Authorized for wear with almost every type of Coast Guard uniform (and a required component of at least four), the Coast Guard Combination Cap for Junior Officers and all Warrant / Chief Warrant Officers employs several design elements that distinguish it from the rather plain version worn by enlisted personnel, but which aren’t quite as ornate as what you’ll find on caps worn by higher-ranking officers.
While the Junior Officer Combination Cap shares the same shiny black visor as what’s found on the combination hats worn by enlisted Guardsmen and CPOs, the half-inch-wide chin strap is gold rather than black. And while Junior Officers—which in the Coast Guard includes Ensigns, Lieutenants JG, Lieutenants, and Lieutenant Commanders—obviously don’t rate any type of gold-bullion ornamentation on the visor, they wear the same cap device as Commanders, Captains, and all grades of Admiral: a golden eagle clutching an anchor in its talons and sporting a shield on its breast. (Our Coast Guard Junior Officer Combination Cap feature a metal cap device, but uniform regulations do permit embroidered cap insignia.) This cap is also worn by all grades of Chief Warrant Officers, who technically are ranked between the highest CPO and the lowest Commissioned Officer.
The Coast Guard and Navy differ from the Army, Navy, and Air Force in that they classify their Lieutenant Commanders (O-4), as Junior Officers, while Officers at that grade in the other three services are Majors and are considered Field-Grade Officers along with Lieutenant Colonels and Colonels. The Navy equivalent of a Field-Grade Officer is a Senior Officer, with only two ranks—Commander (O-5) and Captain (O-6)—in that category.
More Items for Junior Officer/CWOs Combination Cap
Cap Device
Hatband
Gold Chin Strap
USCG Screw-Buttons
Replacement Crown
Plastic Cover
More Coast Guard Officer Insignia / Accouterments
Sleeve Device
Metal Collar Rank Device
Embroidered Collar Rank Device
Belt Buckle
Cuff Links
Tie Tack/Clasp