Master Sgt. Kittie Messman, the Army's noncommissioned officer who oversees uniform policy, presented a Powerpoint slide class. She brought with her actual berets for inquisitive soldiers to try on and learn how to correctly wear the service's upcoming standard headgear.

June 14, which is the Army's birthday, is the date when soldiers throughout the Army will began wearing the headgear which has brought much debate since it was announced last October.

"When the chief of staff makes a decision, it's not time to start debating," Sgt. Maj. of the Army Jack Tilley told attendees.

Tilley also addressed NCOs working at the Pentagon on other topics like military courtesy.

"We're going to start ratcheting it down and enforce standards," Tilley said, referring to the Army's birthday as a good time to renew customs and traditions long held in the service.

Messman's presentation included information about the care and wearing of the beret and debunked some myths floating around the field.

One interesting tidbit was pointing out that the new black berets will not have liners compared to those made before them.

"The Army figured if everyone was going to cut them out, to not just put them in," she said.

One slide stated "Females may not pack hair into the beret," in accordance with Army regulation 670-1.

Female soldiers will have to adjust their hair style to the beret and not the beret to the hair style normally worn, Messman said.

As for the maintenance aspects of it, Messman said many of these care methods used by other beret wearers handed down over the years are not recommended by the manufacturer and can actually damage the beret because of its wool material.

For example, one of the so-called care methods discussed was soaking the beret in warm water which could actually shrink it, a slide stated.

Soldiers who care for their berets in any manner not authorized will not be reimbursed or reissued a new one, but instead will replace at their own expense, Messman's class noted.