Referred to as a garrison cap in the United States Navy and Marine Corps, the Air Force’s Flight Cap is manu-
factured in both male and female versions, with the latter utilizing a curved design from fore to aft. In February 2006, the Air Force Uniform Board announced that men’s Flight Caps were to be considered optional wear items for women.
Company- and Field-Grade Officers (O-1 to O-6) wear blue Flight Caps with silver and blue cord-edge braid along the cap’s overlapping edges. Rank insignia is centered vertically 1-1/2 inches from the front edge of the cap on the wearer’s left side; the Colonel rank insignia is worn with the eagle’s beak pointing to the front, while Lieutenant Colonel and Major insignias are worn with the stems of their oak leaves pointing toward the ground. For certain assignments (Installation and Base Honor Guard, Color Guard, Drill Team or Military Funeral Detail), women airmen may wear the Flight Cap to and from functions when wearing a skirt; the same codicil applies to women Airmen in the USAF Band, USAF Academy Band, and USAF Regional Band.
Flight Caps are tucked under the belt between the first and second loops on the wearer’s left side when they are not being worn, with care taken that the cap is not folded over the belt or is visible below the service coat. They may also be stored in the lower leg pockets of the Flight Duty Uniform or Desert Flight Duty Uniform without the pocket being fully zipped, i.e, a small part of the cap may be exposed due to space constraints. But tempting as it might be, Flight Caps may not be tucked under epaulets on jackets or shirts.