WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- In recent months, it has become increasingly apparent that opinions on the beret are nearly as numerous as the myths and misconceptions surrounding both the beret’s history and our reasons for switching to it.

I’ve made it a point to talk about the beret with nearly every group of soldiers I’ve spoken with in my travels. Typically, I’ve asked for a show of hands from people who think the black beret is a bad idea. As a rule, about 20-30 percent of the soldiers raise their hands.

Then, nearly every group has shared some good-natured laughs with me as we take a look at what soldiers really know about the topic.

"What kind of units wore the black beret from 1973-1979," I begin asking the soldiers who raised their hands.

"What was the first unit in the Army authorized to wear black berets?"

"True or false -- Rangers wore berets in World War II?"

"True or false -- Soldiers graduating from Ranger School are awarded a Ranger tab and a black beret?"

"What is the only course in the Army where soldiers are awarded berets upon graduation?"

"How many years has the Army talked about putting every soldier in a black beret?"

Beginning as early as 1924, armor units in the British Army began wearing black berets for a few very simple reasons. For one thing, the color hid the grease spots tankers often left on their hats when putting them on and taking them off as they worked on their vehicles. Also, the beret allowed tank crewmen to comfortably wear radio headsets and push their faces against the tank’s telescopic sights.

Although historians say a few Ranger units unofficially wore black berets during the early 1950s and again during the Vietnam War, the Center of Military History can find no photos or documentation indicating World War II Rangers were ever authorized to wear berets of any color.

The headgear did not become an official part of the Ranger uniform for another 25 years. In 1975, the Army authorized two newly formed ranger battalions to wear black berets -- one year after both armor and cavalry units around the Army began wearing black berets.

The Opposing Force units at the National Training Center, Joint Readiness Training Center and Combat Maneuver Training Center have worn black berets for years. Further, armor and cavalry units throughout the Army were authorized black berets from 1973-1979.

A few months back, one old cavalryman even told me that when Chief of Staff Gen. Bernard Rogers decided in 1979 that only special operations and airborne units would be authorized berets, tankers in his unit objected to the decision and burned "their" black berets in protest.

It is also interesting to note how many soldiers believe that Ranger and airborne school graduates receive either black or maroon berets upon completing their respective courses. Very few soldiers realize that Special Forces Qualification Course graduates are the only troops in the Army awarded a beret and tab when they complete their school.

Thus far in talking to literally thousands of soldiers about the black beret, only one person -- a sergeant at Fort Gordon, Ga. -- knew that the Army’s leadership had considered transitioning the entire force to black berets for more than a dozen years. Each time, the decision was deferred because of other priorities.

During his first year as chief of staff, Gen. Eric Shinseki concentrated on building up momentum for our ongoing transformation. Only in his second year as chief did he decide the time was right to wear black berets.

I would hope that these thoughts would add a bit to soldiers’ understanding of the Army’s change to the black beret.