Author Topic: Stetsons for the Army?  (Read 1167 times)

Offline Melvin

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Stetsons for the Army?
« on: April 03, 2011, 02:14:49 AM »
I saw an April fool joke that said the Army was going with Stetsons for head gear.

It made me think of Air Cav and the guys that keep whirly-birds working.















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Edited for Opsec
« Last Edit: April 03, 2011, 02:25:55 AM by Melvin »
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Offline Blackwulf

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2011, 07:46:35 AM »
Actually Stetson did have contracts to supply the army at one time, for campaign hats in WW1. 
I don't know if they ever supplied Slouch hats in the earlier days, but they do make a nice one now :)
Would going back to the slouch hat be so bad? 

Offline Melvin

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2011, 07:50:20 AM »
It would be better then the dumb-ass, quasi beret that they make our men and women wear these days.
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Offline Dago

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2011, 08:15:07 AM »
Nobody says "whirly-birds" except maybe a few out of touch housewives.  Get with it!  You are allowed to call them helicopters, lift ships, gun ships, etc, or if you must, "choppers".  But really, whirly-birds?    :neener:
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Offline SmokinLoon

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2011, 08:16:11 AM »
Almost anything would be better than the berets.  That is a European thing, leave it over there (or up in Canada). 
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Offline Melvin

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2011, 08:42:24 AM »
Nobody says "whirly-birds" except maybe a few out of touch housewives.  Get with it!  You are allowed to call them helicopters, lift ships, gun ships, etc, or if you must, "choppers".  But really, whirly-birds?    :neener:

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Offline Blooz

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2011, 09:13:55 AM »
I was in the 9th Cav back in '83 and our officers wore stetsons on parade.

I guess they still do.

These men are 1st Cav but still...they parade with them too.



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Offline Melvin

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2011, 09:24:49 AM »
I was in the 9th Cav back in '83 and our officers wore stetsons on parade.

I guess they still do.

These men are 1st Cav but still...they parade with them too.

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

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« Last Edit: April 03, 2011, 09:32:25 AM by Melvin »
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Offline allaire

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2011, 12:28:43 PM »
It would be better then the dumb-ass, quasi beret that they make our men and women wear these days.
You have General Eric Shinseki to thank for that little gift.  Man I remember that the Rangers were pissed about that.
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Offline Blooz

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2011, 12:43:17 PM »






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Offline Maverick

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2011, 03:24:36 PM »
The black stetsons are still authorized wear for Cav and so far only Cav. I hope it stays that way not because I dislike Cav folks, but because I do like them.

The beret is a sorry excuse for normal head gear for the military. It serves no purpose as a general uniform item. It should have stayed as Maroon for the Rangers, Green for Army Special Forces and even though black beret's were authorized for Armor many years ago I never liked them and refused to get one. Fortunately I got out before having to wear the one required now. Trading a functional ball cap for the beret was a stupid ( to the extreme!) idea.

I did get and wear the authorized "Tanker" boots. Those were functional and comfortable.

Blooz, those are nice pics of the M60A1 and A3. They are "old school" now but I am an alumnus of that school
« Last Edit: April 03, 2011, 03:26:26 PM by Maverick »
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Offline Dago

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2011, 07:22:21 PM »
The black stetsons are still authorized wear for Cav and so far only Cav. I hope it stays that way not because I dislike Cav folks, but because I do like them.

The beret is a sorry excuse for normal head gear for the military. It serves no purpose as a general uniform item. It should have stayed as Maroon for the Rangers, Green for Army Special Forces and even though black beret's were authorized for Armor many years ago I never liked them and refused to get one. Fortunately I got out before having to wear the one required now. Trading a functional ball cap for the beret was a stupid ( to the extreme!) idea.

I did get and wear the authorized "Tanker" boots. Those were functional and comfortable.

Blooz, those are nice pics of the M60A1 and A3. They are "old school" now but I am an alumnus of that school

Rangers had black berets, not maroon.  Maroon is and was for airborne troops.  101st doesn't wear maroon, they are no longer an airborne division, they are "air assault".  82nd and 173rd are airborne, they are still trained, qualified, equipped and ready to deploy into combat by parachute.

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Offline TOMCAT21

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #12 on: April 03, 2011, 10:10:28 PM »
I hate the dam Beret , I love my PC
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Offline USRanger

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #13 on: April 03, 2011, 10:21:32 PM »
You have General Eric Shinseki to thank for that little gift.  Man I remember that the Rangers were pissed about that.

lil bit.

Giving the black beret to the entire Army was a marketing & recruitment tool.  They figured more would sign the line if they got to look "cool".
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Offline Tupac

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Re: Stetsons for the Army?
« Reply #14 on: April 03, 2011, 10:36:14 PM »
"I hope y'all like hamburger meat. 'Cause that's exactly what I'm gonna be bringing back and serving up in this whirly bird!"

-Tropic Thunder.

I always call them whirlybirds in BFBC2. It's more humorous.
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