U.S. Army Beret Colors and Meanings

U.S. Army soldiers have worn military berets for nearly a century. Several special operations units started wearing berets during World War II. By the 1960s and 1970s, the U.S. Department of the Army authorized commanders to allow soldiers to wear different-colored berets in an attempt to boost morale in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.

If you served in the U.S. Army, you likely understand the Army beret colors and meanings. However, so many Army beret colors exist now that it’s difficult to keep up with them all. It has left some Americans asking questions like, “What is a red beret in the Army?” and “What is a black beret?”

Learn more about the Army beret colors and their meanings below.

Black

The black beret was the first beret worn by the U.S. Army. Long before the Army began allowing soldiers to wear berets in an official capacity, the military branch’s armored and cavalry forces wore them. But it was Army Rangers who put black berets on the map by donning them in the 1970s with authorization.

In 2001, though, military leaders decided to make black berets the official headgear of the entire Army. This upset some Rangers, and eventually, the Army chose to make its patrol cap the official headgear for the Army Combat Uniform. However, the black beret is still part of the Army Service Uniform, which explains why many people are now familiar with it and don’t wonder, “What is a black beret?”, anymore.

Brown

While the black beret is probably the most well-known of the Army beret colors and meanings, the brown beret is the newest beret color of the bunch. It has only been around since 2018 when it was unveiled for the Security Force Assistance Brigade established at the same time. Originally, SFAB units were supposed to wear olive-drab green berets, but after many objected to it, the Army went with brown berets instead.

The color of these berets carries a special meaning. SFAB units routinely train military members from other countries. The brown symbolizes the mud and dirt that SFAB soldiers are often covered with when fighting side-by-side with soldiers from host nations.

Tan

Army Rangers and, more specifically, the well-respected 75th Ranger Regiment includes an exclusive group of the Army’s best airborne soldiers used to wear black berets. But once the Army decided to incorporate black berets into the Army’s official uniform, the infantry unit moved away from black and chose to begin wearing tan in its place.

Of all the Army beret colors and meanings, the 75th Ranger Regiment's choice of tan berets had an extra special significance. Tan was the official color of the 5307th Composite Unit, also known as “Merrill’s Marauders,” a jungle warfare unit that played a key role in World War II and laid the foundation for the 75th Ranger Regiment's founding in the 1980s.

Maroon

If you’re wondering, “What is a red beret in the Army?”, you’re likely thinking about the maroon berets some American airborne soldiers started wearing in 1973 without authorization from the U.S. Army. It wasn’t until 1980 that paratroopers in the Army were officially given the go-ahead to begin wearing maroon berets.

Only Army soldiers who have successfully passed the Basic Airborne Course at Fort Moore in Georgia can wear maroon berets. The 82nd Airborne Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade are two units that have made maroon berets uniform staples.

Green

President John F. Kennedy once referred to green berets as “a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom.” He gave the U.S. Army Special Forces — or the “Green Berets” as they’re now known — the green light to start wearing these berets. They had been wearing these berets since 1953 when Special Forces Maj. Herbert Brucker, without authorization from the Army, decided to designate green berets as the headgear for the Special Forces.

Celebrate the U.S. Army Beret Colors and Meanings by Picking One Up Today

Now that you know the Army beret colors and meanings, consider purchasing the appropriate color beret from Army Surplus World. Check out the berets we have in stock and contact us with any questions you might have.