The Cavalry Stetson is a cavalry traditional headgear within the United States Army, typical worn by cavalrymen in the late 1860s, named after its creator John B. Stetson.
In the modern U.S. Army, the Stetson was revived as an unofficial headgear for the sake of esprit de corps in the cavalry. Because they are not authorized by AR 670–1, the regulation for wear and appearance of the uniform, wear and use of the Stetson and associated spurs is regulated by a unit commander. What follows is one example of a cavalry squadron's policy on the wear of Stetsons:[1][2]
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Stetson: The Stetson will be black in color. Rank and regimental or ordinary cavalry brass will adorn the Stetson. The braid will be worn around the base of the Stetson. Troopers will wear the appropriate braid color. Braid ends or acorns will be to the front of the Stetson and no more than an acorn length over the brim. Crossed sabers will be placed on the front of the Stetson. Organizational sabers are authorized if assigned or affiliated to the regiment. Rank will be worn 1/8" from the bottom of the sabers, centered.
- a. General Officers: Solid Gold
- b. Field Grade and Company Grade Officers: Gold and Black
- c. Warrant Officer:
- 1: CW4,CW5 - Solid Silver
- 2: WO1,CW2,CW3 - Silver and Black
- d. Non-Commissioned Officer: Yellow
1: The nape strap will be threaded through the appropriate eyelets in the brim of the Stetson so that strap goes around the back and the buckle is fastened and centered on the wearers head.
2: The sides of the crown shall not be pushed in or otherwise modified. The brim will be flat with a slight droop at the front.
3: The Stetson will be worn on the head with the brim parallel to the ground.
4: Occasions for wearing the Stetson: Squadron dining-ins/outs, formal events in dress blues, gatherings of spur holders, professional gatherings such as AAAA and any other event or function as designated by Saber 6.
Colored cords worn on the Stetson have evolved and expanded since their introduction in 1851. Below is a list of known cord colors and what they signified from 1851 through 1943:[3]
| Branch | Primary Color | Secondary Color | Established |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjutant General | Dark Blue | Scarlet | 1936 |
| Air Corps | Ultramarine | Golden Orange | 1920 |
| Armored | Green | White | 1942 |
| Cavalry | Yellow | 1855 | |
| Chaplains | Black | ||
| Chemical Warfare | Cobalt Blue | Golden Yellow | 1918 |
| Coast Artillery | Scarlet | 1902 | |
| Detached Enlisted Men | Green | ||
| Field Artillery | Scarlet | 1851 | |
| Finance | Silver Gray | Golden Yellow | 1921 |
| Infantry | Light Blue | 1851 | |
| Inspector General | Dark Blue | Light Blue | 1936 |
| Judge Advocate General | Dark Blue | White | 1936 |
| Medical Department | Maroon | White | 1916 |
| Military Intelligence | Golden Yellow | Purple | 1936 |
| Military Police | Yellow | Green | 1922 |
| National Guard Bureau | Dark Blue | 1921 | |
| Ordnance | Crimson | Yellow | 1921 |
| Permanent Professor (USMA) | Scarlet | Silver Gray | 1936 |
| Quartermaster | Buff | 1902 | |
| Signal | Orange | White | 1902 |
| Specialists' Reserve | Brown | Golden Yellow | 1936 |
| Tank Destroyer | Golden Orange | Black | 1943 |
| Transportation | Brick Red | Golden Yellow | 1942 |
| Warrant Officers | Brown | 1936 | |
| Women's Army Corps | Old Gold | Moss Green | 1942 |
On April Fools' Day, 2011, the U.S. Army released a humorous statement that the official black beret of the Army would be replaced by stetsons. Below is an excerpt from the full announcement:[4]
WASHINGTON, APRIL 1, 2011 -- In a fingertip-to-the-brim nod to its American frontier history, the Army is changing hats again - returning to the tumultuous days of the horse Cavalry in the wild west and adopting a dark blue Stetson as the official headgear for the current force of 1.1 million Soldiers. "We figure the Stetson will be popular with the troops," said Sgt. Maj. Bob S. Stone, Army Uniform Board headgear task force president. "It's been a while since we have changed the headgear, so it's time. Plus a Stetson is functional and down right American." But reminiscent of the controversial switch from the garrison cap to the black beret, the Army faces opposition from one community deeply opposed to losing its special identity with the Stetson - the Armor branch. "Why in the heck are they doing to us what they did to the snake-eaters'" asked one officer familiar with the board's deliberations. "If you ain't Cav, you ain't ought to be wearing a Cav hat. That just ain't right." [...] The Army's official adoption date of the Stetson will be April Fool's Day, 2012.
The statement was supplemented by pictures of soldiers with Cavalry Hats photoshopped over their berets, including a military working dog toting a stetson.