Special Operations Forces personnel have been awarded the right to wear a maroon beret

The annual qualification tests for the right to wear the maroon beret were held at the Special Operations Forces training center. 170 candidates competed for the right to wear this symbol of valor, strength of spirit, and professional excellence.

The maroon beret is the symbol of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The beret cannot be obtained by rank or length of service. It can only be earned.
The test program included a set of special disciplines: mountain, medical, and radio training, military demolitions, and work with unmanned systems. An important part was the assessment of marksmanship skills. Candidates had to demonstrate accuracy, confident handling of weapons, and the ability to maintain concentration under increased stress.
One of the most challenging stages was a 30-kilometer forced march with the completion of special tasks, which ended in hand-to-hand combat bouts. At the final stage, the candidates had to show extreme endurance, determination, strength of spirit, and psychological resilience.
The right to wear the maroon beret was granted to Special Operations Forces service members who successfully passed all stages of selection and confirmed the required level of training. They were ceremonially presented with maroon berets — a sign of professional excellence and readiness to perform tasks of increased complexity.
Earning the beret does not mean keeping it forever. The holder of the maroon beret may be stripped of the right to wear it for losing the required level of professional training and the trust of leadership and colleagues.
The tradition of qualification tests for the right to wear the beret exists in special units of a number of states and other agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan.