Posted on Dec 11, 2019
SSG Squad Leader
250K
3.61K
688
457
457
0
Seriously I wanna know. Mainly from you senior leadership and your mentality when it comes to this specific headgear, or even as to why it's frowned upon in the field when it's clearly authorized to be worn in the field.

Also if you are just going to bash me or make smart ass remarks because I'm asking this question, then don't even leave a comment. Thanks
Avatar feed
Responses: 351
Votes
  • Newest
  • Oldest
  • Votes
SPC Richard Zacke
6
6
0
Sorry I really could'nt tell you. I went in in 1978 and we wore them on a regular basis. There great for the jungle but I hear the new military has to fight in the city, I was not cut out for that kind of fighting. You guys and gals have big brass ones! Good luck and GOD bless.
(6)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SPC Bill Ratajczak
6
6
0
My captain would only let us wear them in the field, but not during movement or anytime we would be seen by civilians or out of the AO.
(6)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SGT Ed Matyjasik
6
6
0
For my time in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne I never even saw or heard of a boonie hat. We were out in the bush 24/7 and even slept with the steel pot on. And on occasion used the old steel pot [helmet] to cook up some Boonie Rat Stew. Mmmmmmm good.
(6)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
MSG Allan Davis
6
6
0
I have zero reasons that boonie shouldn’t be worn. As long as it’s worn correctly. A boonie should be basically folded up and crunched then worn. The idea is to break up the outline. Any other wear is not correct.
(6)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
MSG John Duchesneau
6
6
0
Your point is well taken. Boonie hats were allowed in garrison during my first tour in Iraq in 2003 to 2004. On my second tour they were not allowed to be worn with ACUs and could only be worn with the PT uniform - which many "old" soldiers took exception to.

Personally, I think it should be allowed for wear in the field in hot weather. (We will define hot weather as over 85 degrees.)
(6)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
CSM Richard StCyr
6
6
0
5d237a67
727e833c
B7196c5b
D02521ce
I think it's dependent on the unit and COC.
I wore mine when issued and we wore them on deployments to Central America and in OIF.
In combat my goal was that everyone wore approved headgear appropriate for the mission, an approved soft cap of some kind on the FOB, COP or LSA and the only time I cared about uniformity was if we had an award or memorial ceremony (proper dignity for the occasion). ACH or K-pot when out the gate .
(6)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
MAJ Javier Rivera
6
6
0
You’re preaching to the chorus here!

We used it a lot during the initial pases of both Afghanistan and Iraq, 2001 and 2003 respectively, but as time went over some soldiers began to wear it as if “back in the block” rather than just place the damn thin on their heads. Leadership, rather than get in their asses, decided to just simply ban it. Or to emotion that most of the leadership didn’t like the idea because, like I heard an old fart SGM from CFLCC, it resemble too much of ‘Nam troops!
(6)
Comment
(0)
MAJ Javier Rivera
MAJ Javier Rivera
>1 y
SSG (Join to see), I wore the damned thing for every jump I showed up while at Bragg just for the hell of it! Shortly after other folks jumped in the wagon as well.
(1)
Reply
(0)
SPC Oscar Pantaleon
SPC Oscar Pantaleon
>1 y
It’s “preaching to the choir”, genius. #OfficersJustCiviliansInUniform
(0)
Reply
(0)
SPC Oscar Pantaleon
SPC Oscar Pantaleon
>1 y
MAJ Javier Rivera you probably jumped Hollywood for every jump too, and carried a Bic pen with you during range day. Nobody likes you fools. AIRBORNE!
(0)
Reply
(0)
MAJ Javier Rivera
MAJ Javier Rivera
>1 y
SPC Oscar Pantaleon - Hahahaha... You have jokes, love it!!!!
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
SSG Drill Sergeant
5
5
0
My first deployment it went from “you can’t wear it” to “you can if you want” to “you have to wear it” to you can’t wear it” in the space of three months.
(5)
Comment
(0)
SSG Squad Leader
SSG (Join to see)
5 y
God this just hits it right on the head
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
CPT James Mills
5
5
0
In Vietnam the boonie hat was issued along with your gear when you hit the repo depot. I was assigned to the 2d Battalion 3d Regiment(The Old Guard, George Washington's original unit in the Revolutionary War). The soldiers in the battalion shaped their boonie hats into a three corner shape much like you see in the Revolutionary War depictions. It was a unit identity and a morale booster to wear your hat like a colonial Revolutionary soldier. That is until some Colonel decided that it was not appropriate and forbid any such shape to the boonie hat. Nothing like killing morale in a war where morale was not the norm among the troops in many units. The 2/3ds had something of distinction that gave them an identity.
Too bad that someone couldn't figure out how important morale building is important to combat units.
(5)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
Cpl Lawrence Lavictoire
5
5
0
I had one in Nam and liked it. Super great hat when it rained an in heavy sun.
(5)
Comment
(0)
GySgt Gary Cordeiro
GySgt Gary Cordeiro
5 y
We also wore no rank, just USMC, mess with the best, die like the rest.
(0)
Reply
(0)
1LT Vance Titus
1LT Vance Titus
>1 y
Right on, GySgt, I never wore rank in the field.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

How are you connected to the military?
  • Active Duty
  • Active Reserve / National Guard
  • Pre-Commission
  • Veteran / Retired
  • Civilian Supporter