Black beret

The black beret is the headgear worn by the British Army's Royal Tank Regiment (RTR), The Australian Army's Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) and by all the Russian Naval Infantry (and formerly Soviet) and some Russian Spetsnaz units, and the United States Air Force (USAF)security forces occupation, among others. It was also formerly worn by the United States Army Rangers, and is now worn by all United States Army troops without a different distinctive beret, the Rangers now wearing tan berets. It is traditionally associated with armoured or special forces troops.

The most famous wearer of the beret was Field Marshal Montgomery, who wore an RTR beret complete with badge which had been presented to him by the RTR, to which he added his own General's (later Field Marshal's) cap badge.

In the Belgian Army, black berets are worn by armoured and engineer troops.

The Norwegian Panserbataljonen (armour) and E-bataljonen (intelligence) also wear black berets.

The Swedish armour and mechanized troops wear black berets.

The Finnish Panssarijääkäri (panzerjaegers) also wear black berets.

Tactical Air Control Party and Security Forces members of the United States Air Force also wear black berets with a distinctive flash and crest design.

A number of navies, including the Royal Navy and Canadian Navy, actually wear black berets, although the naval colour is officially very dark blue.

The Brazilian Polícia Militar also wear the black beret.

The Argentine Navy's or Batallón de Infantería de Marina 5 (5th Marine Battalion), of Tumbledown Mountain fame in 1982, wears a black beret. Such headgear was introduced by -then- Commander Manuel Tomé around 1977, and the beret was awarded on completion of a Cold Weather and Mountain Warfare Course. Today, all units of the Southern Marine Force of the Argentine Marine Corps wear black berets with unit badges.

See also

• Beret
• Green beret
• OMON