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US Army Service Cap Question


iamck94
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Did they stop issuing service caps in 1978? I've read that the service cap "was out" in 1978, yet my father (who commisioned in 1991) bought one. I've also seen one pictures post-1978 where soldiers were wearing service caps. My assumption is that the service cap was no longer issued 1978 and after, I just want to verify.

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Service caps were an issue item to enlisted soldiers through the Vietnam period- if you say that the end date was 1978, then so be it. Enlisted personnel were still allowed to purchase the service cap for wear as an optional wear item, but were not authorized to wear it during formations.

 

Officers (commissioned and warrant) were required to purchase their service caps and these caps were to be worn when in a non-traveling status. The only time officers were authorized to wear the garrison cap was when they were in a traveling status. Sure, garrison caps were widely worn with class B uniforms and I know a lot of officers on flight crews wore the garrison cap with their flight suits, but the garrison cap was considered a secondary form of headgear for officers.

 

After the enlisted service cap went away, the army enlisted officially only wore the garrison cap with class A and Class B uniforms. The exception was the marron, green and black berets worn by soldiers assigned to airborne, special forces and ranger units.

 

Allan

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I got out in '77 and wasn't aware of any of that...sounds like just another classy move on the part of the Army. I think the last time I wore my class As was graduating from basics, so neither of my caps really ever got any mileage. Garrison cap was my choice w/khakis, though.

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Service caps were an issue item to enlisted soldiers through the Vietnam period- if you say that the end date was 1978, then so be it. Enlisted personnel were still allowed to purchase the service cap for wear as an optional wear item, but were not authorized to wear it during formations.

 

Officers (commissioned and warrant) were required to purchase their service caps and these caps were to be worn when in a non-traveling status. The only time officers were authorized to wear the garrison cap was when they were in a traveling status. Sure, garrison caps were widely worn with class B uniforms and I know a lot of officers on flight crews wore the garrison cap with their flight suits, but the garrison cap was considered a secondary form of headgear for officers.

 

After the enlisted service cap went away, the army enlisted officially only wore the garrison cap with class A and Class B uniforms. The exception was the marron, green and black berets worn by soldiers assigned to airborne, special forces and ranger units.

 

Allan

 

Thank you for clarifying!

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Did they stop issuing service caps in 1978? I've read that the service cap "was out" in 1978, yet my father (who commisioned in 1991) bought one. I've also seen one pictures post-1978 where soldiers were wearing service caps. My assumption is that the service cap was no longer issued 1978 and after, I just want to verify.

The service cap was officialy discontunued as a issue item sometime in late 78, i myself aquired one in the early fall of 1980 when i was in the cav at ft hood, i got it as a give away from a sgt E-5 type who was ETS-ING, he was issued it in 1976 with his phase 2 issue. At ft hood and later at ft wainwright i do believe i was the ONLY guy who had this type of cap, at least in the barracks, i never seen anyone that might of had one, i would say in the very early 80s most of the men who had them issued back in the 70s even the 60s had by then got rid of them as i was not a requied piece of headgear to both wear and have. I wore it only a few times when i went home on leave in late december 80- early january 81. In alaska i became buddies with a few guy in a different company i was CO A, these guys where CO E, they where in the recon platoon called Echo recon,(4/9 inf) two of them sp/4's , former batt-men of the 2nd bn 75th rangers, one of them who was from wyoming, who was in since early 79 showed me a photo of his wife a second generation mexican-american (he being of anglo-saxon desent) had nothing but praise for his wife indeed she was very beautiful, looking at the photo of his very attactive wife i noticed he had in his wallet his basic training portrait, i noticed he was where the service cap, i said,you had that cap issued ?, he said yes, as far as i know we where the last to have them, now he did'nt know anything about uniforms per- se, he did come from a family of all marines, he just joined the army to be differant, to be a ranger, but not knowing about the regulations, he claims the drill sergeants told everyone after a few weeks and presumably after their photos where taken, that the service cap will not be worn with you class A uniform or khaki uniform anymore, they where told hold on to them they liked, as it could still worn when on leave or off post ONLY AFTER you go to your permanent party unit, BUT YOU WILL NOT DISCARD THEM WHILE HERE, OR IN AIT, an admonisment no doubt as that they issued them and despite the non reqirement to wear them, it will still be it at least, while in intial training an item that must have as they where issued it and all the issued items must be accounted for.( He took basic at ft knox).

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