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Army beret ban 'smacks of pure elitism'
By Sarah Collerton
The army says it has banned the beret as "dress of the day" for a number of reasons. (Defence Department)
Related Story: Defence bans soldiers from wearing berets Current and former servicemen are outraged about the Defence Force's ban on traditional berets, saying it is inconsistent and unnecessary.
Chief of Army Ken Gillespie announced the ban last month, ordering soldiers - with the exception of Special Forces - to wear the slouch hat instead, except on ceremonial occasions.
The army says it has banned the beret as "dress of the day" for a number of reasons, including ensuring the "rightful place" of the slouch hat and to ensure proper sun protection for troops.
Australian soldiers have been wearing berets since 1940 and an outcry erupted following the announcement.
On Facebook, the Save the Black Beret group now has more than 2,200 members, while online forums are filled with former soldiers and veterans expressing their outrage.
In an email exchange made public this week, a soldier currently in Afghanistan says he wants the public alerted to "the disgust that every infantry soldier in our Army feels at being told he can no long wear his rifle green Beret".
Noel McLaughlin, who served in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) for more than 20 years, has joined the crusade against the ban and has written a report about it.
"Serving and former members of the Corps have been left feeling cheated," he said in Banning the Black Beret: Trashing A Piece of Australia's Military History.
"The Corps has been neutered by the decision, reducing it to a level of ordinariness it does not deserve. The decision is, on its face, incredibly mean-spirited and short-sighted.
"A failure to consider alternative strategies [for sun protection] is a failure in management and leadership.
"The ban has nothing to do with heritage issues, as asserted, but does have far-reaching implications for the RAAC in respect of pride and the use of a commonsense headdress while in barracks."
He also says the decision to allow the Special Forces to keep their berets "smacks of pure elitism".
"It begs the question current and former members of the Corps are asking - what is it that makes SAS/commando units impervious to damage from exposure to sunlight?"
But a Defence spokesman has told ABC News Online that Special Forces members still get to wear their berets as "this remains a central element of the values, culture and underlying ethos of Special Operations Command".
"However the wearing of the berets will have to conform strictly to the sun smart principles articulated in the Army Sun Smart Policy," he said.
The Defence spokesman also says Special Forces may face a ban due to health reasons in future.
"The exemptions provided to Special Operations Command members may also be withdrawn if the further evidence sought from Joint Health Command deem it necessary," he said.
'Not fair'
Royal Australian Armoured Corps Association (RAACA) NSW president Colonel John Haynes is just one of the members of the Defence community angered by the "illogical" ban.
"It's not very fair, is it? There's connotations that the SAS, the Special Forces, are more expendable than Armoured Corps people," he said.
Colonel Haynes does not think the sun exposure reasoning makes sense, saying "it's a sledgehammer to crack a nut".
"They're [Special Forces] out in the sun a lot more than Armoured Corps people, because the Armoured Corps people spend a lot of time in their Armoured Corps vehicles where the sun doesn't get to them," he said.
Colonel Haynes says soldiers in armoured vehicles cannot actually wear the slouch hat because they cannot get through the turrets.
Australia Defence Association executive director Neil James also says wearing the slouch hat inside a tank could pose problems, saying berets are actually better in various armoured vehicles and helicopters.
He says the berets do result in sun exposure, particularly in northern parts of Australia, but he is confused as to why the "unpopular measure" is not applied across the board.
"We remain puzzled by the inconsistency that certain parts of the Defence Force are allowed to retain the berets as part of barracks dress, when other parts aren't," he said.
"There's been inconsistency in application. Obviously if it's an occupational health and safety matter it should apply universally. If it's not applied universally, it just undermines the case for it."
Mr James says it is essential the berets are kept for ceremonial purposes as it goes some way to softening the blow.
"Retaining berets for ceremonial parades is an essential factor for not just morale, but also for heritage and tradition purposes," he said.
By Sarah Collerton
The army says it has banned the beret as "dress of the day" for a number of reasons. (Defence Department)
Related Story: Defence bans soldiers from wearing berets Current and former servicemen are outraged about the Defence Force's ban on traditional berets, saying it is inconsistent and unnecessary.
Chief of Army Ken Gillespie announced the ban last month, ordering soldiers - with the exception of Special Forces - to wear the slouch hat instead, except on ceremonial occasions.
The army says it has banned the beret as "dress of the day" for a number of reasons, including ensuring the "rightful place" of the slouch hat and to ensure proper sun protection for troops.
Australian soldiers have been wearing berets since 1940 and an outcry erupted following the announcement.
On Facebook, the Save the Black Beret group now has more than 2,200 members, while online forums are filled with former soldiers and veterans expressing their outrage.
In an email exchange made public this week, a soldier currently in Afghanistan says he wants the public alerted to "the disgust that every infantry soldier in our Army feels at being told he can no long wear his rifle green Beret".
Noel McLaughlin, who served in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) for more than 20 years, has joined the crusade against the ban and has written a report about it.
"Serving and former members of the Corps have been left feeling cheated," he said in Banning the Black Beret: Trashing A Piece of Australia's Military History.
"The Corps has been neutered by the decision, reducing it to a level of ordinariness it does not deserve. The decision is, on its face, incredibly mean-spirited and short-sighted.
"A failure to consider alternative strategies [for sun protection] is a failure in management and leadership.
"The ban has nothing to do with heritage issues, as asserted, but does have far-reaching implications for the RAAC in respect of pride and the use of a commonsense headdress while in barracks."
He also says the decision to allow the Special Forces to keep their berets "smacks of pure elitism".
"It begs the question current and former members of the Corps are asking - what is it that makes SAS/commando units impervious to damage from exposure to sunlight?"
But a Defence spokesman has told ABC News Online that Special Forces members still get to wear their berets as "this remains a central element of the values, culture and underlying ethos of Special Operations Command".
"However the wearing of the berets will have to conform strictly to the sun smart principles articulated in the Army Sun Smart Policy," he said.
The Defence spokesman also says Special Forces may face a ban due to health reasons in future.
"The exemptions provided to Special Operations Command members may also be withdrawn if the further evidence sought from Joint Health Command deem it necessary," he said.
'Not fair'
Royal Australian Armoured Corps Association (RAACA) NSW president Colonel John Haynes is just one of the members of the Defence community angered by the "illogical" ban.
"It's not very fair, is it? There's connotations that the SAS, the Special Forces, are more expendable than Armoured Corps people," he said.
Colonel Haynes does not think the sun exposure reasoning makes sense, saying "it's a sledgehammer to crack a nut".
"They're [Special Forces] out in the sun a lot more than Armoured Corps people, because the Armoured Corps people spend a lot of time in their Armoured Corps vehicles where the sun doesn't get to them," he said.
Colonel Haynes says soldiers in armoured vehicles cannot actually wear the slouch hat because they cannot get through the turrets.
Australia Defence Association executive director Neil James also says wearing the slouch hat inside a tank could pose problems, saying berets are actually better in various armoured vehicles and helicopters.
He says the berets do result in sun exposure, particularly in northern parts of Australia, but he is confused as to why the "unpopular measure" is not applied across the board.
"We remain puzzled by the inconsistency that certain parts of the Defence Force are allowed to retain the berets as part of barracks dress, when other parts aren't," he said.
"There's been inconsistency in application. Obviously if it's an occupational health and safety matter it should apply universally. If it's not applied universally, it just undermines the case for it."
Mr James says it is essential the berets are kept for ceremonial purposes as it goes some way to softening the blow.
"Retaining berets for ceremonial parades is an essential factor for not just morale, but also for heritage and tradition purposes," he said.
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