Walter B. Jones: “last Thursday I was honored to have two former Army Rangers visit my Washington office. Sergeant David Nielsen was just…”

“last Thursday I was honored to have two former Army Rangers visit my Washington office. Sergeant David Nielsen was just finishing a grueling 750-mile march from Fort Benning, Georgia, to Washington, D.C. For much of the march, he was accompanied by Sergeant Bill Round, a fellow Ranger, a Vietnam veteran and a constituent of mine. The purpose behind this march was simple. They wanted to protest a recent directive issued by the Army Chief of Staff that makes the black beret, the long-standing symbol of the Rangers, standard issue for all Army soldiers. Mr. Speaker, our Rangers are unique. They volunteer to undergo intense training and endure great sacrifices in the name of freedom. At the end of their training, they are presented with the black beret. The beret has a long history beginning with Rogers Rangers who fought during the French and Indian War. In 1951, Ranger units at Fort Benning, Georgia, began wearing the black beret; and in 1975, the Department of Army officially authorized Rangers, and only Rangers, to wear the black beret. No matter where we have called our Rangers to serve, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Somalia, they have done so with honor and distinction. As we sat in my office, Sergeant Nielsen told me about another Ranger, a silent marcher who also accompanied him on this journey. His name was PFC James Markwell.…”