I got one when I made major to wear for special occasions (like funerals) with my service coat...but almost 4 years as a major and I've yet to wear it.
Thankfully no funerals but no other special stuff either.

Quote from: mikeylikey on November 26, 2007, 07:39:58 PM

Quote from: ColonelJack on November 26, 2007, 07:24:19 PM
Correct me if I'm wrong ... but isn't the Army also reinstating their version of the service cap, now that they're transitioning to the Army Blue uniform?  Does it mean the end of the beret as regular headgear?  (One can only hope.....)

Jack

Partly correct.  The Service Cap has always been the prescribed headgear for the Army Blue uniform.  The beret only replaced the Green Service Cap on the Army Green Uniform.  Now that we are getting rid of the greens and mandating One uniform (Blues) as the as the only Dress Uniform, the beret is not following from what I understand.  The Service Cap will be worn with the blues.  Honestly, it is far better than wearing the beret! 

I can't wait, as the Army Blue uniform is SO MUCH better than the Green Uniform, both historically and esthetically.

I thought the beret would be worn with the blues for Specialists and below. (according to the LiferArmy Times

Quote from: ddelaney103 on November 26, 2007, 04:03:56 PM
The low level, stilted version of history excreted here?  Dang right it hurt my head!

Only because your head is painfully small to begin with.  Most likely secondary to a public school (recent vintage) history education (Major Carralles' class excepted).

If we thank anyone it should be Lafayette.  He jumped into the fray mostly of his own accord.  The French government of the time was furious about being dragged into taking an actual side in the conflict by his actions.  Their true desire was to use the upstart colonies to continue bleeding the hated English.  The French government of the time didn't give a tinkers [darn] about American independence beyond it's usefulness in bedeviling the British.

And, the French government had a vested interest in continuing the myth of "Divine Right of Kings," that our Declaration of Independence expressly denied.  They entered the conflict only to, as Aveighter said, to "Bleed the British."

The French were not successful in their overall aims, however.  King George III was one of the more successful monarchs, with the American matter the only blot on his otherwise good record of managing the vast British Empire.

The French monarchy, however, fell to a violent internal revolution about the time we were establishing a Constitution.

Topic... or lock button goes weapons free.

I'll respect any man's opinion or woman's opinion and leave it at that, given that I'm not in the business of trying to spend gobs of type strokes, trying to change minds.

I'll simply say that the "historical" nature of the service cap isn't really a worthwhile argument unless we openly confess to some of the bias going with the argument.  We don't advocate wearing tricorns, shakos, kepis, or 1880s-era "pointy-spiked" hats.  Rather, we acknowledge things change, culture evolves/devolves (take your pick) and that's that.

So are we lauding for the roundy because Grandpa had one?  'Cause the Army and Marines have one?  They look like WWII and that is the conflict folks mostly remember today?  (These are all RHETORICAL questions; I don't need an answer.)

Like it or not, exceptions are not the rule.  While the Air Force does instruct field-grade types to own service caps, the culture doesn't overtly prescribe to the practice of wearing them except in VERY special circumstances.  Matter of fact, I'd lay down any person's hard-earned retirement that one would be hard-pressed to see any AF field grade officer or general officer wearing a service cap in routine circumstances or even formal circumstances that were of major significance (only in exceptional times do bus driver caps come out, such as a numbered Air Force changes of command, armed forces funeral, etc).

It's a slippery slope argument to say, "Well, I wore one in dubyuh-dubyuh two."  I'm compelled to reply, "thanks, sincerely, for your service...but we're not debating your duty to your country; we're talking about a cap!"

If we're pulling the history factor, then just because the History Channel is slanted towards WW2 programs up the wazoo, I'm not so shy in saying that hey: Why not kepis?  Slouch hats?  Big fat sexy 1812-look-alike hat that's 3 feet high with a sexy ostrich plume?

I mean if we're gonna get something to make folks look at me, let's do it up right! 

Shoot, I I still think that leisure suits aren't horrendous attire but concede that their time has long since passed.  They served their function, but it's time to move on.

Ultimately, I'm NOT here to change minds.  But from my vantage, this thread (sidenote: imagine that, another uniform thread) centers on these positions, of which I even question my OWN to show you my own objectivity:

-"The other services do it" (ridiculous to compare us to the other services, unless we're in their affiliation)
-"We wore 'em then why not now" (Slippery slope for tricorns)
-"They look better to me" (based on personal druthers or professional 2007/2008 AF culture?)
-"They're mandated for owning" (though not mandated for wear)
-"Flight cap is plenty acceptable alternative" (though you can't look as important as a Soviet General that way)

Folks, it all boils down to AF culture if you're talking AF clothes, pure dee...  Sample airmen, get their take on "what would you think of some CAP member, strutting around in a service cap."  If folks are so hot on looking like the AF, best get a MODERN take on what the average guy and gal in blue thinks instead of our dear old retired war buddies and mentors.

Otherwise, we're simply playing favorites in picking and choosing the parts of the Air Force we like and throwing away what we don't.  (Doing so doesn't really bode well for those that think we should have closer ties to the AF when we only take what we like "as an AF Aux" ("gimme AF service caps!!!") and then reject what we don't like "as CAP Inc" ["but screw AF cultural practice of not wearing them hardly at all."])

Know what I mean, Verne? 

Back to your regularlyscheduled topic...

I wear the service cap with the service uniform. I think it is more appropriate than the flight cap. From my experience, wear of the service cap is roughly 50% of senior offcers with the service dress.

Quote from: arajca on November 26, 2007, 11:34:40 PM
Back to your regularlyscheduled topic...

I wear the service cap with the service uniform. I think it is more appropriate than the flight cap. From my experience, wear of the service cap is roughly 50% of senior offcers with the service dress.

Sorry, just popped in, I think for the first time.

Andrew.  WHAT?  50% of senior senior members in CAP wear the service cap with service dress?  Maybe in your wing.  Monty has a great way with words.  I'll simply say it is a waste of money, no one in CAP should have one, barely anyone in the Air Force has one (if they do, they hide them).  I performed hundreds of joint service FORMAL ceremonies in Washington DC; at the Pentagon, White House, Ft. Myer, Bolling AFB and Andrews.  9x out of 10, the only AF folks with a service cap were the Honor Guard. 

If I were NHQ King, I would actually ban such garb and save our membership millions of dollars.

Quote from: Stonewall on November 27, 2007, 12:18:46 AM
If I were NHQ King, I would actually ban such garb and save our membership millions of dollars.

If you're going to save the membership millions of dollars, start off by getting rid of Vanguard, not making the service hats obsolete. 

Personally, I have one. I wear it sometimes. Depends on the mood, really. And honestly, I spend 95% of my CAP service in either BDUs or a flight suit, so most of the time, I end up wearing the service cap because I can't remember where I left my flight cap (flight suit, flight bag, car, plane, on the ramp somewhere, etc etc)

OK, so what happened to the option of making a choice.  I wear my service cap with my service (dare I say it?) blouse and my flt cap when not wearing the blouse.  My choice, but at least I have the choice.

Because right now there is way too much personal choice involved in CAP uniforms and eliminating one expensive item would save members money and bring about a more uniform appearance among all members. 

Quote from: RiverAux on November 27, 2007, 02:41:37 AM
Because right now there is way too much personal choice involved in CAP uniforms and eliminating one expensive item would save members money and bring about a more uniform appearance among all members. 

Ok, so, in that light, why are we worrying about whether an officer wears the service cap or the flight cap? Let's worry about the blue polos and the white/greys before we start jumping on the service cap.

Because this is a thread about the service cap.....

I think we will see a shift in AF culture toward everyone wearing the service cap again.  When the new "heritage" jacket rolls in, it will be one more way for AF to "get back to their roots".

Lets face it, when the Army mandates the blue Service Cap full time, sister Air Force will most likely follow (with a blue service cap).

Quote from: mikeylikey on November 27, 2007, 04:41:33 AM
I think we will see a shift in AF culture toward everyone wearing the service cap again.  When the new "heritage" jacket rolls in, it will be one more way for AF to "get back to their roots".

Lets face it, when the Army mandates the blue Service Cap full time, sister Air Force will most likely follow (with a blue service cap).

Don't hold your breath on that one.  Service caps are pretty much an endangered, almost extinct species in the Air Force.

"Lets face it, when the Army mandates the blue Service Cap full time, sister Air Force will most likely follow (with a blue service cap)."

Mine was white.   

Quote from: Grumpy on November 27, 2007, 05:10:47 AM
"Lets face it, when the Army mandates the blue Service Cap full time, sister Air Force will most likely follow (with a blue service cap)."

Mine was white.   

That's cuz you're OLDE!

I prefer the flight cap myself.  Much more comfortable and easy to stow when indoors.  But I do wear the service cap on occasion.  Like at dining outs.  At least it's getting me ready for the Army Dress Blues. 

Quote from: SarDragon on November 27, 2007, 06:39:12 AM

Quote from: Grumpy on November 27, 2007, 05:10:47 AM
"Lets face it, when the Army mandates the blue Service Cap full time, sister Air Force will most likely follow (with a blue service cap)."

Mine was white.   

That's cuz you're OLDE!

  Good Morning Dave

Quote from: md132 on November 27, 2007, 07:30:48 AM
I prefer the flight cap myself.  Much more comfortable and easy to stow when indoors.  But I do wear the service cap on occasion.  Like at dining outs.  At least it's getting me ready for the Army Dress Blues. 

To be perfectly honest, vanity is my reason for sticking to the flight cap.  I tried on the service cap once, and it looked awful on me.  I looked like Barney Fife's twin brother!!  I think to wear the service cap, you need to look more like John Wayne or Clint Eastwood, all steely eyed and square jawed!  That's just not me.