Why is the boonie cap so demonized in the army?

Anyone ever been in a jungle with at least two guaranteed downpours a day without one? A poncho hood sounds like you're next to a rock concert's bass drums. Comfort is preferable to couture. A boonie hat and a cravat did a lot to sop up the sweat when it was 100+ and 99% humidity. Also, without it, where would one put his decorative flechette bling?

It's a good question. It would be great for wearing during the summer. Sun is brutal in TX, LA, KS, KY, NTC but no, let's wear the beret so we have ring around the nugget and skin cancer. Don't do anything that is common sense. I guess some CSMs are just love being dicks.
We had came in from the field, it the wash rack, with tanks, and wearing a pair of nomex for a week. We were nasty. Got into formations to be released, still wearing our patrol caps. The BDE CSM was driving by, stopped and reamed out the 1SG bc we weren't wearing berets. And he made us go put them on before he left. What a cluster.
Same thing in Afghanistan. I was on a 6 man team of combat advisors to the Afghan Border Police in the Kunar, Nangahar Provinces and the Tora Bora region. Didn't have any issues with the PRT Asadabad but at FOB Fenty in Jalalabad, had a few heated exchanges from butterbars wanting to be saluted, our relaxed facial hair and boonies. It's was quite entertaining.
But there isn't any reason not to wear them. Someone mentioned about wearing properly, hell they couldn't wear the beret correctly either. Nothing but soup sammiches.

I spent 30 years in the Infantry, and have permanent sun damage in my neck to prove why the Army should allow Soldiers to wear the boonie as opposed to a PC. However, there is ALWAYS a counter-answer to everything like, “get sunscreen from the medics…”
It is what it is. And as another CSM commented already, it makes too much sense as these items are already in the U.S. Army clothing inventory NSN

I've worn a few versions of the "boonie" cap (desert camo, ACU, etc). I have never encountered anything negative from Senior NCO's nor Junior enlisted or even Officer's in my 28 years. Generally, the first field grade Officer/NCO prescribes the field uniform and garrison uniform or passes on the instructions to and from higher/lower HQ. Unless it was worn not IAW 609-1 etc I see no problem. I've worked with Joint Staff including 2 Star Marines, AF etc as their Army Sergeant Major. They usually deferred to me and I would issue a "may wear" . I was not SpecOps however I know they used modified uniform wear including hygiene such as a beard etc. My highest level was a CENTCOM command and there was never an issue there. It's unfortunate that there are those that demonize the head gear and I don't know why. (Insert a hundred speculations). Good question.

The only thing I can think of is that . They just need something to complain about.

The only thing I can think of is that . They just need something to complain about.

I agree with 1SG Healy, Sr NCOs are paying way more attention to "nothing issues" than taking care of Soldiers! When an NCO gets a Diamond or a Star in their Chevrons their main focus is Soldier well being. This means they stay out of planning missions only when it concerns a Soldier's ability to perform them! The Army made a grave mistake ever creating the "Command SGT Major" rank, because all it did is take the SGT Major from the enlisted and give it to the officers. Unfortunately, a lot of NCOs today no longer have the stomach for making a command decision, primarily for a fear of reprisals by superiors. "Officers command Soldiers, NCOs lead them!".

I love the Boonie. It is the most practical headgear we have. I and anothe CSM in our brigade authorized them in our battalions. The brigade commander has since authorized them within the brigade. (Although they are already an authorized item). The memo just reiterates the proper wear (no rolling etc) that is in the 670-1. Huge morale booster.

I wore mine in Vietnam! Worked great kept the sun off me and the rain during the monsoons, thing is that no one gave a shit. More important things to worry about.

Just because your senior leadership makes a decision does not mean we need to demonize their mentality. The sun hat (boonie cap) is not clearly authorized (read the part about "as determined by the commander") to be worn in the field. It is only worn when your leadership requires it -- Local commanders can pick and choose the "Uniform of the Day". If the Boonie cap is chosen for that day (as 1SGT Healy did), the following information in DA Pam 670-1, 4-10, d. covers all requirements on how to wear it! By the way, the requirements for wear do not meet some soldiers desires... You cannot wear it perched on the back of your head with the drawstring holding the sides up, or blocked and shaped with an upturned brim... Blatant disregard of this may be the reason some leaders frown on it...

The sun hat is an OCIE item authorized for wear with the combat uniform in field environments when the advanced combat helmet is not worn, on work details, or in other environments where wearing the patrol cap is impractical, as determined by the commander. Personnel wear the sun hat straight on the head so that the web band creates a straight line around the head, parallel to the ground. The sun hat will fit comfortably around the largest part of the head without distortion or excessive gaps. The sun hat is worn so that no hair is visible on the forehead beneath the hat. The drawstring on the sun hat can be worn under the chin, around the back of the head and neck, or tucked inside. The drawstring will not be worn over the top of the sun hat. The sun hat will not be worn rolled, formed, shaped, blocked, or with an upturned brim. Subdued pin-on or sew-on grade insignia, or branch insignia for chaplains, is worn centered on the front of the headgear left to right and top to bottom.

As for me when I deployed I wore the boonie hat with the COLLAR TURNED UP when outside. It was a perfect desert uniform, but everyone else (AF) had the collar cut down because it was too wide:idiots. The booniehat was the perfect cover

I have to agree with CSM. I guess ok old school also. Soldiers never want to wear it correctly. Soldiers shape it this way or the other. Then your day is spent telling soldiers to correct the hat and then it’s an argument or some negative feed back.
Yes I know the same can be said about the PC, same issue. Just grab the head gear shake it and put it on. Just a crusty old retiree here.

I think the Boonie Cap (aka Sun Hat) is an acquired taste, you either like it or you dont. As a MSC officer I have been deployed in med and non med units. Have seen (usually CSMs) in both where someone didnt like the boonie cap so it was frowned upon in formations or in my last deployment to Bagram the CSM and Bdg cdr more or less outlawed it. Occasionally the army gets something right. The boonie cap was designed to keep the sun off your head and neck. Yeah I know its not perfect, not every mission outside the wire your going to wear it but in general its a sinceable piece of headgear. I have never cared for leaders making a decision purely based on there own personal preference.

Back in the '70s I was stationed at Bragg. As a matter of routine, guys wore the boonie cap in the field, but they were hard to come by. My mother had been a seamstress and taught me how to sew and repair my own clothes when I was young, because she didn't have the time. I rented a sewing machine from Post Rental and used to tailor guys' BDUs and such for cheap - like $5 a set. Someone asked me if I could make a boonie cap. I measured one up, took an old pair of fatigues and some really stiff cardboard, and made one. It looked great! After that, I got flooded with orders and my spare time was spent making boonie caps. I got $5 apiece for them and they paid for all my drinking time down on Hay Street. LOL!!

The only thing we were authorized to wear in the field was a helmet complete with chin strap. The boonie was OK to wear on the FOB as long as we were not under attack, then the helmet was preferred by all. I was not a fan of the beret taking the place of the patrol cap. It felt disrespectful to the units that were authorized the beret. And I thought it made me look silly.

Isn't that head gear authorized for Special Forces/Recon/Seals for example?!

Great question and I love reading the comments. I always wore mine while in Kuwait. It worked much better than the patrol cap keeping the sun off your head and neck and folded up nicely in your pocket. For whatever reason, our CSM hated it and very few people wore it. I wore mine so often as a going away gift, I was given an embroidered boonie cap and a hat rack.

Well it should only worn in the field so it can be worn then. Semper Fi

I love the bonnie cap. Honestly I have no idea why the boonie cap is demonzed. I think its one of the greatest caps that is out there. I can say maybe its mostly the old school guys/women. No offense to
them. I get it though there are things that I like to keep traditional as well. I guess you can say that the word demonized should be change too frown upon.

Don't know about that . . . in Vietnam most regulations went "out the window" as far as proper dress was concerned. I was even awarded my Bronze Star while standing on a concrete basketball court in Nha Trang, wearing pretty sloppy-looking fatigues and my boonie hat!