The Russian Ministry of Defense has confirmed that a new detail will appear in military uniforms in the near future - army berets. This headgear is currently used exclusively in some branches of the military, but it will soon replace the classic caps. Meanwhile, the traditional headdress of Russian servicemen will last more than three years. As the ministry stated, army caps will go out of use "as they wear out".

Currently, the issue of introducing a beret, as an element of uniform, for all categories of military personnel (with the exception of the Navy), provided for wearing both in a set of everyday and field clothing, for the Air Force and Airborne Forces is being considered. blue color, for parts of the coastal troops of the Navy - black, for the Land military branches and others - protective.

These changes will increase the range of headwear for employees when equipped in a variety of climatic conditions, depending on the type of activity, the nature of the service.

Introduction of new hats

The determination of a specific everyday uniform, taking into account the tasks performed by military personnel, will be entrusted to the commander of a military unit. In accordance with the decree “On military uniforms, insignia of military personnel and departmental insignia”, military personnel also have the opportunity to wear hats, caps, hats with earflaps, airborne troops and parts of the coastal troops of the Navy for combat purposes - woolen berets. Troops participating in the parades will be equipped with the new Tsifra field uniform, which will include a new army headdress- takes. In the near future, it will replace the caps that are familiar to us.

Such a replacement will be carried out in accordance with the planned procedure, within the time limits established by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The draft decree of the Minister of Defense of Russia “On the Rules for Wearing Military Uniforms and Insignia of Military Personnel of the Armed Forces” refers to the planned replacement of the old uniform of military personnel with a new one within a three-year period. Thus, from the above, it can be concluded that army caps will be completely replaced in three years, and before that time, the military personnel will have three official types of headgear. Today, the beret refers to the uniform headgear of the vast majority of military forces. globe. Some types of berets, such as maroon, are used as a badge of distinction. The widespread use of such headgear in the armed forces started during the First World War.

According to some unverified information different types soft army berets French tankers began to wear. The Great Britain gave a wider use of such headdresses. In 1918, General Elles, while at that time in Bermicut, where the 70th regiment of the Alpine Chasseurs was stationed, suggested, as an experiment, to use their traditional black beret. The black color was also chosen, not least for reasons of practicality - dirt and oil stains were barely noticeable on it. Since at that moment the level of technical progress left much to be desired, the tank needed permanent care, it was almost impossible not to get dirty, this concerned the headdress in the first place. In addition, during the maneuvers it was comfortable to sleep in the beret, and it was also used as a balaclava.

In many armies of the world, berets indicate that the units using them belong to the elite troops. Since they have a special mission, the elite units must have something to separate them from the rest. For example, the famous "green beret" is "a symbol of excellence, a sign of valor and distinction in the struggle for freedom."

History of the military beret.

Given the practicality of the beret, the informal use of the beret by the European military goes back thousands of years. An example is the blue beret, which became the symbol of the Scottish military in the 16th and 17th centuries. As an official military headdress, the beret began to be used during the War of Succession to the Spanish Crown in 1830, commissioned by General Tomás de Zumalacárregui, who wanted to make headdresses resistant to the vagaries of mountain weather, easy to care for and used on special occasions in an inexpensive way. .

1. Other countries followed suit after the creation of the French Alpine Chasseurs in the early 1880s. These mountain troops wore clothing that included several features that were innovative for the time. Including large berets, which have survived to this day.

2. Berets have features that make them very attractive to the military: they are cheap, can be made in a wide range of colors, can be rolled up and tucked into a pocket or under a shoulder strap, they can be worn with headphones (this is one of the reasons why tankers have adopted beret).

The beret was found to be especially useful for armored car crews, and the British Tank Corps (later the Royal Tank Corps) adopted this headgear as early as 1918.

3. After World War 1, when the issue of official changes in the form of clothing was considered at high level, General Elles, who was a promoter of berets, made another argument - during maneuvers it is comfortable to sleep in a beret and it can be used as a balaclava. After lengthy debate in the Ministry of Defense, the black beret was officially approved by His Majesty's decree of March 5, 1924. The black beret remained the exclusive privilege of the Royal Tank Corps for quite some time. long time. Then the practicality of this headgear was noticed by the rest, and by 1940 all armored units in the UK began to wear black berets.

4. German tank crews in the late 1930s also adopted the beret with the addition of a padded helmet inside. Black has become popular in the headgear of tank crews as it does not show oil stains.

5. Second World War gave berets new popularity. English and American saboteurs, who were thrown behind the Germans, in particular, to France, quickly appreciated the convenience of berets, especially dark colors - it was convenient to hide hair under them, they protected the head from the cold, the beret was used as a balaclava, etc. Some English units introduced berets as a headdress for formations and military branches. So for example it was with the SAS - the Special Aviation Service, a unit special purpose, engaged in sabotage and reconnaissance behind enemy lines - they took a sand-colored beret (it symbolized the desert, where the SAS had to work hard against Rommel's army). British paratroopers chose a crimson beret - according to legend, the writer Daphne DuMaurier, the wife of General Frederick Brown, one of the heroes of the Second World War, suggested this color. For the color of the beret, paratroopers immediately received the nickname "cherries". Since then, the crimson beret has become the unofficial symbol of military paratroopers around the world.

6. The first use of berets in the US military dates back to 1943. The 509th Airborne Regiment received crimson berets from their English colleagues as a sign of recognition and respect. The use of a beret as a headdress for military personnel in the Soviet Union dates back to 1936. According to the order of the NPO of the USSR, women soldiers and students of military academies were supposed to wear dark blue berets as part of summer uniforms.

7. Berets became the default military headwear at the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century, just like the cocked hat, shako, cap, cap, cap, at one time in the respective eras. Berets are now worn by many military personnel in most countries around the world.

8. And now, in fact, about the berets in the elite troops. And we will start, of course, with the Alpine Jaegers - the unit that introduced the fashion for wearing berets in the army. The Alpine Chasseurs (Mountain Fusiliers) are the elite mountain infantry of the French Army. They are trained to fight in mountainous terrain and in urban areas. They wear a wide dark blue beret.

9. The French Foreign Legion wears light green berets.

11. French Navy commandos wear a green beret.

12. French Marines wear dark blue berets.

14. French Air Force Commandos wear dark blue berets.

15. French paratroopers wear red berets.

17. German airborne troops wear maroon berets (Maroon).

18. German special forces (KSK) wear berets of the same color, but with a different emblem.

19. The Swiss Guards of the Vatican wear a large black beret.

20. The Dutch Royal Marines wear dark blue berets.

21. Airmobile Brigade (11 Luchtmobiele Brigade) Armed Forces of the Kingdom of the Netherlands wear maroon berets (Maroon).

22. Finnish Marines wear green berets.

23. Italian paratroopers of the Carabinieri regiment wear red berets.

24. Soldiers of the special unit of the Italian Navy wear green berets.

25. The Portuguese Marine Corps wears dark blue berets.

26. Soldiers of the British Parachute Regiment wear maroon berets (Maroon).

27. Paratroopers of the 16th Air Assault Brigade of the British Army wear the same beret, but with a different emblem.

28. Special Air Service (SAS) commandos wear berets. beige colour(tan) since the 2nd World War.

29. The British Royal Marines wear green berets.

30. Riflemen from Her Majesty's Gurkha Brigade wear green berets.

31. Canadian paratroopers wear maroon berets.

32. The Australian Army's 2nd Commando Regiment wears green berets.

33. American Rangers wear a beige beret (tan).

34. The American "Green Berets" (United States Army Special Forces) naturally wear green berets, which were approved for them in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy.

35. The US Army Airborne troops wear maroon berets (Maroon), received in 1943 from their British colleagues and allies.

And in the United States Marine Corps (USMC), berets are not worn. In 1951, the Marine Corps introduced several types of berets, green and blue, but they were rejected by tough warriors because they looked "too feminine."

39. Marines South Korea wear green berets.

40. Special forces of the Georgian army wear maroon berets (Maroon).

41. Serbian special forces soldiers wear black berets.

42. The air assault brigade of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan wears blue berets.

43. Hugo Chavez wears the red beret of the Paratrooper Brigade of Venezuela.

Let's move on to the valiant elite troops of Russia and our fellow Slavs.

44. Our response to the appearance in the armies of NATO countries of units that wore berets, in particular parts of the US SOF, whose uniform headdress is beret Green colour, was the Order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR dated November 5, 1963 No. 248. According to the order, a new field uniform is being introduced for special forces units of the USSR Marine Corps. This uniform was supposed to be a black beret, made of cotton fabric for sailors and sergeants of military service and woolen fabric for officers.

45. Cockades and stripes on the berets of the marines changed many times: replacing the red star on the berets of sailors and sergeants with a black oval-shaped emblem with a red star and bright yellow edging, and later, in 1988, by order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR No. 250 of 4 March, the oval emblem was replaced by an asterisk bordered by a wreath. AT Russian army there were many innovations too, and now it looks like this.

After approval new form clothing for units of the Marine Corps, berets also appeared in the airborne troops. In June 1967, Colonel General V.F. Margelov, then commander of the Airborne Forces, approved sketches of a new uniform for the airborne troops. The designer of the sketches was the artist A. B. Zhuk, known as the author of many books on small arms and as the author of illustrations for the SVE (Soviet Military Encyclopedia). It was A. B. Zhuk who proposed the crimson color of the beret for paratroopers. A raspberry-colored beret was at that time an attribute of belonging to the landing troops all over the world, and V.F. Margelov approved the wearing of a raspberry beret by military personnel of the Airborne Forces during parades in Moscow. On the right side of the beret was sewn a small blue triangular flag with the emblem of the airborne troops. On the berets of sergeants and soldiers in front there was a star framed by a wreath of ears, on the berets of officers, instead of an asterisk, a cockade was attached.

46. ​​During the November parade of 1967, the paratroopers were already dressed in a new uniform and crimson berets. However, at the very beginning of 1968, instead of crimson berets, paratroopers begin to wear blue berets. According to the military leadership, the color blue sky more suitable for airborne troops and by order No. 191 of the Minister of Defense of the USSR of July 26, 1969, the blue beret was approved as a parade headdress for the Airborne Forces. Unlike the crimson beret, on which the flag sewn on the right side was blue, the flag on the blue beret became red.

47. And a modern, Russian version.

48. The soldiers of the GRU special forces wear the form of the Airborne Forces and, accordingly, blue berets.

49. Special forces units of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia wear a maroon (dark red) beret.

50. But unlike other branches of the armed forces, such as marines or paratroopers, for special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the maroon beret is a sign of qualification and is awarded to the fighter only after he has undergone special training and has proved his right to wear a maroon beret.

53. Until the moment they receive a maroon beret, special forces soldiers wear a khaki beret

54. Intelligence soldiers of the internal troops wear a green beret. The right to wear this beret must also be earned, as well as the right to wear a maroon beret.

Our Ukrainian brothers are also the heirs of the USSR, and therefore they have retained the beret colors used earlier in this country for their elite units.

55. The Marine Corps of Ukraine wears black berets.

56. Airmobile troops of Ukraine wear a blue beret.

57. Belarusian brothers also wear a blue beret in the Airborne Forces.

61. And finally, a little exotic. Soldiers of the Zimbabwe Presidential Guard wearing yellow berets.

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Takes a soft headdress without a visor. In the armed forces different countries It is used as a ceremonial headdress and a distinctive feature of some special forces units. History The prototype of the modern beret was probably a Celtic headdress. In the Middle Ages, the beret receives wide use both among the civilian population and in the army. This can be judged by book miniatures. In the late Middle Ages, there are

The beret is the main headgear in the Israel Defense Forces. One of the features of the IDF, which immediately catches the eye of an outside observer, is the universal wearing of berets with full dress uniforms. Indeed, in the Israel Defense Forces, caps are worn only by military bands, military police on duty and disciplinary ensigns at ceremonial events, there are also parade caps

Surprisingly, before the outbreak of the First World War, the beret, as part of the military uniform, was not widely used. True, in the 17th century, some parts of the British army, consisting of Scottish highlanders, wore a certain prototype of it. Moreover, at that time it was considered a common element of fishermen's clothing. An Italian soldier in a crimson beret - the symbol of the paratroopers of European countries. Military takes - a symbol of the tank forces of Great Britain Most contributed to the promotion

Today we will talk about such a curious headdress as a beret, as well as about its variety, which is a military, army one. Its history began quite a long time ago, because its prototype, most likely, is the headdress of the Celts. The beret was very popular in the Middle Ages. Moreover, it was worn by both representatives of the civilian population and soldiers, book miniatures speak about this. Further, during the period of the end of the Middle Ages, decrees began to be approved,

Takes a soft headdress without a visor. History The prototype of the modern beret was probably a Celtic headdress. In the Middle Ages, the beret became widespread, both among the civilian population and in the army. This can be judged by book miniatures. In the era of the late Middle Ages, decrees appeared on the introduction of a military uniform, where a beret appears as the main headdress. The popularity of the beret in Europe began to fall

The use of the beret as a headdress for military personnel in the Soviet Union dates back to 1936. According to the order of the NPO of the USSR, women soldiers and students of military academies were supposed to wear dark blue berets as part of summer uniforms. After the Second World War, women in uniform began to wear khaki berets. However, the wider distribution in Soviet army berets got much later, partly this

In many armies of the world, berets indicate that the units using them belong to the elite troops. Since they have a special mission, the elite units must have something to separate them from the rest. For example, the famous green beret is a symbol of perfection, a sign of valor and distinction in the struggle for freedom. The history of the military beret Given the practicality of the beret, informal military use in Europe goes back thousands of years. An example would be

Blue takes a headdress, takes a blue color, which is an element of a military uniform, a uniform headdress of military personnel of the armed forces of different states. It is worn by military personnel in the forces of the United Nations, the Russian Air Force, the Russian Airborne Forces of the Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the Special Forces of Kyrgyzstan, the Special Operations Forces of the Republic

In many armies of the world, berets indicate that the units using them belong to the elite troops. Consider their history and varieties in different types troops. Given the practicality of the beret, the informal use of the beret by the European military goes back thousands of years. An example is the blue beret, which became the symbol of the Scottish military in the 16th and 17th centuries. As an official military headdress, the beret began to be used in

Over time, multi-colored military berets have become not just a replacement for caps and caps, but also an indicator of a certain elitism of their owners. After all, the marines and airmen who wore them, as well as various special forces, were considered the elite and even the most revered caste in the army. Until recently, Russia was no different, where only selected and specially trained military personnel had the right to a prestigious beret. Now the situation has changed a lot. Beret

Currently, the beret is a uniform headdress in most of the world's armed forces. It represents the pride and bravery of a soldier. Young men who are serving in the Armed Forces, where the beret is introduced, dream of demobilization and fully prepare for it. The biggest problem for them is the repulsion of this wonderful headdress. That is why every soldier should be able to fight him off and help his comrades in this matter in the future. Since there are several types of berets, statutory, semi-statutory and a drop,

Red beret Russian Federation uniform headdress. Supreme form differences between military personnel of special forces units of the National Guard of Russia earlier than the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR and Russia. It is assigned in the order of passing tough qualification tests and is the subject of exclusive pride of the commando. Military personnel under contract and military personnel are allowed to qualify for the right to wear a maroon beret.

Maroon beret, this is a difficult element of clothing for a special forces soldier, it is a symbol of valor and honor, the right to wear which is not awarded to many. There are only two ways to get this cherished insignia. A special beret can be earned for participation and courage in hostilities, for courage and fortitude. You can pass qualification tests for the right to wear this special headgear. Story

It has long been known that the maroon beret is a symbol and a distinctive part of the uniform of Russian special forces units. In addition, the fighter, on whom the beret is worn, is a model of courage, stamina, fearlessness, poise and professionalism, it simply cannot be otherwise. Indeed, in order to be awarded the right to wear a maroon beret, it is necessary to pass a special test, the implementation of the established standards of which is a very difficult task even for an experienced and trained

The beret is a soft headdress without a round visor. It came into fashion during the Middle Ages, but for a long time it was considered an exclusively male headdress, since it was mainly worn by military people. Currently, berets are part of the military uniform of various troops of the Russian Armed Forces, each of which has its own characteristic coloring of berets, which can be used to determine whether an employee belongs to one or another branch of the Armed Forces.

The beret is a symbol of courage and courage, its wearing is practiced in almost all armies of the world. As a rule, in any branch of the armed forces of Russia, in addition to everyday uniforms, caps and peaked caps, there are also additional accessories just in the form of berets. In some troops, everyone can get such a headdress, in other cases, they take a special thing, a relic, the right to wear which can only be obtained by passing a difficult exam. Today we will talk

their owners. After all, the marines and airmen who wore them, as well as various ones, were considered even the most revered caste in the army.

Until recently, Russia was no different, where only selected and specially trained military personnel had the right to a prestigious beret. Now the situation has changed a lot. The beret has become a familiar headdress not only for paratroopers and marines, but also for representatives of other branches of the military, even for police officers (OMON) and rescuers. And crimson, green, gray, cornflower blue, orange were added to the blue and black colors ...

No blue!

The most prestigious in the Armed Forces of the USSR and Russia is considered blue, and not blue, as it is sometimes incorrectly called. That is, a soldier and an officer of the Airborne Forces (Airborne Forces). It was introduced into use in 1968 by the then commander of the "winged infantry" General Vasily Margelov. And after the publication in July 1969 of the order of the Minister of Defense Andrei Grechko, this beret became official for the paratroopers.

It is curious that military historians claim that the original color of the Airborne Forces was raspberry. As, in fact, the paratroopers of many other countries of the world. But after the tragic participation Soviet troops in the suppression of the uprising in Czechoslovakia, Margelov proposed the color of the sky for parachute formations - blue.
By the way, the same color is worn by the vests and special forces of the GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate), whose official functions are often similar to those assigned to the paratroopers.

Chose the color of the sky

Soviet and Russian paratroopers are not the only ones in the military world who wore and still wear blue berets. It is known that almost similar headdresses were part of the uniform of separate special forces groups of the American Airborne Forces and Air Force (Air Force) and the colonial units of the Portuguese army in Angola and Mozambique. In addition, blue berets, as symbolizing the color of peace, are included in the uniform of the UN peacekeeping troops.

Namely, dark blue berets, but not at all elite, are worn by security units of the US Air Force, military police in Israel and military personnel in South Africa. In addition, blue berets are included in the new uniform of the Russian Air Force.

Related article

Sources:

• Decree of the President of the Russian Federation "On military uniforms, insignia of servicemen and departmental insignia"
• Decree of the President of the Russian Federation on amendments to the Decree of 2005 "On military uniform, insignia of servicemen and departmental insignia"

Doctors, military, police - these services simply cannot do without a uniform. She makes it clear to everyone around that there is a person nearby who can help in an emergency. But in addition to these basic services, private organizations also introduce workwear, where compliance with general style all employees.

What is a uniform?

Nowadays, more and more organizations, both public and private, are trying to introduce uniforms for their employees. Generally speaking, this concept means a special form of clothing that managers introduce for their subordinates so that they are dressed in the same style. This is a fairly popular phenomenon in the West, but in our country there are more and more organizations that follow in the footsteps of European colleagues.

Who is wearing the uniform?

Firstly, all employees, military, sailors wear uniforms. That is, those people who are in one way or another connected with the army and law enforcement agencies. This allows them to have an incomparable style.

A man in uniform is always easy to recognize. He is very noticeable in the crowd when uniform appearance allows you to keep in touch with each other.

Secondly, uniforms are worn by people who are employed in the service sector. These include: nurses, waiters, stewardesses, maids, salespeople, and so on. The clothes of each of these people have a unique style, which makes it easy to distinguish them from the crowd.

Of course, clothing design may vary in different organizations, but, for example, a waiter can never be confused with a salesperson.

Thirdly, we can name workers of technical specialties. On various industrial enterprises introduced such a practice. Plumbers, electricians, locksmiths have different uniforms. This allows you to significantly speed up the production process. In the event of a breakdown, the operator does not need to spend time searching for the appropriate employee to repair the machine.

Fourthly, the uniform is an essential attribute of the most advanced educational institutions. At school, students in last years were in uniform again. This adds solidity and self-confidence to many of them. In many higher educational institutions such practice is applied.

Thus, we can conclude that the uniform is not only necessary

FRESH information occasion - the recent qualification tests for the right to wear a maroon beret by servicemen of the internal troops and law enforcement agencies, recently held in the vicinity of Minsk, forced the editors of the "Spetsnaz" to pay close attention to ... the headgear of soldiers and officers of various units. First of all - on berets. Where did they come from, what color does it symbolize, who has the right to wear certain berets? Let's try to figure it out with the help of experts ...

Our answer to the green berets

LET'S START with what he takes - a necessary attribute of the uniform of military personnel in many countries of the world. Often takes - a distinctive feature of representatives of special forces, a source of pride for its owners. As you know, berets and heads of military personnel of the Belarusian Armed Forces, internal troops, special police, the State Security Committee, the State Border Committee, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations adorn today.

In the Armed Forces of the USSR, berets appeared later than in the armies of other countries, - says Colonel Alexander Gruenko, Deputy Commander of the Special Operations Forces for Ideological Work. - According to some sources, the introduction of berets, in particular, in the airborne troops was a kind of response to the appearance in the army of a potential enemy of rapid reaction units wearing green berets. Apparently, the Ministry of Defense decided that the wearing of berets would not be contrary to the traditions of the Soviet Army.

The troops accepted the innovation with a bang. When drafted into the army, many young men aspired to be in the ranks of elite units marked distinctive feature- a blue beret.

Marine Corps Black

HOWEVER, for the first time in the Armed Forces of the USSR, not blue berets, as many believe, but black berets appeared. In 1963, it was they who became a distinctive feature of the Soviet marines. For her, by order of the Minister of Defense, a field uniform was introduced: the soldiers wore a black beret (woolen for officers and cotton for sergeants and sailors of military service). The beret had a leatherette side, on the left side - a red flag with a golden anchor, in front - an officer's emblem of the Navy. For the first time in the new field uniform, the marines appeared at the November 1968 parade on Red Square. Then the flag "migrated" to right side takes due to the fact that the stands for guests of honor and the Mausoleum were located to the right of the columns when the columns passed. Later, on the berets of sergeants and sailors, the star was supplemented with a wreath of laurel leaves. The decision on these changes may have been taken by the Secretary of Defense, Marshal Soviet Union A. Grechko or in agreement with him. At least, written orders or other orders in this regard, the researchers say, are not mentioned anywhere. Before the end of the November parades in Moscow, the marines went to the parade in berets and field uniforms with "ceremonial" changes and additions. In 1969, by order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR, an oval black emblem with a golden edging and a red star in the middle was installed as an emblem on the berets of sergeants and sailors. Subsequently, the oval emblem was replaced with a star in a wreath.

By the way, at one time tankmen also wore black berets. They relied on special uniforms established for tankers by order of the Minister of Defense in 1972.

Airborne: from crimson to blue

In the SOVIET airborne troops, a crimson-colored beret was originally supposed to be worn - it was this beret that was the symbol of the airborne troops in the armies of the majority of howling uniforms for paratroopers, including two beret options. With everyday uniforms, it was supposed to wear a khaki beret with a red star. However, this option remained on paper. Margelov decided to wear the raspberry beret as a ceremonial headdress. On the right side of the beret was a blue flag with the emblem of the Airborne Forces, and in front - a star in a wreath of ears (for soldiers and sergeants). The officers on the beret wore a cockade with the emblem of the 1955 model and the flight emblem (a star with wings). Crimson berets began to enter the troops in 1967. In the same year, at the November parade on Red Square, for the first time, paratrooper units in new uniforms and berets marched. However, literally next year crimson berets were replaced with blue ones. The color symbolizing the sky was considered more suitable for this type of troops. In August 1968, when troops entered Czechoslovakia, Soviet paratroopers were already wearing blue berets. But by order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR, the blue beret was officially installed as a headdress for airborne units only in July 1969. A star in a wreath was attached to the front of the berets for soldiers and sergeants, and an Air Force cockade for officers. A red flag with the emblem of the Airborne Forces was worn on the left side of the berets by military personnel. guards units, and at parades in Moscow moved to the right side. The idea of ​​wearing flags belonged to the same Margelov. In contrast to the blue flag on the crimson beret, the dimensions of which were indicated in specifications for manufacturing, red flags were made in each part independently and did not have a single sample. In March 1989, in the new rules for wearing uniforms, the wearing of a flag on berets was fixed for all military personnel of the airborne troops, airborne assault units and special forces. Today, military personnel of the mobile units of the Belarusian Armed Forces still wear blue berets.

Legendary maroon

The question of the distinctive form of clothing was also raised during the formation of special forces units of the troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. In May 1989, the head of the internal troops and the head of the main logistics department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs prepared a letter addressed to the Minister of the Interior, who decided to introduce a maroon (dark crimson) beret as a special distinction for special forces units. Unlike marines and paratroopers, a maroon beret was a sign of qualification and was awarded only after completing a special training course and passing exams. This tradition, as you know, has been preserved to this day.

green border

WHAT he takes gives the marines and paratroopers a brave and courageous look, did not go unnoticed in other branches of the military. After some time, many military personnel of the Soviet Union expressed their desire to wear berets. The border guards were no exception.

The first case of wearing a beret by the guards of the borders of the USSR dates back to 1976 - in the summer, for one month, cadets of the training border detachment in Kaliningrad and the Moscow Higher Military Command School of the Border Troops in Golitsino wore uniforms modeled after the Airborne Forces as an experiment: an open cotton tunic, a white-green vest and a green beret with a red flag on the side. However, although the border troops were part of the KGB of the USSR, all changes in uniforms had to be coordinated with the Ministry of Defense, which did not approve such an initiative and banned the wearing of a new uniform.

In 1981, camouflage uniforms were introduced in the border troops. The new "wardrobe" also included a camouflage beret with a fastened visor. In 1990, the green berets returned to the border troops. From February 1990 to September 1991, they included the only Operational Airborne Division of the KGB PV in the Soviet Union. In April 1991, the personnel of the division received green berets with the emblem of the Airborne Forces on blue flags on the side of the headgear to the standard border uniform.

After the declaration of independence of the Republic of Belarus, on January 16, 1992, the Main Directorate of the Border Troops was established under the Council of Ministers. Soon, the development of uniforms for the national border troops began. Taking into account the wishes of the military and the development trends of military uniforms of that time, a green beret was also introduced.

However, since 1995, some changes have taken place in the uniforms of our border troops, enshrined in Presidential Decree of May 15, 1996 N 174 “On military uniforms and insignia according to military ranks". According to the document, only military personnel of special forces units had the right to wear light green berets in the border troops.

What do they wear in Alpha?

LESS known is the beret of the anti-terrorist special unit "Alpha" of the KGB of Belarus. It has a cornflower blue color, traditional for state security agencies. A candidate who wants to serve in Alpha goes through testing, passes numerous tests. At the next council of the officers' meeting, the fighter's units are officially enrolled in the ranks - at the same time he is given a beret. There are no hard and fast rules about when you can wear a hat and when you can’t. It all depends on specific situation- this is a combat operation or an everyday option.

There is no institute for taking a beret in the KGB special unit. Why? Experts say this is due to the specifics of the service. Alpha accepts only experienced fighters, officers, among whom there are many masters of sports and those who took part in military operations. They no longer need to prove anything to anyone ...

The brightest - in the Ministry of Emergency Situations

IF you see a strong man in a red beret, then know that in front of you is a fighter of the Republican Special Forces Detachment of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The ROSN berets have a utilitarian function. The headdress does not give a special status to a fighter - this is a common element of uniform. It is worth clarifying that, in general, there are two color options for the berets of employees of the “emergency” department: red and green. Red beret - for officers, commanding officers. When dealing with emergencies, bright colors help them stand out from the crowd. And it’s easier for the fighters to notice the commander, which means it’s time to hear the command. Green berets are worn by privates and ensigns.

Prepared by Alexander GRACHEV, Nikolay KOZLOVICH, Artur STREKH.

Photo by Alexander GRACHEV, Artur STREKH, Artur PRUPAS, Alexander RUZHECHKO.

SPECIAL FORCES OCTOBER 2008