Former Army Chief of Staff General Eric Shinseki ensured his place in the annals of Army history with his decision to take the Army Rangers’ beloved Black Beret and make it standard issue for all Soldiers for wear with the Army Service Uniform. To make matters worse, though, he also consigned one of the most useful pieces of Army headgear ever issued, the Garrison Cap, to the dustbin—at least temporarily.
Issued on 14 June 2021, the 226th anniversary of the founding of the United States Army, Shinseki's edict make the Black Beret the standard issue headgear both Service and Utility uniforms did not put an immediate end to the wear of Garrison Caps—guidance on their wear is still included four years later in the 2005 edition of AR 670-1, for example. But the introduction of the blue Army Service Uniform and discontinuation of the Class A/B Army Green Uniform sealed the deal, so to speak.
At The Salute Uniforms, however, we continued to carry the "old" Garrison Cap, largely in response to strong demand from Veterans for the iconic piece of headgear, as well as from uniform collectors, military re-enactors, and media production companies seeking authentic Garrison Caps for wear with the classic "Army Greens" uniform.
Our Army Green Uniform Garrison Cap for officers is manufactured in Army Shade 491 with Army-approved polyester, gold cord edge braid denoting the wearer's status as a General, and a leather sweatband for enhanced comfort. Like all our items, these Caps are manufactured new—they’ve never been issued or worn.