Hey Mike,
Sure agree on the beret issue! It really is a case of someone that is afraid to be all they can be passing a proclamation to elevate their ego, if that makes sense. It reminds me of the time we were no longer allowed to wear foreign jump wings on our BDUs, mainly someone in power felt left out so they took the foreign wings from us all.
As for Groups, I was 10th, 12th Reserve and 19th ANG. Worked Desert Storm with SOCCENT. Although I am a desert rat at heart, I was not keen on the Middle East and was really glad to not have to go back again!
Uniforms, I do like the MARPATs, not the ACUs and there has never been a better uniform than the OD jungle fatigues! Cheers!