United States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service headgear, is the special operations branch of the United States Army. Although technically an Army branch, the Special Forces operates similarly to a functional area (FA), in that individuals may not join its ranks until having served in another Army branch.
Special Forces soldiers from Task Force Dagger and Commander Dostum on horseback in the Dari-a-Souf Valley, Afghanistan, circa October 2001.
ODA 525 team picture taken shortly before infiltration in Iraq, February 1991
Soldiers from each of the Army's seven Special Forces Groups (beret patches, l. to r., of 1st, 5th, 7th, 10th, 19th, 20th and 3rd SFG) at the gravesite of President John F. Kennedy in November 2011.
A MH-60L from 160th SOAR deploys an ODA from 7th SFG(A) on board a U.S. submarine for a joint exercise
Berets of the United States Army
The United States Army has used military berets as headgear with various uniforms beginning in World War II. Since June 14, 2001, a black beret is worn by all U.S. Army troops unless the soldier is approved to wear a different distinctive beret. A maroon beret has been adopted as official headdress by the Airborne forces, a tan beret by the 75th Ranger Regiment, a brown beret by the Security Force Assistance Brigades, and a green beret by the Special Forces.
A US Army infantryman with the 1st Cavalry Division, 1st Brigade, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, Reconnaissance Platoon wearing black beret with platoon beret flash, 1970
A U.S. Army NCO with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment wearing black beret with Armored Cavalry Oval, DUI, and rank insignia, c. 1970s
An armor officer with the US Army Armor School wearing black beret with Armor School Instructor Flash and rank insignia, 1976
A soldier from the 1st SFAB wearing a brown beret, 2018