Question about early DCU Boonie Hats

[Manchu Warrior]

I picked up a pile of Boonie Hats today and these two were in the pile. I didn't think much of them until I got home and noticed the dates of them. The one is nice and clean and it is dated 1990. I thought I read it wrong and when I realized it was right I look into the history of the DCU uniform. What I found was that the DCU was issued in very limited numbers in 1990. So I assume that this hat was part of that limited number. The other hat has me baffled. That is because it is dated 1987 and its a Woodland Camouflage Pattern. I assume that one is possibly an experimental hat. But unfortunately, as you can see in the photo, the white tag on the bottom is washed out. Any thoughts on these Desert Boonie Hats would be appreciated!

[Longbranch]

The 1990 contract hat looks like a typical early issue DCU boonie. It could have been used anytime between the early 1990's and the end of the DCU uniform era (the Army stopped wearing DCUs in 2006, the Air Force and Navy wore them for several years after that). The "experimental" boonie looks like a commercial Bancroft manufacture version. Notice that the "contract number" is completely incorrect for a piece of military-issue clothing produced in the 1980's. In 1987, it would have had a DLA prefix on the contract number, not the DSA prefix commonly seen on earlier equipment. Clothing manufacturers often put these made-up contract numbers on commercial/civilian market merchandise to make it appear more like "military-issue".

 

Commercial market items are often purchased by members of the military, and in some cases by military units, and used during military service and combat deployments.

[taucco]

DSA one= commercial.

 

DLA one= early contract (However not the eraliest; earlier 89 contract do exist for patrol caps, boonie hats and m65 jackets.)

[Manchu Warrior]

I didn't know and really didn't think about when they went from DSA to DLA but, I know now. I also didn't buy the pile for these hats so no big lose. I appreciate the information. Thanks!

[Longbranch]

The commercial hat appears to have been used by an Army vet. I don't think the commercial origin of this boonie hat makes it a "loss". It's just a commercial hat purchased and used by an Army soldier.