BEST45CAL
03-13-2001, 11:18 AM
Despite White House review request,
Army to proceed with black beret plan
By Sandra Jontz
Stars and Stripes Washington bureau
WASHINGTON — Despite the White House’s request that the Army review its plans to have all soldiers don the revered black beret this summer, the decision to change headgear will not be changed, a senior Army spokesman said Wednesday.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, who has said he wants to build espirt de corps, remains steadfast in his decision to have all 1.3 million soldiers wear the black beret, said Lt. Col. Lew Boone, Shinseki’s spokesman.
But could White House involvement prompt Shinseki to nix the idea?
"There’s no chance, absolutely not," Boone said. "The decision the chief of staff made is in the best interest for the Army. And contrary to popular belief, not everyone is against the black beret, by far. There is a considerable audience who said, ‘We will accept the decision, move out and execute it,’ " Boone said.
That audience: soldiers of the United States Army who have little choice but to follow orders.
President Bush is not the only one who wants the plan reviewed. Shinseki’s brainchild has spurred an inquiry from the House Committee on Government Affairs, which so far only has sent out letters seeking information.
Committee chairman Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., wants input from Pentagon and Army officials about the fever-pitch controversy and Shinseki’s reasons to incorporate the black beret servicewide, instead of keeping the color reserved for members of the elite 75th Ranger Regiment.
For now, Burton is not sharing his opinions on the matter, said his spokesman, John Cardarelli.
Despite the recent brouhaha over Bush’s request, Army officials still have yet to see an official request for a review of the plan, Boone said. In fact, they have yet to receive an unofficial one, he said.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Thursday that he has not asked the Army to do anything about the beret policy.
But Boone is not surprised at the Bush administration’s intrusion, especially after recent protest marches in front of the White House.
"We’ve been following progress of the beret marchers and some of the feedback from various veterans associations, and we know they have developed communication," Boone said. "I’m not surprised, not with that level of attention."
Perhaps brow-beaten over the beret issue, the Army’s leadership has heard loud dissention from representatives of veteran groups urging Shinseki to reconsider the plan to outfit all soldiers in the black beret by June 14, the service’s 226th birthday.
Even Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, the outspoken former professional wrestler and Hollywood actor, brought up the topic to the president.
During a White House social event with the nation’s governors Feb. 25, Ventura broached the topic with Bush after a constituent complained the Army was disgracing its elite forces by mandating all soldiers don the black beret, said John Wodele, Ventura’s spokesman.
Ventura, who served in the Navy for six years and was a Navy SEAL, is "proud of the distinction the Armed Services make for its elite forces," Wodele said.
Ventura has nothing against soldiers wearing the beret, just that he thinks the black ones should be reserved for the Rangers.
He got Bush’s attention.
"The president has asked senior White House administrators and the Department of Defense to look into the matter because of the inquiry and comment that Gov. Ventura asked the president about," said White House spokesman Ken Lisaius.
Though the president receives countless requests and suggestions every day, Lisaius had no idea why this particular one sparked action from the nation’s commander-in-chief.
When Shinseki introduced the plan in October, he had said the beret would instill a sense of pride and unity, generally associated with the Rangers, in the entire Army.
The berets, some of which are being manufactured in foreign countries, will cost the Army $23.8 million for a total of 3.8 million berets. One will be issued to each of the 1.3 million active duty, Reserve and guard soldiers this spring. A second beret will be issued in the fall.
Soldiers also will be required to take an Army history test before they are permitted to wear the beret. Soldiers who fail the test simply will be retested until they pass, said Master Sgt. David Schad, spokesman for Sergeant Major of the Army.
[This message has been edited by BEST45CAL (edited 03-13-2001).]
Army to proceed with black beret plan
By Sandra Jontz
Stars and Stripes Washington bureau
WASHINGTON — Despite the White House’s request that the Army review its plans to have all soldiers don the revered black beret this summer, the decision to change headgear will not be changed, a senior Army spokesman said Wednesday.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, who has said he wants to build espirt de corps, remains steadfast in his decision to have all 1.3 million soldiers wear the black beret, said Lt. Col. Lew Boone, Shinseki’s spokesman.
But could White House involvement prompt Shinseki to nix the idea?
"There’s no chance, absolutely not," Boone said. "The decision the chief of staff made is in the best interest for the Army. And contrary to popular belief, not everyone is against the black beret, by far. There is a considerable audience who said, ‘We will accept the decision, move out and execute it,’ " Boone said.
That audience: soldiers of the United States Army who have little choice but to follow orders.
President Bush is not the only one who wants the plan reviewed. Shinseki’s brainchild has spurred an inquiry from the House Committee on Government Affairs, which so far only has sent out letters seeking information.
Committee chairman Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., wants input from Pentagon and Army officials about the fever-pitch controversy and Shinseki’s reasons to incorporate the black beret servicewide, instead of keeping the color reserved for members of the elite 75th Ranger Regiment.
For now, Burton is not sharing his opinions on the matter, said his spokesman, John Cardarelli.
Despite the recent brouhaha over Bush’s request, Army officials still have yet to see an official request for a review of the plan, Boone said. In fact, they have yet to receive an unofficial one, he said.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Thursday that he has not asked the Army to do anything about the beret policy.
But Boone is not surprised at the Bush administration’s intrusion, especially after recent protest marches in front of the White House.
"We’ve been following progress of the beret marchers and some of the feedback from various veterans associations, and we know they have developed communication," Boone said. "I’m not surprised, not with that level of attention."
Perhaps brow-beaten over the beret issue, the Army’s leadership has heard loud dissention from representatives of veteran groups urging Shinseki to reconsider the plan to outfit all soldiers in the black beret by June 14, the service’s 226th birthday.
Even Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, the outspoken former professional wrestler and Hollywood actor, brought up the topic to the president.
During a White House social event with the nation’s governors Feb. 25, Ventura broached the topic with Bush after a constituent complained the Army was disgracing its elite forces by mandating all soldiers don the black beret, said John Wodele, Ventura’s spokesman.
Ventura, who served in the Navy for six years and was a Navy SEAL, is "proud of the distinction the Armed Services make for its elite forces," Wodele said.
Ventura has nothing against soldiers wearing the beret, just that he thinks the black ones should be reserved for the Rangers.
He got Bush’s attention.
"The president has asked senior White House administrators and the Department of Defense to look into the matter because of the inquiry and comment that Gov. Ventura asked the president about," said White House spokesman Ken Lisaius.
Though the president receives countless requests and suggestions every day, Lisaius had no idea why this particular one sparked action from the nation’s commander-in-chief.
When Shinseki introduced the plan in October, he had said the beret would instill a sense of pride and unity, generally associated with the Rangers, in the entire Army.
The berets, some of which are being manufactured in foreign countries, will cost the Army $23.8 million for a total of 3.8 million berets. One will be issued to each of the 1.3 million active duty, Reserve and guard soldiers this spring. A second beret will be issued in the fall.
Soldiers also will be required to take an Army history test before they are permitted to wear the beret. Soldiers who fail the test simply will be retested until they pass, said Master Sgt. David Schad, spokesman for Sergeant Major of the Army.
[This message has been edited by BEST45CAL (edited 03-13-2001).]