want everyone to keep in mind at no time am I condoning the permanent wear of the "beanie", as it has been refereed to, in place of regulation cover for a specific uniform. What I am defending is the awarding of said head gear with the understanding that is to be worn only while attending NBB and very special occasions.

Beanie is a slang term for the beret.  See also: Brain Mitten

See also:  "Monica Lewinsky Hat."  (That's what the Marines started calling the Army's black beret when Clinton took it away from the Rangers and gave it to everybody.)

[TankerT]

Although I do have some issues with the wear of the Army Ranger tab if you didn't attend the Army Ranger course.

Wha?  But... I attended my fourth encampment... and we spent a half day in the woods doing Ranger training!

/Busted a guy for wearing jump wings when he shouldn't have... since... he had never been to jump school.
//Busted a guy for wearing SEAL Trident... that was fun..
///Some cadet "busted" me for wearing jump wings... because CAP doesn't have an airborne school... HA!

[Hawk200]

///Some cadet "busted" me for wearing jump wings... because CAP doesn't have an airborne school... HA!

I hope you chewed him royally. I don't mind cadets "correcting" if they do it politely. I will educate a cadet when he attempts to tell me something that I know for a fact is incorrect.

But I have issues with some of these cadets that are far too big for their britches, and seem to think that because they made SrA in the cadet program that they are experts in all things military.

I had a cadet tell me I was saluting wrong. Asked him if he had a copy of the drill manual, he did. Told him to look it up. Lo and behold, I was actually saluting in the exact manner shown in the manual. Gotta love it.

[DNall]

///Some cadet "busted" me for wearing jump wings... because CAP doesn't have an airborne school... HA!

I hope you chewed him royally. I don't mind cadets "correcting" if they do it politely. I will educate a cadet when he attempts to tell me something that I know for a fact is incorrect.

That's funny, laugh at them. Better yet, keep a straight face & tell them your US Army does & maybe if they're good you'll let them join some day.

But I have issues with some of these cadets that are far too big for their britches, and seem to think that because they made SrA in the cadet program that they are experts in all things military.

Oh they get uppity on a wider range of things then that. Reel that back in with proper application of leadership & command presence.

I had a cadet that tell me I was saluting wrong. Asked him if he had a copy of the drill manual, he did. Told him to look it up. Lo and behold, I was actually saluting in the exact manner shown in the manual. Gotta love it.

Nice. They're usually smart enough to know the seniors that have it down & not mess with them much. I'd just assume them go take up the issue with the other type of aeniors though.

[TankerT]

///Some cadet "busted" me for wearing jump wings... because CAP doesn't have an airborne school... HA!

I hope you chewed him royally. I don't mind cadets "correcting" if they do it politely. I will educate a cadet when he attempts to tell me something that I know for a fact is incorrect.

That's funny, laugh at them. Better yet, keep a straight face & tell them your US Army does & maybe if they're good you'll let them join some day.

I didn't really laugh... but... that's fairly close to how it went.

Almost as funny as the time some other cadet accused me of being a "PX Ranger" (His exact words).  When I asked him "huh?" he pointed to a set of wings I was wearing... and dressed me down about them, saying that there was no way I could have earned them.  (He thought they were something from Canada for some reason...)  I promptly pulled out and unfolded a photocopy of a diploma from my wallet and handed it to the kid.  (I knew someone was going to go there sometime....)  He promptly states "I can't read this."  I told him to go learn Thai... and then tell me I never earned those wings.  (The only thing in English on that document was my name, grade and the words "Royal Thai Army - Lop Buri."  All the other characters were whatever you call the "Thai" letters...)  FYI - I did earn them fair and square....

[RiverAux]

I remember one NBB grad in the squadron I was in as a cadet many years ago.  He was one of the most squared away cadets in the unit and I don't remember any attitude.  Don't recall meeting any since. 

However, I do think the headgear should only be worn, if at all, at the event itself.  I think it is a distraction from unit cohesion elsewhere.

[Guardrail]

Does anyone know why National approved wear of the blue beret after NBB?

[shorning]

Does anyone know why National approved wear of the blue beret after NBB?

Because "National Yellow Hardhat" would have been a funny name for an activity.

[CAP428]

It seems to me, by reading these posts, that the majority of you have a problem with the elitist attitude some people take on, not with the beret itself.

The beret simply becomes a scapegoat, a material symbol to which you can affix your disapproval with the ego problem some people have.

So we should deal with the real problem: eliminating machoism mentality and swelling egos and leave the beret alone.

"We earned it" and "it looks cool" are not stupid arguments.  After all, if the argument against Hawk bling is that it looks stupid, why would we cut out another thing because it looks cool?  That's circular logic.

A cover is a cover, so it really doesn't matter what you have on your head.  So if one looks cooler ot you than another, why not wear it?

I have yet to see a valid argument against wearing the beret, because the argument of ego is another issue in itself.

[AlphaSigOU]

(The only thing in English on that document was my name, grade and the words "Royal Thai Army - Lop Buri."  All the other characters were whatever you call the "Thai" letters...)  FYI - I did earn them fair and square....

Thai is written in the Sanskrit alphabet.

[Nick Critelli]

OK  Here's my NBB story.  Most of you know me as the quiet, timid and mild mannered guy from the IAWG.  Couple of years ago I went to NBB.  I would highly recommend it for officers and cadets.  It was a wonderful experience. 

There was a big buildup and a lot of anticipation about getting the cover. All of us waited in anxious anticipation.  The big day finally arrived. We were given our berets and instructions on how to "prep" them.  You know...you have to  soak the cover, forming it, etc. 

Finally I had the much coveted beret. I would wear it proudly, stand taller...shades of Patton  I thought   I soaked it, formed it and put it on my head with just the right angle and looked in the mirror.  Instead of a General George Patton-like figure looking back at me I was shocked at what I saw. It seemed that the blue/black die had run...all down my face.  I looked like the aged rock star Alice Cooper.  Last time I wore the beret. 


Nick

[ZigZag911]

Does anyone know why National approved wear of the blue beret after NBB?

Because it was strongly supported by the National CC of the day, Brig Gen Anderson (recently appointed National DCS for Startegic Mission)

[carnold1836]

I remember one NBB grad in the squadron I was in as a cadet many years ago.  He was one of the most squared away cadets in the unit and I don't remember any attitude.  Don't recall meeting any since. 

However, I do think the headgear should only be worn, if at all, at the event itself.  I think it is a distraction from unit cohesion elsewhere.

My NBB cadet is the same way, He is really awesome and was a great 1st Sgt for 9 months. I Finlay got him to get his Mitchell. He is distinctly squared away and is always a pleasure to work with for both cadets and Officers. If I had an entire squadron like him I would have squadron of the century locked up.