US Army Berets, Made in China

RANT ALERT

I just read in a post by a current soldier in the US Army over at UNA that the US Army's berets are made in China. This is an outrage. If it was a matter of cost, why the hell didn't they stick with the poly-cotton busboy hats that probably cost a dollar or two to make? They were simple, neat and could be folded into a soldier's belt while indoors.

Seriously, other than the ugly young pup under it, what was wrong with the old style hats?



The Army probably has a warehouse full of these hats somewhere. The Chinese berets should be withdrawn and the old hats reissued.

END RANT

I have one of my late son's beret's. It says Made in USA.

iluvfreebeer wrote:I have one of my late son's beret's. It says Made in USA.

I really wish that I had posted a link to the post where I got that info because it was in a thread that had nothing to do with the berets and I will never find it now. It turns out that the story is out of date anyway. http://tinyurl.com/34ogrv

iluvfreebeer wrote:"...my late son's beret's"

I'm sorry to hear that.

Clubtender wrote:

iluvfreebeer wrote:"...my late son's beret's"

I'm sorry to hear that.

Thanks



As for the black berets for everyone.
It pissed me off when the klintonites did that.

Used to be berets were EARNED by elite troops like paratroopers, rangers and SF. Now every cook and mail clerk has one.
That's not to knock cooks and mail clerks. God knows I value chow and mail from home. But taking away the elite status of elite troops is just plain stupid.

And yes, I think garrison caps were cool.

iluvfreebeer wrote:And yes, I think garrison caps were cool.

They were fine for their intended purpose. Berets should only be for special forces.

Hell, now the Army is wearing BDU's in public rather than class A's and class B's.

Before anyone else says it, I know that I'm getting old.

I don't know why you're all so suprised at berets not been made in the US. Under Bush nearly everything the military does or uses is provided by the private sector, who are obviously going to try and keep costs down. All the military does is provide the manpower, and even that is being cut away at these days with private armies doing jobs the real army used to take care of. Isn't the free market great?

Bilbo Baggins wrote:Under Bush nearly everything the military does or uses is provided by the private sector, who are obviously going to try and keep costs down.

Everything that the Armed Forces of the United States has ever used dating back to the days of George Washington has been provided by the lowest bidder from the private sector. This is nothing new.

Clubtender wrote:

Before anyone else says it, I know that I'm getting old.

You and me both brother

iluvfreebeer wrote:Used to be berets were EARNED by elite troops like paratroopers, rangers and SF. Now every cook and mail clerk has one.

I loved the garrison caps. I'd take those over a the berret any day; more practical to me. I don't like them and I think Shinseki took the heart out of the beret.

Everything that the Armed Forces of the United States has ever used dating back to the days of George Washington has been provided by the lowest bidder from the private sector. This is nothing new.

I agree, but Bush accelerated things. Rumsfeld had a big part to play, especially considering he had a stake in some of the companies that got some big contracts (which is illegal!). I find it interesting that so many of the right-wing are such rabid free-marketers, but when it happens to the army you're all outraged. You can't have it both ways

Bilbo Baggins wrote:

Clubtender wrote:Everything that the Armed Forces of the United States has ever used dating back to the days of George Washington has been provided by the lowest bidder from the private sector. This is nothing new.

I agree, but Bush accelerated things. Rumsfeld had a big part to play, especially considering he had a stake in some of the companies that got some big contracts (which is illegal!). I find it interesting that so many of the right-wing are such rabid free-marketers, but when it happens to the army you're all outraged. You can't have it both ways

What company that Donald Rumsfeld currently owns stock in has got military contracts? I'm not saying that he is an innocent little kitten, I just want to know what military contractor's company does he own stock in?

Military contracts are a dirty business sometime and often politicians will get their hands dirty with them. Here's a perfect example of dirty dealings with military contracts.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54932
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California is up to her neck in contract fraud.

What company that Donald Rumsfeld currently owns stock in has got military contracts? I'm not saying that he is an innocent little kitten, I just want to know what military contractor's company does he own stock in?

I will have to check my facts just to be certain I name the right company, I will post it today though so don't go to far.

However, another (non-military) example would be his involvement with Gilead Sciences, a company that sells Tamiflu to the US government. Granted, he said that he excused himself from decisions regarding Tamiflu, but don't you think its wrong that such a high-ranking public official would be directly profiting from goverment policy? Its illegal, your not allowed such a conflict on interest, regardless of whether you attend the meetings or not. At the very least it hindered him from doing his job (which is probably a good thing now that I think about it).

Bilbo Baggins wrote:

I will have to check my facts . . .

Typical lib.
Spewing without knowing what he sayeth.

It was Cheney actually who had the conflict of interest. Former CEO of Halliburton, negotiated defense agreements with Halliburton subsidiary Brown & Root while still holding 760,000 options with Halliburton. So he was involved in agreements that improved his own personal wealth. What a man.

Apologies about the Rumsfeld mistake, I must have confused the Gilead Sciences thing.

Typical lib.
Spewing without knowing what he sayeth.

Typical conservative, focuses on one mistake so as to avoid having to come up with a coherent counter-argument.

Bilbo Baggins wrote:It was Cheney actually who had the conflict of interest. Former CEO of Halliburton, negotiated defense agreements with Halliburton subsidiary Brown & Root while still holding 760,000 options with Halliburton. So he was involved in agreements that improved his own personal wealth. What a man.

Apologies about the Rumsfeld mistake, I must have confused the Gilead Sciences thing.

What is the source for this info?

Bilbo Baggins wrote:

Typical conservative, focuses on one mistake so as to avoid having to come up with a coherent counter-argument.

I don't argue with libs.
It's a waste of my valuable time.
I'd rather that they help decrease their carbon footprint by duct taping a plastic bag over their heads.

Typical lib brain puke. When the cornerstone of their argument is called into question claim it was only a small fact.

Sorry boys but the whole globalist Clinton / Bush movement has FUBAR'd America past the point of no return. The US is now owned by China, who gets to dump it's toxic waste on us by putting it into children's toys.

There hasn't been a real Democrat since LBJ or a real Republican since Reagan. Both parties suck and honestly the libertarians aren't any better. The deck is stacked against us. I'm looking in the window and I can't tell the farmers from the pigs anymore. Animal Farm is off the tracks.

Both parties suck

Probably the only thing we agree about, though for completely different reasons.

The US is now owned by China, who gets to dump it's toxic waste on us by putting it into children's toys.

China owns the US these days huh? Thats one helluva spin from what I've been hearing. And dumping toxic waste by putting it into children's toys? Are you mad?! Their production methods just suck, I seriously doubt they are doing it intentionally.

Do you even have a clue as to exactly how much of the US China actually owns these days? Do you even have a clue as to how much of the US's debt the Chinese have bought up? How much stock in US corporations does the Chinese government own either on their own or through proxy companies? Exactly what do you know about Chinese production methods?

Exactly what reasons do I have to believe that both parties suck? Please be precise since you seem intent on portraying yourself as knowing me so well. Am I currently a Democrat or a Republican or maybe even an indy? Which party did I belong to for the longest period of time? Which famous politician am I related to?

Am I currently a Democrat or a Republican or maybe even an indy?

I don't care, you're a conservative so we are going to disagree on jsut about anything.

Which party did I belong to for the longest period of time? Which famous politician am I related to?

I don't care, completely irrelevant. Its only your beliefs now that matter.

Do you even have a clue as to exactly how much of the US China actually owns these days? Do you even have a clue as to how much of the US's debt the Chinese have bought up? How much stock in US corporations does the Chinese government own either on their own or through proxy companies? Exactly what do you know about Chinese production methods?

You tell me, cos I think you're talking a load of shit.

Why waste more bandwidth on a liberal who doesn't even know how much his country was sold for and to whom? Look it up, it's an easy search even on Google and you'll find out that prior to 1993 foreigners only owned less than 20% of our national debt. By 2000 they owned 35% of our national debt and now they own better than 53% of our national debt. A huge amount of this debt is owned by China. Educate yourself kid, no matter which side of the political fence you sit on you need to know.

Educate yourself kid

Me educate myself?!! You guys make things up all the time just so you don't look as stupid as you really are. Btw, only 25% of the total national debt is held by foreigners (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17424874/), with India and China holding 47% of that figure. So why don't you educate yourself?

Furthermore, the US is not my country. However, as its actions have a large impact on the world as a whole, I feel its my duty to be informed.

Bilbo Baggins wrote:

Educate yourself kid

Me educate myself?!! You guys make things up all the time just so you don't look as stupid as you really are. Btw, only 25% of the total national debt is held by foreigners (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17424874/), with India and China holding 47% of that figure. So why don't you educate yourself?

Furthermore, the US is not my country. However, as its actions have a large impact on the world as a whole, I feel its my duty to be informed.

He claims he's educated, and then quotes PMSNBC.

That's just too damned funny!

He claims he's educated, and then quotes PMSNBC.

That's just too damned funny!

Why am I not suprised by that response? Conservatives always think the media is against them. Get a clue

Bilbo Baggins wrote:

He claims he's educated, and then quotes PMSNBC.

That's just too damned funny!

Why am I not suprised by that response? Conservatives always think the media is against them. Get a clue

From where should I derive such clue? CNN? the NY Slimes? NBC?