Green beret
When visiting the Special Forces at Fort Bragg on 12 October 1961, President John F. Kennedy asked Brigadier General William P. Yarborough to make sure that the men under his command wore green berets for the visit. Later that day, Kennedy sent a memorandum which included the line: "I am sure that the green beret will be a mark of distinction in the trying times ahead". By America's entry into the Vietnam War, the green beret had become a symbol of excellence throughout the US Army. On April 11, 1962 in a White House memorandum to the United States Army, President Kennedy reiterated his view: "The green beret is a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom". To no avail, both Yarborough and Edson Raff had previously petitioned the Pentagon to allow wearing of the green beret. The President, however, did not fail them.
History of the United States Army Special Forces
Since Operation Inherent Resolve began, U.S. airstrikes have been supported by Green Beret adviser teams, helping stop the advances of ISIL. Green Berets from the 5th SFG deployed to Jordan in support of OIR, several news outlets reported they were at the Prince Faisal Air Base in Al-Jafr working for a CIA program to train moderate Syrian fighters. On November 4 2016, a small convoy of carrying Green Berets were returning to the base after a training exercise when a Jordanian guard, after waving the first vehicle through the entry control point at the base, then opened fire on the second vehicle killing 2 Green Berets, U.S. troops from the vehicle behind opened fire, another Green Beret was killed but a fourth, who was wounded, shot the Jordanian, severely wounding him. On January 8 2017, a Green Beret assigned to 2nd Battalion 5th SFG, was killed in a non-combat-related incident in Jordan.