Topic: Beret help!

[Yes Man]

1. How do I put the badge on?

2. Can I take the big tag in the center off?

3. Does anyone have a good high res picture of a beret, shaped well?

[a Sig Op]

You will be taught all these things on basic training. Don't worry about it yet... that being said...

1. You need to make a tiny cut in front of the stiffener. Somone will show you how to do this.

2. No need to. For now, you can mark your name there so you know it's your beret. In the future, you will rip the entire liner out. Not yet though.

3. The beret is worn two fingers above the eyes (Eyes, not eyebrows), and two fingers above the ears. The excess fabric is pulled over the right ear. Don't worry about forming your beret until your basic training course, you will screw it up (Not intended as an insult, but a simple statement. You'll also screw it up the first time you form it, and it will likely look more or less like crap for the duration of your basic training anyway. Most new recruits have to form their beret three or four times to get it right.)

[Razic]

Hey man, hows it going? I've been working on my beret too. ok to put your badge on it you'll see a little section at the front thats outlined with stitching and has a round part stitched inside as well, take a razor or something and cut a little slit at the top of the rounded part and just slide the badge in. im not sure what tag you're talking about, but dont take it out, also some people say to cutout the liner, dont does this before we got to BMQ man, they kick our asses for it my MCprl told me to wait till after the summer before I do that, also when forming it, wear it in the shower and keep smoothing it down, badge above the left eye, and make sure the flap doesnt go too far past your ear, if you can try and avoid that at all.

[Yes Man]

Is there a way to tie the string at the back?

[a Sig Op]

Just tie it in a double knotted bow, and tuck the loops and ends under your beret.

Technically, if you rip your liner out, you're modifying equipment belonging to the crown, which you're not allowed to do.

On the other hand, as a rule of thumb, when you turn in your kit, you keep your beret. Because no one wants your beat up used beret. So no one cares.

I had my liner ripped out before I started basic, only one instructor ever said anything to me about it... my beret looked particularly good... so he told me to remove it... noted the fact that I didn't have a liner... asked me where it was... "It must have fallen out, I'll pass in a lost kit form this afternoon master-corpral."

Of course, this particular instructor, while a prick, also had a very sarcastic sense of humor, so he just glared at me for a second and told me to put my beret back on...

Just leave your liner in, and don't worry about shaping it until basic training. They'll teach you everything there.

[Razic]

just tuck it in underneath

[Yes Man]

Is the badge suppose to go all the way to the bottom of the beret, or is it a few cm up from the leather?

[brin11]

If you make your incision where Razic mentioned the badge will sit properly.  No it shouldn't be all the way to the leather.

[Garry]

There is a lot of debate over leaving the liner in when shaping the beret- I've done both, and tend to leave the liner in now.

Best way I've found to shape a beret is start when you have an entire evening to devote to the shaping. Start by running hot water straight from the tap into the beret. Get it as hot as you can (ie no cold). Let run a minute or two, and work the water into the beret. Switch over to cold water, and work the cold water into the beret. Do this several times (hot then cold). Finish off with a good cold rinse.

Place the beret on your head, and looking in the mirror get the badge centred and leather rim where you want it. Smooth the beret over your head, starting from the left side, and pulling over to the right. Once it's all smooth on the top and sides, you can then start working the "flap" up under itself. Push the material up and under the flap until the bottom of the flap is even with the leather brim. Squash flat against your head. Carefully take the beret off, and ensure that the liner is not part of the flap, but just sits there on your head. Replace, and keep adjusting the beret so that it looks the way you want it.

Nows the time to watch some tube, whatever, until the beret dries. Every now and again hit the mirror and make sure that the beret isn't drying out of shape.

When you finally go to ground, take the beret off very carefully and leave it over a lamp shade or something to help it keep it's shape.

You may well have to repeat the whole process if you don't like the results, but so far (knock on wood) I haven't had to.

The beret tends to get just a little individual- units wear their's just a little differently than others, and some folk withing the unit will slide a little one way or the other. Make sure that you know what you're looking for before you start!

My two cents worth- a tight beret, with very little flap, is the way to go.

Good luck!

Garry

[Soon to be Medic]

Confirmation.
 When I join the Army. I will get in trouble if I rip out liner and burn the tags?

[a Sig Op]

I reiterate what I've said several times... don't rip your liner out until basic training is over (Or until you're sure you can get away with ripping it out).

I'm actually surprised no one ever followed up to make sure I had passed in the lost kit form for the liner.

[Pepper]

To back up Just a Sig Op, you are not allowed to take the liner out during basic.  I'm starting week 8 and last Thursday we had the Capt. inspection.  One of the first things he asked was if I shower with my beret.  He was asking because it wasn't shaped very well.  Then he suggested I remove the liner once I leave the school, as it's not permitted to remove the liner during training.

I took the advice Garry posted above and it looks to be better shaped than what it was...I hope.

[~RoKo~]

It will depend on your course staff. I was told on my second day of basic that the liner was to go missing.

[Shaun]

1. How do I put the badge on?

If you're reg force basic, you'll be putting the cap badge on when they tell you to put it on after you pass your saluting test on week 4

2. Can I take the big tag in the center off?

You 'can't' alter your equipment (hehehe)

3. Does anyone have a good high res picture of a beret, shaped well?

No pics but I like my beret

[TorScotR]

After my first course weekend my section Ic told me to take out the liner plus the two rivets and wear it in a hot shower pull to the side and also he said he lightly shaved the top of his to take all the fuzz off. Im still wondering if im gonna get in crap for it but mine was pretty well formed after the first day and i had a instructor ask me if my liner was still in i said yes and he was just like o oki

[George Wallace]

After my first course weekend my section Ic told me to take out the liner plus the two rivets and wear it in a hot shower pull to the side and also he said he lightly shaved the top of his to take all the fuzz off. Im still wondering if im gonna get in crap for it but mine was pretty well formed after the first day and i had a instructor ask me if my liner was still in i said yes and he was just like o oki

You do not have to take the liner out.  If your beret fits, and looks proper with the liner still in it, there is no need to remove it.  Some people remove the liner to make their beret fit them better, others don't have to.  Some people shave their berets, others don't.  It is all personal preference.

[helpup]

I have found that with the leather banded Berets ( proper name escapes me) I always had to remove the liner. ( all the rules for not to do this still apply ). My umpteenth replacement berets are now the cloth ones and with them I don't need to remove the liner.  Pet Peeve, a Beret should not have the folded down side covering you're entire ear. ( that is Beret not Balmoral)

[Sonnyjim]

I agree with George on this one. However, if you are going to leave the liner in just make sure to take that hot shower with it on (as previously suggested). TorScot, not as big of a deal as you won't be wearing a beret for the rest of your days anyways. Don't just take out the liner to take out the liner. If it's uncomfortable then adjust it accordingly, but don't go cutting the liner out for the fact of doing it. Shaving it will help, but go buy a cheap pack of razors from the dollar store instead of ruining a good one.

And as I was typing, helpup, I agree with your petpeeve. Also, if you see a colleague wearing his beret pulled down like an Italian Pizza Conaseiur please tell them to fix it, it's embarassing for everybody.