Why is the boonie cap so demonized in the army?

I saw nothing wrong with wearing the boonies, but did have a problem with Soldiers shaping it to make a fashion statement (using a glue/water mixture to iron and completely stiffen the whole brim).

It's interesting there's an issue. As a kid I remember seeing recruiter posters for the Army and Navy showing Rangers and SEALS in boonies!

Maybe if those naysayers could be teleported to the future and find themselves sitting in the office of a dermatologist, they might change their minds.

Its too easy to blow away and lose!

i was ARMY NATIONAL GUARD 1981 to 1987 never had one issued we had the patrol cap or steal pot helmet in the field when not in the field it was the patrol cap with ear flaps and the uniform was the BDU uniform never had a boonie issued during my active dates of service but on my own time i bought some and wore them out if we got issued them i would have loved to ware it over the heavy ass steal pot i was in the infantry 11-B M-60 team most of my enlistment until i made SPC E-4 for less than 5 min. my LT pinned me with CPL hard stripes made me A JR NCO

I retired as a Senior SFC, with the 11B mos, I to thought out of the box and would choose comfortable and functional over , in the rear with the gear, uniform policy. Most of the time the one yelling about the uniform was the one that never slept in the field. I applaud NCOs that think of their Soldiers over a good NCOER. Hooah!

When you understand why one of the most popular foods in the world, pizza, most often is round, in a square box and cut into triangles, you will understand this. In the Marines, it was Silkies. Although, if one is to evaluate the level of exposure that comes with these shorts and public affairs, I get it. It's more of 50 percent in the one hand and half in the other.

Thank god our Battalion CSM authorized it for wear in the cantonment and field training area. It does help big time in not getting your face and neck from getting burnt.

What is a "Boonie cap"?

The booniehat is is designed for the protection of your skin so that it’s not fully exposed to the sun. All colors and ethnic skin colors get burned from the sun. So, no out ranks general safety, if you feel your protecting your troops by wearing a booniehat then do so. Make it part of the uniform of the day. And when you get bashed you can always use the general safety excuse. The booniehat is fantastic head gear and should be worn in high sun environments.