Military beret


Troops began wearing berets as a part of the headgear of military uniforms in some European countries during the 19th century; since the mid-20th century, they have become a component of the uniforms of many armed forces throughout the world. Military berets are usually pushed to the right to free the shoulder that bears the rifle on most soldiers, but the armies of some countries, mostly within Europe, South America, and Asia, have influenced the push to the left.
In many countries, berets have become associated with elite units, who often wear berets in specific colours. For instance, the maroon beret is mostly traditional headgear for airborne forces around the world, with a few exceptions—for example, the Russian Airborne Troops, who wear a sky-blue beret, and the Portuguese Paratroopers who wear a green beret.

History

The use of beret-like headgear as a civilian headdress dates back hundreds of years, an early example being the Scottish Blue Bonnet, which became a de facto symbol of Scottish Jacobite forces in the 16th and 17th centuries. Berets themselves were first used as a military headdress in the 1830s during the First Carlist War in Spain, where they were said to have been imported from the South of France by Liberal forces, but were made famous by the opposing General Tomás de Zumalacárregui, who sported a white or red beret with a long tassel, which came to be an emblem of the Carlist cause.
The French Chasseurs alpins, created in the early 1880s, were the first regular unit to wear the military beret as a standard headgear. These mountain troops were issued with a uniform which included several features which were innovative for the time, notably the large and floppy blue beret which they still retain. This was so unfamiliar a fashion outside France that it had to be described in the Encyclopædia Britannica of 1911 as "a soft cap or tam o'shanter".
Berets have features that make them attractive to the military; they are cheap, easy to make in large numbers, can be manufactured in a wide range of colors encouraging esprit de corps, can be rolled up and stuffed into a pocket or beneath the shirt epaulette without damage, and can be worn with headphones.
The beret was found particularly practical as a uniform for armored vehicle crews; the British Royal Tank Regiment adopted a black beret which would not show oil stains and was officially approved in 1924. German Panzertruppen also adopted a black beret or Schutzmütze in 1934, which included a rubber skull cap as head protection inside.
The wearing of berets of distinctive colors by elite special forces originated with the British Parachute Regiment, whose maroon beret was officially approved in July 1942, followed by the Commando Forces whose green beret was approved in October of that year. The United States Army Special Forces adopted a darker green beret in 1955, although it was not officially approved until 1961.

By country

A

Afghanistan

Most berets were used by senior enlisted personnel and officers.

Algeria

Light green berets are used by para-commando units.

Angola

In the Angola Armed Forces, the following berets are in use:

Argentina

Berets are worn by some units in the Argentine Armed Forces, with distinctive colors for some units or functions. The beret colours are as follows:

Armenia

The Armed Forces continue to wear Soviet-style berets, which are draped to the right in most circumstances. When appearing in public on parade, the berets are draped to the left side so that the insignia shows to observing dignitaries and the public.
  • Light blue – Airborne forces, peacekeeping forces
  • Black – Police troops
  • Wine red – Special police troops
  • Bright green – Border guards

    Australia

In all service branches, the beret is "bashed" to the right and a badge or insignia is worn above the left eye. In the army, all units can wear them with certain units wearing unique ones. In the navy, the beret is an optional item and in the air force, it is only worn by certain units.

Austria

The Austrian coat of arms is worn on the left side of the beret. An exception are members of the special forces : after successfully completing the Basic Special Forces Course, they wear the Special Forces Badge instead of the coat of arms on their berets.

Azerbaijan

B

Bahrain

Belgium

Initially, the only unit of the Belgian military to wear berets were the i=unset from the 1930s. Since World War II they have been adopted by all units. Berets vary in colour according to the regiment, and carry a badge which is of gilt for officers, silver for non-commissioned officers and bronze for other ranks. Members of cavalry units all wear silver-coloured badges.

Benin

Bolivia

Berets in Bolivian Army:
  • Black – Paratroopers
  • Maroon – Armoured Corps
  • Green – Special Operations Forces, Commandos
  • Camouflage – Special Forces "Bolivian Condors"
  • Tan – Mountain Infantry
  • Blue – Engineer units
Berets in Bolivian Air Force:
  • Royal blue – Air Force Infantry personnel

    Brazil

Bulgaria

Berets have been worn by Bulgarian military personnel since 1991. Berets vary in colour according to the military branch, and carry a crest pin resembling the unit's insignia.

Cambodia

  • Dark red – 911 Special Forces Regiment
  • Royal purple – Military Police

    Cameroon

  • Bataillon des Troupes Aéroportées – Dark red/maroon
  • Bataillon Spécial Amphibie – Dark green
  • Bataillon d'Intervention Rapide – Light green
  • Fusiliers de l'Air – Royal blue
  • Fusiliers Marins – Black
  • Garde Presidentielle – Royal purple
  • All others army units – Navy blue
  • Gendarmerie – Red

    Canada

The colour of the beret is determined by the wearer's environment, branch, or mission. The beret colours listed below are the current standard:

Chile

Berets in Chilean Army:
Berets in Chilean Navy:
  • Black – Combat Divers, combat crews and Maritime Boarding and Police operatives
  • Green – Marine special forces
Berets in Chilean Air Force:
  • Dark blue – Parachuting demonstration group Boinas Azules and Ground troops
  • Black – Special forces

    China

Since May 5, 2000, the People's Liberation Army has adopted woolen berets for all its personnel, along with the traditional peaked caps.
Type 99 beret
  • Olive green – Ground Forces and Strategic Forces
  • Dark blue – Navy
  • Black – Marine corps
  • Blue-grey – Air Force
Berets were not officially adopted by the CAPF, but some of the forces issued their own types
NOT OFFICIAL:
During the 80s, camo berets were issued to some of the recon forces of PLA. It has no badge on it.
Type 07 uniform is being issued to both PLA and CAPF on August 1, 2007.
Colours of 07 berets are changed to the same colours with the service uniform. And several changes in designs were made from type 99 beret. The berets were not being issued until summer of 2009 to most of the troops.
Other than colours of the berets, the most significant difference between type 99 and type 07 is the type 99 beret badge is cloth, while type 07 is plastic.

Colombia

Berets are worn by all personnel of the National Army of Colombia, certain members of the Navy and National Police, with distinctive colors for some units or functions. The beret colors are:

Croatia

In the Croatian Army berets are used in special forces and guard brigades, as well as in cadet battalion.

During Croatian War of Independence, Croatian Army consisted of seven professional brigades—guard brigades, each having its beret colour. During the army reforms number of guard brigades was cut to two, but the battalions kept the names and insignia of ex brigades.
Joint staff:
Guard brigades:
  • Armored Mechanized Guard Brigade
  • *Black – 1st Mechanized Battalion "Sokolovi"
  • *Brown – 2nd Mechanized Battalion "Pume"
  • *Black – Tank Battalion "Kune"
  • Motorized Guard Brigade
  • *Black – 1st Mechanized Battalion "Tigrovi"
  • *Green – 2nd Mechanized Battalion "Gromovi"
  • *Black – 1st Motorized Battalion "Vukovi"
  • *Red – 2nd Motorized Battalion "Pauci"
Black beret is also used in Cadet battalion.
Also dark blue beret is used in Croatian Navy.

Cuba

In the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, the following berets are in use:

Czech Republic

The Armed Forces of the Czech Republic use berets for both battledress and display uniform. The colour of the beret signifies the branch of the armed forces. The beret displays the Czech Army badge and the rank of the individual.
The history of the military berets in the Czech military dates back at least to the World War I, when the Czechoslovak legionaires in France wore the standard field blue military berets as part of their uniforms. After the war and foundation of the First Czechoslovak Republic, the whole uniform continued to be used for ceremonial purposes by the Prague Castle guard. During the World War Two, the Czechoslovak soldiers serving in the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade wore the standard British combat uniforms, including the black beret for armoured corps, with Czechoslovak insignia.
After the war, in 1948, the newly established Czechoslovak Airborne forces adopted the maroon beret, inspired by those worn by the British Paras. After a brief discontinuation by the Communist leadership on ideological basis it was re-established in 1960s and continues to be used until this day. After the Velvet revolution berets were selected as the new standard head cover for the newly democratic Armed Forces, with several colour variants to distinguish the type of Forces or Corps being developed.
In 2023 the Czech Armed Forces updated the colours of their berets, completely discontinuing the orange beret for the Rescue and Civil defence forces and adopting two new colours: blue for the Prague Castle Guard and khaki for the Ground forces, both replacing the previous and broadly unpopular light green beret.