Is it okay to wear a US service hat?
 

I was last over in Europe in late 1969 and it was sometimes not the friendliest time to be in Europe for GI's. I can switch out to some other hat if need be.

You are wearing this without a uniform? What is this all about anyway?

Wear what you want. Just don't be shocked if people don't fawn over you.

Who would notice.

<i>Who would notice.</i>

Other servicemen. And thieves.

Tin hat maybe?

IMHO it is totally inappropriate and disrespectful to wear the hat without the full uniform. If you are not in the services - what's going on?

I think OP means a hat that says US Army or Marines or something.

<<IMHO it is totally inappropriate and disrespectful to wear the hat without the full uniform. If you are not in the services - what's going on?>>

That's a ludicrous statement. Vets wear baseball caps noting their former branch, unit, and other information (POW/MIA pins, regiment/division pins, time of service) at events celebrating and acknowledging military service all the time. And they certainly wear such acoutrements at Normandy where they are by no means being either inappropriate nor disrespectful.

I agree w/ spark chaser - I think (hope anyway) you are actually asking about a baseball cap w/ the insignia of one of the military services. Certainly not a 'Service cap'

If so, no problem - there are ball caps of every sort and no one will notice (also sure hope you are one of those who wears a cap all day every day inside or outside . . . )

Who would notice.

Other servicemen. And thieves.

And servicewomen.

But I'm also confused. Servicefolks on active duty don't wear their uniform caps with civilian clothes -- is that what you intend?

s

>>Servicefolks on active duty don't wear their uniform caps with civilian clothes -- is that what you intend? <<

I sort of doubt active duty is relevant since the OP last visited Europe (presumably on active duty) <u>45 years ago</u>.

I'm asking if the OP intends to wear an actual uniform cap with civilan clothes, and that is relevant.

I ought to have said, "EVEN servicefolks on active duty don't . . ."

I'm retired, and I just don't see the allure of wearing bits of my uniform.

s

If this IS about wearing something other than a uniform cover then the OP should have made that more clear.

If the question is sincere, it begs the question why would you want to wear a U.S. military hat abroad?

The American military is not beloved everywhere. And no one should underestimate the rise of fanaticism and lunatic behavior. Wearing a U.S. military hat as a clothing accessory in a foreign country has the potential of attracting unwanted attention. As a tourist, unwanted attention can lead to unexpected events.

I'm not a fan of testing fate. I would leave the military hat home and wear something that won't remind strangers in a foreign land of death, destruction, and war.

The point is, it does not matter what hat you wear. If you wear an actual uniform hat, you will look odd; if you wear a baseball cap with some service affiliation on it, you will look fine. In neither case will you be the target of anti-American sentiment, as you experienced in 1969.

I say this having traveled quite a bit in Europe with an American service member, who was sometimes in uniform. No one batted an eye.

NYCFoodSnob is to be ignored, btw, or read in the spirit of satire. Under no circumstances are his/her posts to be taken seriously.

Only a fool would ignore my travel advice. There are plenty of fools who travel.

If you mean a baseball cap - wear whatever you want (but do take it off indoors).

If you mean an actual part of a uniform that is really inappropriate - unless you are participating in a specific event as a veteran. (My dad kept his WWII uniform - but the only thing he ever wore were his fatigues (on top of regular clothes for shoveling snow or other messy jobs).

"There are plenty of fools who travel."

And amazingly enough they actually return to tell their HONEST stories, too.