The maroon beret in a military configuration has been an international symbol of
airborne forces since the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
. It was first officially introduced by the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
in 1942, at the direction of
Major-General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Frederick "Boy" Browning, commander of the
British 1st Airborne Division. It was first worn by the
Parachute Regiment in
action in North Africa during November 1942.
Origins
The first British army unit to adopt the beret was the Armoured Corps in 1924 (for more information see
black beret
The black beret is a type of headgear. It is commonly worn by paramilitaries and militaries around the world, particularly armored forces such as the British Army's Royal Tank Regiment (RTR), the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC), and Royal A ...
).
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
some British Army units followed the lead of the Armoured Corps and adopted the beret as a practical headgear, for soldiers who needed a hat that could be worn in confined areas, slept in and could be stowed in a small space when they wore
steel helmets.
A popular story is that the maroon colour was chosen by Major-General Frederick Browning, after his wife,
Daphne du Maurier
Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning, (; 13 May 1907 – 19 April 1989) was an English novelist, biographer and playwright. Her parents were actor-manager Sir Gerald du Maurier and his wife, actress Muriel Beaumont. Her grandfather was Geo ...
, suggested that he use the colour which made up part of his horse racing colours. However, in a letter, now in the British Airborne Assault Archive, she wrote that it was untrue. Whatever its origin, the maroon beret was adopted by the British paratroopers in July 1942. Initially it was adorned with an Army Air Corps badge. This was replaced with the Parachute Regiment badge in 1943.
It was during the
Western Desert Campaign (1940–1943) that the Germans in the
Africa Korps
The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (, }; DAK) was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African Campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of its African colonies, the ...
began to refer to members of the British Parachute Brigade as ''Rote Teufel'' (Red Devils) after their maroon berets and their fighting skills.
Afghan Armed Forces
The maroon beret was worn by members of the Afghan National Army
Commando Brigade.
Austrian Armed Forces
The maroon beret is worn by all members of the 25th (Airborne) Infantry Battalion (''Jägerbataillon 25'') of the
Austrian Armed Forces
The Austrian Armed Forces (german: Bundesheer, lit=Federal Army) are the combined military forces of the Republic of Austria.
The military consists of 22,050 active-duty personnel and 125,600 reservists. The military budget is 0.74% of nati ...
(''Bundesheer''), which is a mixed airborne/air assault unit.
The Special Forces group of the Austrian Armed Forces (
Jagdkommando
The Jagdkommando (German for ''Hunting Commando'') is the Austrian Armed Forces' Special Operations group.
Role
The duties of this elite unit, like its counterparts such as the United States Army Special Forces, are chiefly counter-terrorism an ...
) also originally wore the maroon beret because of their airborne capability, but adopted an olive-green beret in 2003. In addition, the
Austrian coat of arms is only used as cap badge until the successful completion of the basic selection course (''Jagdkommandogrundkurs''), after which Jagdkommando members wear a cloth version of the ''Kommandoabzeichen'' (="commando badge").
Australian Army
Maroon (also referred to as Dull Cherry) berets were worn by parachute qualified members of the
3 RAR
The 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) is a mechanised infantry battalion of the Australian Army, based in Kapyong Lines, Townsville as part of the 3rd Brigade. 3 RAR traces its lineage to 1945 and has seen operational servi ...
Parachute Battalion Group from 1985 – 2012, when the parachute role was performed by 3 RAR. In addition to the battalion, the Group included
A Field Battery, Parachute Surgical Team, and Engineer and Signals elements. The beret was worn with the
Royal Australian Regiment
The Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) is the parent administrative regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army and is the senior infantry regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. It was originally formed in 1948 as a t ...
Badge by Infantrymen at the battalion, and individual Corps badges for other Corps members as appropriate.
2nd Commando Regiment
The 2nd Commando Regiment is a special forces unit of the Australian Army and is part of Special Operations Command. The regiment was established on 19 June 2009 when the 4th Battalion RAR (Commando) was renamed. It is based at Holsworthy, ...
now effectively perform the parachuting function formerly held by 3 RAR; they wear a Green Beret with a Commando Badge.
Qualified parachutists posted to
Parachute Training School (PTS) wore the beret (or their Special Air Service or Commando Regt beret as appropriate) with individual Corps / Regimental Badges until a few years ago.
The beret is worn by any
parachute rigger
A parachute rigger is a person who is trained or licensed to pack, maintain or repair parachutes. A rigger is required to understand fabrics, hardware, webbing, regulations, sewing, packing, and other aspects related to the building, packing, repa ...
of
RAAOC in a parachute rigger posting.
The beret was previously also worn by the Airborne Platoon Royal Australian Regiment 1951–1974, then the Australian Special Air Service Company (with the Royal Australian Infantry Corps Badge). When the
Special Air Service Regiment
The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR though commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army. Formed in 1957, it was modelled on the British SAS sharing the motto, "Who Dares Wins". The re ...
was formed this was replaced by the tan beret (sometimes referred to as the sandy beret) with SASR Badge.
Azerbaijan Army
The
Republic of Azerbaijan
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th ...
special forces wear a maroon beret.
Bangladesh Army
All members of the
Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army is the land warfare branch and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities to deliver the Bangladeshi government's security and defe ...
special forces
1st Para Commando Brigade Special Forces' battalions wear Maroon Berets with para commando cap badge. Besides all members of the
Bangladesh Army Aviation Group
The Army Aviation Group is the army aviation unit of the Bangladesh Army. The AAG conducts military air operations and is responsible for doctrine, manning and configuration for all aviation resources in the Army.
History Origin
The unit star ...
,
Army Medical Corps,
Army Dental Corps
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
and
Armed Forces Nursing Services of
Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army is the land warfare branch and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities to deliver the Bangladeshi government's security and defe ...
wear Maroon Berets with respective cap badges. Besides, cadets of Mirzapur Cadet College, a military boarding school, are also entitled to wear maroon berets.
Belgian Army
The
Paracommando Brigade (Belgium)
The Special Operations Regiment is an elite fighting force in the Belgian Land Component, consisting of two paracommando battalions, the Special Forces Group and a support unit of the Communication & Informationsystems Group (CIS). Known until ...
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 Parachute Infantry Brigade (
Brigada de Infantaria Paraquedista) one of the elite brigades of the Brazilian Armed Forces.
British Army
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
Regiments wear distinctive headdress and
cap badges which often reflect regimental history.
Members of the
Parachute Regiment and other arms serving in
16th Air Assault Brigade wear the maroon beret. A maroon beret does not mean the wearer is qualified as a military parachutist. Personnel qualified as military parachutists wear the
Parachutist Badge
A parachutist badge (or parachutist brevet) is a military badge awarded by the armed forces of many states to soldiers who have received parachute training and completed the required number of jumps. It is difficult to assess which country was the ...
. The beret is often called (within the Army) the "maroon machine".
Brunei Armed Forces
The Special Forces Regiment ( ms, Regimen Pasukan Khas, "''RPK''") wear a maroon beret.
Burkina Faso Armed Forces
Members of the Burkina Faso Armed Forces wear a maroon beret.
Canadian Army
Jump-qualified personnel in parachute units of the
Canadian Army
The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also res ...
wear the maroon, provided they are in a designated parachute position. These are as follows:
* "Z" Battery, 1st Regiment,
Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery is the name given to the regular field artillery units of the Canadian Army.
Organization
The Regular Force has three RCHA regiments:
; 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery: this is the descendant of ...
* "E" and "Y" Batteries, 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
* 4 Troop, 12 Field Squadron,
1 Combat Engineer Regiment
1 Combat Engineer Regiment (1 CER, french: links=no, 1er Régiment du génie de combat) is a Regular Force regiment of the Royal Canadian Engineers (RCE) commanded by a lieutenant-colonel. Its headquarters is in the Patton Building at CFB Edmon ...
* 5 Troop, 24 Field Squadron,
2 Combat Engineer Regiment
2 Combat Engineer Regiment is a regiment of the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers; a subdivision of the Canadian Military Engineers. It is located at Garrison Petawawa, and is part of 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group. 2 CER was redesignate ...
* 5 Troop, 53 Field Squadron,
5 Combat Engineer Regiment
5 Combat Engineer Regiment (French: ''5e Régiment du genie de combat'') is a regular combat engineer unit of the Canadian Forces stationed at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier in Quebec. 5 CER is the only Canadian combat engineer regiment operat ...
* "M" Company, 3rd Battalion,
The Royal Canadian Regiment
* "B" Company, 3rd Battalion,
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
* "A" Company, 3rd Battalion,
Royal 22e Régiment
* Instructors, packer/riggers and jump-slotted members of the
Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre
The Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre (CAAWC, french: links=no, Centre d'instruction supérieure de l'Armée canadienne), formerly Canadian Forces Land Advanced Warfare Centre (CFLAWC), Canadian Parachute Centre (CPC), and Canadian Airborne Cen ...
at
CFB Trenton
Canadian Forces Base Trenton (also CFB Trenton), formerly RCAF Station Trenton, is a Canadian Forces base located within the city of Quinte West, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is the hub ...
* Parachute Company,
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
("In peace prepared")
, colours = None (Rifle regiments have no colours)
, march =
, mascot =
, battle_honours = See #Battle honours
, website ...
Chilean Army
Since the creation of the Armored Cavalry in the Army, all personnel who serve in the Armored Cavalry unit wear maroon berets, using the same badges regardless of each member's speciality. Specialists in Armored Cavalry are trained in the Escuela de Caballería Blindada del Ejército (Armored Cavalry School of Army), and currently it is the only branch of service whose members all wear berets; the other berets used in the Chilean Army distinguished only specialists (mountain troops, paratroopers, or special forces) and, in the last years, the combined branch of service regiment, called Regimientos Reforzados.
Czech Army
A maroon beret is worn by
601st Special Forces Group and by all members of
4th Rapid Deployment Brigade.
Danish Army Special Forces
Danish Army Special Forces,
Jægerkorpset
The Jaeger Corps also known as the Huntsmen Corps ( da, Jægerkorpset) is an elite special operations force of the Danish Defence part of Special Operations Command, formerly of the Royal Danish Army, based at Aalborg Air Base.
History
The Jae ...
wears the Maroon Beret with a brass emblem depicting a hunter's bugle on a black felt liner. The beret is issued after completion of 16 weeks of SF training. However, not before 1 year of additional satisfactory service in JGK is the wearer issued the shoulder patch "JÆGER" and may call himself by this name.
French Army
Since the 1957, almost all
French Army paratroopers wear an amarante (dark red) beret. Exceptions include the
Legionnaires and
Naval Commandos, who retain their
green beret
The green beret was the official headdress of the British Commandos of the Second World War. It is still worn by members of the Royal Marines after passing the Commando Course, and personnel from other units of the Royal Navy, Army and RAF wh ...
s, and the
Air Parachute Commandos, who wear a dark blue beret.
Finnish Army
The Special Jäger Battalion (Finnish: Erikoisjääkäripataljoona) trains personnel in the
Utti Jaeger Regiment
The Utti Jaeger Regiment ( fi, Utin Jääkärirykmentti, ()) is the Finnish Army training and development centre for special forces and helicopter operations in charge of the Army Special Forces Unit and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
F ...
,
Utti Utti is a village in Valkeala, since 2009 a part of Kouvola, Finland. In 1918 General Carl Gustaf Mannerheim set up the first Finnish Air Force base in the village. Today, Utti is best known for the Utti Jaeger Regiment, a helicopter base and a t ...
, Finland. Jump-qualified personnel are allowed to wear the maroon beret.
German Army
A maroon beret is worn by the German
Kommando Spezialkräfte
The Kommando Spezialkräfte (''Special Forces Command, KSK'') is the special forces military command of the German Army. The KSK has received decorations and awards from NATO, the United States, and its affiliates. KSK operatives have taken pa ...
(KSK, Special Forces), all members of the
Division Schnelle Kräfte (DSK, containing the
Fallschirmjager) and the
German Army Aviation Corps
The German Army Aviation Corps (german: Heeresfliegertruppe) is a special unit within the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). The German Army Aviation Corps is a branch of the German Army (''Heer''), containing all its helicopter units. The German ...
(Heeresfliegertruppe).
Greek Army
Maroon berets are worn by members of the
1st Army Aviation Brigade.
Guatemalan Army
Maroon berets are worn by
Kaibiles
The Kaibiles are a special operations wing of the Armed Forces of Guatemala. They specialize in jungle warfare tactics and counter-insurgency operations. Since 1974, more than 1,250 soldiers have graduated from the international training pro ...
, Guatemala's special forces.
India
Army
The
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
's
Parachute Regiment, including the
Para (Special Forces)
Para (Special Forces), also known as Para SF, are a group of special forces battalions of the Parachute Regiment in the Indian Army. These units specialize in various roles including hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, unconventional warfare ...
, wears the maroon beret.
President's Bodyguard
The President's Bodyguard (PBG) is an elite household cavalry regiment of the Indian Army. It is the senior-most regiment in the order of precedence of the units of the Indian Army. The primary role of the President's Bodyguard is to escort and ...
, a ceremonial guard unit with their operational role as the
pathfinder
Pathfinder may refer to:
Businesses
* Pathfinder Energy Services, a division of Smith International
* Pathfinder Press, a publisher of socialist literature
Computing and information science
* Path Finder, a Macintosh file browser
* Pathfinder ( ...
company of the
parachute brigade, also wears the maroon beret. All para qualified personnel in an airborne formation (eg.
50th Parachute Brigade) wear the maroon beret.
Navy
The
MARCOS Marcos may refer to:
People with the given name ''Marcos''
*Marcos (given name)
Sports
;Surnamed
* Dayton Marcos, Negro league baseball team from Dayton, Ohio (early twentieth-century)
* Dimitris Markos, Greek footballer
* Nélson Marcos, Portug ...
(Marine Commandos) of the Indian Navy are all para qualified and wear the maroon beret. They are the only Indian unit qualified to para drop into water with a full combat load.
Air Force
The
Indian Air Force's special operations force,
Garud Commando Force
The Garud Commando Force is the special forces unit of the Indian Air Force. It was formed in September 2004 and has a current strength of over 1500 personnel. The unit derives its name from ''Garuda'', a divine bird-like creature in Hindu cultur ...
, also wears the maroon beret and are parachute trained, with some personnel even free fall qualified.
Indonesia
Because Indonesian Airborne Paratrooper Battalions () are part of the
Kostrad
The Army Strategic Reserves Command ( id, Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated ) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operati ...
infantry division, they do not wear maroon berets as an independent regiment or corps, but instead wear green berets (Kostrad berets), identifying an army infantry group which is in the internal scope of the Kostrad division command.
Army
Maroon berets are the official headgear of
Army Aviation Center. This beret is worn by all its personnel. Established on 23 March 2007, the beret replaced all the berets previously used by the personnel.
Navy
In the
Indonesian Navy
The Indonesian Navy ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut, , Indonesian National Military-Naval Force, TNI-AL) is the naval branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It was founded on 10 September 1945 and has a role to patrol ...
naval special forces unit,
KOPASKA,
tactical divers wear maroon berets.
Israeli Army
In the
Israel Defense Forces, maroon beret is worn by the
Tzanhanim Paratrooper Brigade and some elite special forces units (
Sayeret Matkal
General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (formerly Unit 269 or Unit 262), more commonly known as Sayeret Matkal ( he, סיירת מטכ״ל) is the special reconnaissance unit (''sayeret'') of Israel's General Staff (''matkal''). It is the prime special ...
,
Oketz
The Oketz Unit ( he, יחידת עוקץ, ''lit.'' sting), is the independent canine special forces (sayeret) unit of the Israel Defense Forces.
History
It was founded in 1939 as part of Haganah, and later dismantled in 1954. In 1974, a new un ...
,
Maglan
Maglan (Hebrew: מגלן. Also known as Unit 212 or Sayeret Maglan) is an Israeli sayeret (''reconnaissance'') unit, which specializes in operating behind enemy lines and deep in enemy territory using advanced technologies and weaponry. Though ...
,
Duvdevan
Unit 217, frequently called Duvdevan ( he, דובדבן, lit=cherry), is a ''mistaʽaravim'' unit in the Commando Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces.
It is notable for its undercover operations in urban areas, during which its operators of ...
,
Egoz and others).
Italian Army
In the
Italian Armed Forces, maroon berets are worn only by paratroopers: the army units
Folgore Parachute Brigade
Folgore is the Italian word for ''lightning''. It may refer to:
Military
* Macchi C.202 ''Folgore'', an Italian fighter of World War II
* Breda Folgore, an Italian anti-armor weapon
*Traditional name for parachute units of the Italian Army
** 185t ...
,
Carabinieri Regiment "Tuscania"
The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign poli ...
and
Gruppo di intervento speciale, and the police elite unit
Nucleo operativo centrale di sicurezza
The ''Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza'' (NOCS) ( en, Central Security Task Group) is the police tactical unit of the Polizia di Stato, one of Italy's national police forces. It operates under the command of the ''Direzione Centrale della P ...
.
Lithuanian Armed Forces
In the
Lithuanian Armed Forces
The Lithuanian Armed Forces () are the military of Lithuania. The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of the Lithuanian Land Forces, the Lithuanian Naval Force and the Lithuanian Air Force. In wartime, the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service ( ...
, maroon berets are worn only by
Volunteer Forces.
Malaysia
Army
The
Malaysian Army
The Malaysian Army ( ms, Tentera Darat Malaysia; Jawi: تنترا دارت مليسيا) is the land component of the Malaysian Armed Forces. Steeped in British Army traditions, the Malaysian Army does not carry the title ‘royal’ () as do t ...
's elite
10th Parachute Brigade has worn the maroon beret since its establishment in 1994.
Police
The
Royal Malaysia Police
The Royal Malaysia Police (often abbreviated RMP) ( ms, Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM)), is a (primarily) uniformed national and federal police force in Malaysia. The force is a centralised organisation. Its headquarters are located at Bukit Aman ...
has a two units wearing the maroon berets. The unit is:
* The
Pasukan Gerakan Khas
''Pasukan Gerakan Khas'' (Abbreviation: PGK; 'Special Operations Command — Police SOCOM', Jawi: ڤاسوكن ڬرقن خاص) is a special operations command of the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP). The PGK has two distinct sub-units; the Specia ...
A-Detachment, also known as the
Special Actions Unit, has worn the maroon beret with black hackle since its formation on 1 January 1975.
* The
Senoi Praaq
) The Silent Killer( ms, Pembunuh Senyap)
, patron =
, motto ="We never killed anyone who didn't deserve to die"( ms, "Kami tidak pernah membunuh sesiapa yang tidak berhak untuk mati")"Cepat, Cekap, Ihsan"(''"Speed, Efficiency, Courtesy"'')
, ...
of the
General Operations Force
The General Operations Force ( ms, Pasukan Gerakan Am; PGA, ''Jawi'': ڤاسوكن ڬرقن عام) is the light infantry arm of the Royal Malaysia Police. The General Operations Force was established in 1948 during the Malayan Emergency by t ...
wears the maroon beret with yellow hackle.
Both of the units had their maroon berets bestowed by the
Special Air Service.
Lebanese Army
The maroon berets are worn by the Army Rangers Regiment known as Maghaweer and by the Navy Seals known as Maghaweer El Bahr (Naval Commando). The current commander in chief General Joseph Aoun, himself having been in Maghaweer, allowed military personnel who have a Ranger badge to keep wearing their maroon berets even when serving in other non special forces units. The current military council (6 members) includes two Maghaweer General Joseph Aoun and Major General Georges Chreim.
Mexican Army
The maroon berets are worn by Mexico's Parachute Rifle Brigade called the
Brigada de Fusileros Paracaidistas
The Brigada de Fusileros Paracaidistas (Parachute Riflemen Brigade) , also known as Chutes, is the Mexican Army premier airborne light infantry unit similar to the 75th Ranger Regiment and the British SFSG, the unit act as support for combat ope ...
created in 1969 as a rapid response team.
Namibian Army
The maroon beret is worn by
Namibian Special Forces
The Namibian Special Forces is a special operations command of the Namibian Defence Force responsible for special forces and special operations capable units. The command consists of Army commandos, Army Airborne paratroopers and the Marine C ...
specifically the Commandos and Paratroopers.
Netherlands Army
The
Dutch Army
The Royal Netherlands Army ( nl, Koninklijke Landmacht) is the land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised – making the Dutc ...
's Air Mobile Force/Light infantry, ''
11 Luchtmobiele Brigade
The 11 Air Assault Brigade ( nl, 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade) is the rapid light infantry brigade of the Royal Netherlands Army, focused on conducting air assault operations. Troops of the brigade are qualified to wear the maroon beret upon completion ...
'', which translates to 11 Air Mobile Brigade, wear "The Maroon Berets" (aka the Red Beret) as a sign of their status upon completion of their training.
Norwegian Army
The
Norwegian Special Operations Commando has worn the maroon beret since its establishment in 1981.
Pakistan
Army
The
Special Service Group
, colors = Maroon, sky blue
, colors_label = Colours
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment =
, ...
(SSG) wears a maroon beret with a silver SSG badge on a sky blue flash.
Line infantry regiments which were parachute trained wore their own regiments' berets till airborne role was taken away from infantry and assigned to SSG which became the army's only airborne outfit from 1964 onwards.
In addition to SSG, Army Aviation and Air Defence, Army medical corps wear maroon berets
Navy
Navy's Special Service Group, SSG(N) wear maroon berets
Air Force
PAF's elite Special Service Wing (SSW) wears maroon berets
Polish Army
The maroon beret is worn by paratroopers in the
Polish Armed Forces
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland ( pl, Siły Zbrojne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, abbreviated ''SZ RP''; popularly called ''Wojsko Polskie'' in Poland, abbreviated ''WP''—roughly, the "Polish Military") are the national armed forces of ...
, called the ''Bordowe Berety'' in Polish, and also members of the air cavalry. The beret is always decorated with an embroidered White Eagle (Polish coat of arms) and rank insignia. It is worn with the ceremonial uniform as well as the field uniform.
Portuguese Armed Forces
In the
Portuguese Armed Forces
The Portuguese Armed Forces ( pt, Forças Armadas) are the military of Portugal. They include the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the other unified bodies and the three service branches: Portuguese Navy, Portuguese Army and Portuguese Air ...
, the maroon beret was worn by the members of the
GEP Battalion , from 1971 to 1974.
The GEP was an elite paramilitary paratrooper unit, consisting of native volunteers, that were employed in
counter-insurgency operations, during the
Mozambican War of Independence
The Mozambican War of Independence ( pt, Guerra da Independência de Moçambique, 'War of Independence of Mozambique') was an armed conflict between the guerrilla forces of the Mozambique Liberation Front or FRELIMO () and Portugal. The w ...
.
Russian Armed Forces
The maroon beret is worn by members of elite
Ministry of Internal Affairs
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministry ...
(MVD)
Spetsnaz
Spetsnaz are special forces in numerous post-Soviet states. (The term is borrowed from rus, спецназ, p=spʲɪtsˈnas; abbreviation for or 'Special Purpose Military Units'; or .)
Historically, the term ''spetsnaz'' referred to the S ...
units, although it is referred to as meaning crimson. In a contrast to the Western style, Russian troops wear the badge on the beret over the right eye.
Serbian Armed Forces
The maroon beret is worn by members of elite
63rd Parachute Brigade
The 63rd Parachute Brigade ( sr, 63. падобранска бригада, 63. padobranska brigada) is an airborne and special reconnaissance unit, one of two special forces brigades (other being 72nd Brigade for Special Operations) of the Serbi ...
, the only parachute unit of the Serbian Armed Forces.
Singapore Armed Forces Commandos
The Maroon Beret or Red Beret is worn by the elite commandos of the
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country. A military component of the Ministry of Defence (MIND ...
depicting their status as an elite airborne and special forces unit.
Slovak Armed Forces
A maroon beret is worn by members of the
5th Special Operations Regiment and by the qualified Slovak Air Force Search and Rescue service members.
Somali Armed Forces
The maroon beret is the standard issue beret of the
Somali Army
The Somali National Army ( Somali: ''Xooga Dalka Soomaaliyeed,'' lit. ''"Somali Ground Forces"'') is the ground forces component of the Somali Armed Forces, and is the largest out of the three service branches that make up the majority of the A ...
.
South Africa
The maroon beret is worn by both the
Special Forces and
44 Parachute Regiment
44 Parachute Regiment is the South African Army's chief airborne infantry unit. It was created in 2000 by redesignating 44 Parachute Brigade, and is based at the Tempe military base near Bloemfontein.
History Origin
The first South Afric ...
. (Parachute qualified members of
7 Medical Battalion Group
7 Medical Battalion Group is the specialist Airborne Medical Unit of the South African Military Health Service. The Battalion's main task is to render medical support to the South African Airborne and Special Forces.
Other specialties of the Ba ...
wear the standard crimson beret of the
South African Military Health Service.)
Soviet Union
In the Soviet Union, paratroopers wore a maroon beret until the late 1960s when General
Vasily Filipovich 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
The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
and the cornflower blue helmets worn by Soviet paratroopers during the
Great Patriotic War
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of conflict between the European Axis powers against the Soviet Union (USSR), Poland and other Allies, which encompassed Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northeast Europe (Baltics), and Sou ...
.
Spanish Army
The
1st King's Immemorial Infantry Regiment of AHQ
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
, the oldest military unit in the world, wears the maroon beret.
The Regimiento de Inteligencia 1 (Intelligence Regiment 1) based in Valencia wears the maroon beret, as do all units belonging to the Cuartel General Terrestre de Alta disponibilidad (GTAD). Spanish airborne forces have traditionally worn a black beret.
Sri Lanka Army
The
Commando Regiment of the
Sri Lanka Army
ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம்
, image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army
, start_date ...
wears the maroon beret, and is one of the two special forces in
Sri Lanka Army
ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம்
, image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army
, start_date ...
along with the
Special Forces Regiment
Special or specials may refer to:
Policing
* Specials, Ulster Special Constabulary, the Northern Ireland police force
* Specials, Special Constable, an auxiliary, volunteer, or temporary; police worker or police officer
Literature
* ''Speci ...
.
Swedish Army
A maroon beret is worn by ''
Fallskärmsjägarna'', a jump qualified Swedish Army special operations unit. This is an airborne commando unit focused on intelligence gathering and squad level combat deep behind enemy lines.
Royal Thai Army
The
Royal Thai Army
The Royal Thai Army or RTA ( th, กองทัพบกไทย; ) is the army of Thailand and the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
History
Origin
The Royal Thai Army is responsible for protecting the kingdom's ...
Special Operations Force
Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
and paratroopers in the
31st Infantry Regiment, King Bhumibol's Guard wear the maroon beret.
Turkey
The
Turkish Armed Forces
The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF; tr, Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri, TSK) are the military forces of the Republic of Turkey. Turkish Armed Forces consist of the General Staff, the Land Forces, the Naval Forces and the Air Forces. The current Chi ...
Special Operations Force
Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
, aka ''Bordo Bereliler'', which translates as "The Maroon Berets", is named for their distinctive headgear.
Ukraine
On 21 November 2017 (Ukraine's Paratroopers' Day) the color of the
Ukrainian paratroopers was changed to maroon, replacing soviet-style blue, as a part of new army uniform. The Air Assault Forces also received its new insignia (the dome of a parachute "as a symbol of airborne units around the world" and the wings of
Archangel Michael
Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), also ...
and "the flaming sword with which he hits the enemies").
[Poroshenko: 469 Ukrainian paratroopers killed in Donbas amid war](_blank)
UNIAN
The UNIAN or Ukrainian Independent Information Agency of News ( uk, Українське Незалежне Інформаційне Агентство Новин, УНІАН, translit=Ukrayins'ke Nezalezhne Informatsiyne Ahentstvo Novyn) is a ...
(21 November 2017)
United States
United States Air Force
Maroon berets are worn by
United States Air Force Pararescue
Pararescuemen (also known as PJs) are United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and Air Combat Command (ACC) operators tasked with recovery and medical treatment of personnel in humanitarian and combat environments. These speci ...
personnel and
United States Air Force Combat Rescue Officer
Combat Rescue Officer (CRO) is a Special Warfare Officer career field in the United States Air Force. Its Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) is 19ZXC and it was created to strengthen USAF Special Warfare personnel recovery capabilities by providing ...
s.
Pararescuemen (PJs) are among the most highly trained emergency trauma specialists in the U.S. military and the only ones in the Department of Defense specifically trained and equipped to conduct conventional and unconventional rescue processes, making them the ideal force to handle personnel recovery and combat search and rescue operations. In early 1966, General John P. McConnell, then Air Force Chief of Staff, approved the wearing of the maroon beret.
United States Army
In 1943, during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
,
Lieutenant-General Sir
''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as ...
Frederick Browning
Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Arthur Montague "Boy" Browning, (20 December 1896 – 14 March 1965) was a senior officer of the British Army who has been called the "father of the British airborne forces". He was also an Olympic bobslei ...
, commander of the
British I 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-style maroon berets.
US Army advisers to Vietnamese airborne forces wore the Vietnamese French-style red beret during the Vietnam War.
[Army Black Beret: A Short History of the Use of Berets in the U.S. Army]
Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) policy from 1973 through 1979 permitted local commanders to encourage morale-enhancing distinctions. Airborne forces chose to wear the maroon international parachute beret as a mark of distinction. However, due to the variety to headgear utilized at unit level, such as the
Stetson being used in cavalry units, this permission was rescinded in 1979 when the army introduced a policy of standardized headgear. Exceptions were allowed for the continued wearing of the
black beret
The black beret is a type of headgear. It is commonly worn by paramilitaries and militaries around the world, particularly armored forces such as the British Army's Royal Tank Regiment (RTR), the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC), and Royal A ...
(changed to
tan
Tan or TAN may refer to:
Businesses and organisations
* Black and Tans, a nickname for British special constables during the Irish War of Independence. By extension "Tans" can now also colloquially refer to English or British people in general, es ...
in 2001) for the
75th Ranger Regiment &
Ranger Training Brigade
The United States Army Ranger School is a 62-day small unit tactics and leadership course that develops functional skills directly related to units whose mission is to engage the enemy in close combat and direct fire battles.
Ranger training wa ...
,
DA Approves Ranger's New Headgear
and the green beret
The green beret was the official headdress of the British Commandos of the Second World War. It is still worn by members of the Royal Marines after passing the Commando Course, and personnel from other units of the Royal Navy, Army and RAF wh ...
for Special Forces. On 28 November 1980 permission was given for airborne organizations to resume wearing the maroon beret.[
]
Venezuelan National Guard
All personnel of the Venezuelan National Guard
The Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela ( es, Guardia Nacional Bolivariana de Venezuela - GNB), is one of the four components of the National Armed Forces of Venezuela. The national guard can serve as gendarmerie, perform civil defense roles, ...
wear maroon berets.
Footnotes
See also
Other 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. Mil ...
s by colour:
*Black beret
The black beret is a type of headgear. It is commonly worn by paramilitaries and militaries around the world, particularly armored forces such as the British Army's Royal Tank Regiment (RTR), the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC), and Royal A ...
*Green beret
The green beret was the official headdress of the British Commandos of the Second World War. It is still worn by members of the Royal Marines after passing the Commando Course, and personnel from other units of the Royal Navy, Army and RAF wh ...
*Red beret
The red beret is a military beret worn by many military, paramilitary, commando, and police forces and should not be confused with the maroon beret worn by airborne troops all around the world.
Military police
Red berets are worn by the military ...
*Tan beret
The tan beret also known as a beige beret has been adopted as official headgear by several special operations forces as a symbol of their unique capabilities.
Afghan National Army
Afghan National Army Special Forces members were awarded a tan be ...
References
Army Black Beret: A Short History of the Use of Berets in the US Army
on the US Army website.
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Parachute Regiment (United Kingdom)
Berets