The U.S. Army authorizes five beret colors, and each one signals something specific about the soldier wearing it. The full list of Army beret colors and their meanings is short: black is the standard headgear for most soldiers, green belongs to Special Forces, maroon marks Airborne units, tan identifies the 75th Ranger Regiment, and brown is worn by Security Force Assistance Brigades. Every color except black has to be earned through selection, qualification, or assignment to a specific unit.
Black: The Standard Beret
The black beret is the default. Any soldier not authorized one of the four distinctive colors wears black. It became universal on June 14, 2001, when the Army adopted the beret as primary garrison headgear for the entire force. Before then, black had been worn by Rangers and certain reconnaissance and armored units, informally since the 1960s and officially since 1974.1Defense Technical Information Center. Beret Wear Policy
Its role has shrunk twice since then. In 2011, the Army made the patrol cap the default headgear for the combat uniform, pushing the beret back to service-uniform wear only.2The United States Army. ACU Changes Make Velcro Optional, Patrol Cap Default Headgear Army Directive 2025-18 then prohibited the black beret with any variation of the Army Green Service Uniform, the uniform the Army is currently transitioning to as its sole service dress.3U.S. Army. Army Directive 2025-18 – Appearance, Grooming, and Army Body Composition Program Standards Soldiers still wearing the older blue Army Service Uniform can pair it with the black beret, but as the AGSU takes over, the black beret is effectively fading out of daily use.
Green: Special Forces
The green beret belongs to U.S. Army Special Forces and is the most recognized piece of headwear in the American military. SF soldiers began wearing it informally in 1954, and President John F. Kennedy authorized it as an official mark of distinction during a visit to Fort Bragg on October 12, 1961.
Under current regulations, the green beret is authorized for all Special Forces–qualified personnel who hold a Career Management Field 18 military occupational specialty, including 18A officers and 180A warrant officers.4U.S. Army. DA PAM 670-1 – Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia This is a meaningful distinction: the green beret follows the soldier’s qualification and MOS, not the current unit. If you’ve earned the Special Forces Tab and carry an SF specialty, you’re authorized to wear it. Earning that qualification requires completing the Special Forces Qualification Course, one of the longest training pipelines in the military.
Maroon: Airborne Units
The maroon beret is the international symbol of airborne forces. The Department of the Army officially authorized it for American airborne personnel in 1980, drawing on a tradition that traces back to a World War II gesture by British General Frederick Browning to the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion.
Today, the maroon beret is worn by all personnel assigned to airborne units whose primary mission is airborne operations, including the 82nd Airborne Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade.4U.S. Army. DA PAM 670-1 – Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia The word “assigned” matters. A soldier who completed the Basic Airborne Course at Fort Moore and earned jump wings but serves in a non-airborne unit wears whatever headgear that unit authorizes, not the maroon beret.
Tan: The 75th Ranger Regiment
The tan beret identifies soldiers of the 75th Ranger Regiment, the Army’s premier large-scale direct-action raid force. Rangers originally wore black, and switched to tan in 2001 when the black beret went Army-wide, so the Regiment could keep a distinct identity.
Earning the tan beret requires passing the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, a multi-week evaluation of fitness, small-unit tactics, marksmanship, and mental toughness. Candidates must be U.S. citizens on active duty and meet strict physical and administrative standards.5U.S. Army. Join the 75th Ranger Regiment Officers attending RASP must already be Ranger-qualified through the separate 62-day Ranger School.
One point causes constant confusion: Ranger School alone does not authorize the tan beret. Ranger School earns the Ranger Tab, a leadership credential worn by soldiers across the Army. The tan beret is specifically for personnel assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment or the Ranger Training Brigade. DA PAM 670-1 also extends tan beret authorization to Ranger-qualified soldiers who previously served honorably in the 75th and now hold positions in certain headquarters elements, including combatant commands, the Joint Staff, and U.S. Special Operations Command.4U.S. Army. DA PAM 670-1 – Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia
Brown: Security Force Assistance Brigades
The brown beret is the newest color in the Army’s inventory. The first Security Force Assistance Brigade activated in February 2018 with brown as its distinctive headgear.6The United States Army. 1st SFAB Hosts Activation Ceremony; Heraldry Announced SFABs train, advise, and assist allied and partner-nation forces in conventional combat skills such as armor, artillery, and aviation.
SFABs are not Special Forces. They are conventional units built to partner with other conventional forces. Soldiers who want to join must pass a multi-day assessment that evaluates physical fitness, warrior skills, MOS proficiency, leadership under pressure, and team performance.7The United States Army. So You Want To Be an SFAB Advisor? Here’s How The brown beret is authorized for all personnel assigned to Security Force Assistance Command and its subordinate brigades.4U.S. Army. DA PAM 670-1 – Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia
What the Flash on the Front Means
Every Army beret carries a small shield-shaped embroidered patch on the front called a flash. Soldiers in units authorized a distinctive beret wear their unit’s unique flash; soldiers wearing the standard black beret wear a generic Army flash.4U.S. Army. DA PAM 670-1 – Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia
What sits on the flash depends on rank. Officers and warrant officers wear their grade insignia centered on the flash, and chaplains wear branch insignia in the same position. Enlisted soldiers wear their unit’s Distinctive Unit Insignia, or their Regimental Distinctive Insignia if the unit doesn’t have a DUI.4U.S. Army. DA PAM 670-1 – Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia Flash colors and designs vary by unit, so two maroon berets from different airborne divisions will look visibly different up close. The color tells you the type of unit; the flash tells you which one.