Although not explicitly stated like in the U.S. Navy’s uniform regulations, insignia on Coast Guard Combination Caps includes more than cap device and visor ornamentation. An example is the chin strap: enlisted personnel, including all grades of Chief Petty Officer, wear a black strap on the cap, while all grades of Officers wear a strap laced with gold.
Manufactured in the USA with Mil-Spec materials to meet or surpass Coast Guard regulations and standards, the black chin strap is secured to the base with two gold Coast Guard cap screw-buttons. Aside from denoting Enlisted status, the black chin strap’s only other function is as an aesthetic component of the uniform: Despite the name, it is never worn under the chin.