The Green Berets are a Special Forces division of the United States Army. Major Herbert Brucker, a veteran Special Forces Officer, originally designated wearing the green beret in 1953. They wore it in the field for prolonged exercises. It soon spread throughout all Special Forces even though the Army refused to authorize its official use. When President Kennedy planned a visit to Fort Brag in 1961, he officially requested that all the Special Services Forces at this special event wear their berets. President Kennedy felt that since they had a special mission they needed something to set them apart from the rest. General Yarborough wore his green beret to meet the Commander in Chief. President Kennedy remarked that he was sure that the green beret would be a mark of distinction in the trying times ahead. In 1962, President called the Green Beret "a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom." The Department of the Army was later authorized to use the beret as part of the Special Forces uniform. .
Each branch of the United States Military has its own Special Operations Force. The U.S. Army has the Special Forces nicknamed the Green Berets. The cap-badge of the World War II Special Service Force was the crossed arrows, which had belonged to the Indian Scouts who were no longer in force. Now the Special Forces cap-badge uses .
crossed arrows with a dagger. Their motto is "De Oppresso Liber". .
The soldiers of the Special Forces are specially selected and trained for unconventional warfare. Very often they are the only American military presence in a nation. The are qualified to make tough decisions everyday in the most uncommon and precarious situations. They face overwhelming odds with every mission and are set apart from the rest by their courage and tradition of carrying out their mission.
There are some special requirements that must be met in order to even request duty as a Special Force soldier: Must be an active-duty male soldier.