Combination cap
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
A combination cap is a form of military headgear worn with dress uniforms in the armed forces of many nations. It has a crown, a band and peak (peak in British English, visor in US English). In Britain and Canada such caps are usually known as peaked caps or (in the British Army) service dress caps. In the United States military, they are commonly known as service caps, wheel caps, or combination covers in the Naval services.
The crown is one color, often white for navies, sky blue for air forces, and green for armies, and may be piped around the edge in a different color. The band can be one color, often black, or can be striped. Most caps have some form of cap device (or cap badge). In the British Army, each regiment and corps has a different badge. The peak is short, and in newer caps, may be a shiny plastic. Sometimes, it is covered in fabric.
[edit] Canada
In the Canadian Forces, the service cap is the primary headgear for Naval service dress; it has been largely replaced by the more popular wedge cap in the Air Force, and has all but disappeared in the Army in favour of the beret, although it is still worn by some generals.
The peak and chinstrap of the service cap are black, differing in colour of the crown and band: Naval caps have a white crown and black band, while the Air Force cap has a postman blue crown and band and the Army's has rifle green on both. An exception is the military police, who wear a red cap band on any occasion that they wear the service cap.
The chinstrap is affixed to the cap via two small buttons, one roughly over each ear; these buttons are normally miniature versions of the buttons on the service dress tunic, and as such may bear a regimental, branch, or environmental device.
The peak of the cap of non-commissioned members and subordinate officers is left plain. The peak of the junior officer's cap has a gold band along the forward edge, that of the senior officer has a row of gold oak leaves across the forward edge, while that of the general or flag officer has two rows, one along the forward edge and one near the cap band.
[edit] United States
In the United States Navy, chief petty officers and commissioned officers both wear combination caps, but there are differences between the two types. A chief petty officer wears a combination cap with a black chinstrap attached with silver buttons, and decorated with a gold fouled anchor with silver block letters "USN" superimposed on the shank of the anchor; while a commissioned officer wears a combination cap with a gold chinstrap attached by gold buttons, and decorated with an officer crest, a silver federal shield over two crossed gold fouled anchors, surmounted by a silver eagle. Chief Petty Officer and junior commissioned officer visors are shiny black plastic without ornamentation. Officers O-5 (Commander) and above have gold embroidered oak leaves and acorns on the a black felt-covered visor, with additional embroidery for Flag Officers (O-7, or Rear Admiral Lower Half, and above), referred to as "scrambled eggs" in military slang. The crowns come in khaki or in white (the white combination cap is worn with both white and blue uniforms).
In the United States Air Force, all airmen have the option to wear combination caps, but only Field-Grade and General Officers, (Major and above), are required to own one. The cap of enlisted members has the insignia within a metal circle, while the Company-Grade (2dLt-1stLt-Captain) Officer version has a larger insignia without the metal circle. Field Grade Officers have clouds and lightning bolts on the bill. General Officer caps add an extra set of clouds and bolts, while the cap of the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force adds clouds and bolts around the entire band. The clouds and bolts are jokingly referred to as "farts and darts."
These caps are often disliked because of their bulk.
In United States Marine Corps, these caps are also worn, in two forms. For all ranks, the device is the Marines' Eagle Globe and Anchor device. In addition, officers wear a lace cross on the top, called the Quattre foil, a traditional mark of distinction from the Marine Corps' foundation as sharpshooters on ships. For Dress Blue uniforms, the cap is white with a gilt device. Only the brim is black, and the chin strap is black for enlisted Marines; gold and scarlet for officers. For the Service uniforms, a combination cap is available, the device is black in color, and the chin strap is black for all ranks.
[edit] Poland
The rogatywka is a Polish 4-cornered type of peaked cap.
