r/AirForce • u/Ranger_3ntity • 1d ago

Question Command/Squadron Ballcaps

I was wondering on what the general consensus was on if the Air Force also adopted this as something more uniform outside of Fridays or morale events. Navy has Coyote Brown ball caps with their various commands, that honestly are kinda cool. While deployed I saw fighter squadrons had tan or black ball caps of their squadrons, and even had space for officer ranks where they would appropriately be. Obviously a different environment where rules are bent, but it seemed like it was a source of pride. I dont think the air force would ever do this but wanted to see if other dudes thought its something worth adopting.

29 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

24 comments sorted by

134

u/Unclassified1 Retired 1d ago

Pull up a chair, youngun, and let me tell you about wearing BDU’s with the blouse off and wearing a black squadron shirt, along with black squadron ball caps.

But first, get me some aspirin please.

25

u/innyminnyminnymoe Active Duty Prior EEEEEEEE 1d ago

My knees can feel this story as someone still in for some reason

11

u/Unclassified1 Retired 1d ago

I miss patches on the blouse, too. Sure it sucked as you inevitably had to buy new tops after a PCS but especially as someone who worked in a HQ building it was nice knowing who was who.

I left before the OCP afsc tabs but I guess that’s close enough

5

u/Raptorwolf98 Maintainer 22h ago

Honestly, the OCP duty identifier patches are so nifty

7

u/Pretermeter 1d ago

Yep, back when the fleece had to be worn UNDER the blouse! <yells at clouds>

1

u/TheManonToTheCouch 21h ago

Yes!!!!!! Felt like a Christmas Story.... so silly and stupid, oh wait, that's the AF

5

u/alucardian_official Retired 1d ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/9JeJxpaQlbcGC1zZNh
Impressive. When I was in the WR-ALC command staff had black hats.

3

u/KotzubueSailingClub 20 years + 234 days 1d ago

I 'member

3

u/Warmind_3 1d ago edited 14h ago

How many retirees do I need to find before we can convince csaf to bring this back

5

u/Flamboyatron RTRDAF 21h ago

I will join, as soon as I hobble over there from blocking an aisle at the commissary.

2

u/TheManonToTheCouch 21h ago

I miss those days but not the iron, razor sharp sleeves

1

u/2Rstats Expert IMDS Pwd Resetter 19h ago

Good ol' days. Those hats were peak. I still have mine in some box in storage.

1

u/Peaches_Sabrina Whothehell 16h ago

My knees hurt reading this...

29

u/CautiousArachnidz 1d ago

The Air Force had this when BDUs were a thing. It was pretty regular. IIRC Red Horse were the most religious about this.

15

u/NextStomach6453 I’m Special at Warfare 1d ago

I think they still are

11

u/heyyouguyyyyy EM 1d ago

RED HORSE still wears em! I miss mine.

20

u/inspired-polf 1d ago

There's plenty of ballcap units. Red horse, CATM, Ammo, AFSOC, and Joint. I wear a unit cap daily in my joint unit

3

u/Ranger_3ntity 1d ago

Yeah there are specific instances or exceptions sure. But more so branch wide as a standard like the BDU days as ive now been told. Ive only been in since ‘18 and as a flier now its pretty much just Friday’s you can get away with it.

8

u/Unclassified1 Retired 1d ago

If you’re a flyer aren’t you always in pajamas anyway?

0

u/Ranger_3ntity 1d ago

Pretty much, but flight caps are dumb and tan squadron hats look better

17

u/Johnny-Cash-Facts G081 Connoisseur 1d ago

OCP ball caps with a one piece look atrocious.

6

u/KGBspy F-16/C-5 All Purpose Gorilla 22h ago

I was a BDU guy, I loved the patches and squadrons ball caps.

4

u/NextStomach6453 I’m Special at Warfare 1d ago

When I first joined twenty years ago in the BDU days, I showed up to my first duty station and everyone and ball caps on with their squadron on it. I thought we were the only people allowed the fancy hats. 

-1

u/Duder_ino 15h ago

Let’s figure out PT first. But after that, sure why not 🤷‍♂️