Will Ret. General Eric Shinseki Create a VA Beret?

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No matter what else Gen. Shinseki accomplishes in his life, to millions of US Army troops and vets he will always be the Beret Bonehead. For those of you who don't remember, or just didn't know, Gen. Eric Shinseki was the guy who decided that the best way to improve morale in the ranks was to make the Black Beret the standard headgear for US Army uniforms. It would seem like a petty change that wouldn't cost much, but it turned out to be a bit of stupidity that cost plenty... in time, in money and in morale. He noticed that the troops who had earned the right to wear berets were pretty proud of the distinctive headgear. We took pride in shaving them and shaping them to make them our own. Airborne, Rangers and Special Forces troops took care of them and yes, they were a source of morale and comradarie. Where the good general screwed up was thinking that those who didn't feel any particular pride in wearing berets would somehow get some kind of morale boost from them. The only comradarie the fiasco fostered was in making fun of Gen. Shineski. He proved that he was completely out of touch with the troops to the point of open contempt. As one of only a handful of troops in my Guard unit who had once earned the right to wear berets (I had been in the Signal Company of 19th Special Forcies Group (Airborne) as well as a parachute rigger and radio operator 1st Corps Support Command (Airborne)), it fell on me and the other handful to teach everyone else in my unit how to prepare them for wear. Something that none of the non Airborne troops enjoyed, wanted to do, or really even cared to do. After the first couple of years of requiring the black beret as the official headgear, the regs changed to allow unit commanders to choose between the black berets or the traditional "patrol cap"... from what I've seen, most commanders have chosen the patrol cap and left the beret exclusively for wear with the dress uniforms. So, this is me continuing to make fun of Gen. Shinseki and his lack of concern for the troops. Prs. Elect Obama has named him as the Secretary of the VA. I expect the same contempt and indifference from him now that he showed as the Army Chief of Staff. He will do well running an organization that claims to care about the vets, but in the end is so bloated by stupidity and bureacracy it can't possibly do its job. Shinseki, Obama and the VA were made for each other. I just wonder if he'll take the Tan Beret from the Rangers, just like he did the Black Beret, to make it to official headgear of the VA. :~D