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tunic at Expo 67 in Montreal.]] A campaign hat (also ''Stetson'', ''drill instructor hat'', ''drill sergeant hat'', ''round brown'', ''ranger hat'', ''sergeant hat'', ''Scouts hat'', '' Smokey Bear hat'', ''lemon squeezer'') is a broad-brimmed Felt hat with a high crown pinched at the four corners. It is associated with World War I ground forces of the United States Army, contemporary U.S. military Drill Instructors , State Police forces, Park Rangers , Boy Scout s, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police , the Legion Of Frontiersmen and others. It should not be confused with a Campaign Cap , or the Stetson type known as the Cowboy Hat . HISTORY The origins of the hat can be traced to the 1840s when army troops posted in the west happily donned themselves civilian hats which were far more practical than the Shakos or Kepis then in vogue with most western armies. The name started to be used after the 1872–1876 regulations which introduced a black felt hat — which could be drab after 1883 — for Fatigue use derived from the types popularized during the American Civil War. During the Spanish–American War the standard central crease on the crown was found to be impractical as it tended to hold the rainwater from the frequent tropical downpours. This, united to the civilian fashions imported by the volunteer army, meant that the hat started to be worn with the pinched crown. The hat is often associated with Sir Robert Baden-Powell who introduced the hat for the South African Constabulary and the Boy Scouts . Through the World War I era, the campaign hat worn by American soldiers was fairly soft and the brim was often curved or folded to the wearer's liking. By the 1930s the felt was made very stiff with a permanently flat brim. Around this time it was dubbed the "Montana Peak" design, referring to the pinched crown. Due to the frequent wearing of helmets in France in World War I, most troops received a copy of the French bonnet du police that became known as the Overseas Cap . In 1942 the campaign hat ceased to be issued, but it was the trademark of General Joseph Stilwell . CURRENT USAGE United States armed forces The hat worn by U.S. Army drill sergeants is olive drab in color with the Great Seal Of The United States on a disc, in golden color, centered on the front. U.S. Marine Corps Drill Instructors wear similar hats with a flat black, Eagle, Globe, And Anchor centered on the front. Cords are ''not'' worn around the hats, these being historically reserved for General Officer s (who wore gold cords) and other Commissioned and Warrant Officer s (in gold-and-black for Army, in scarlet-and-gold for Marines). U. S. Air Force Military Training Instructors (MTI) wear navy blue hats with the Great Seal of the United States within a ring, in silver color, again centered on the front. Air Force MTI's who are qualified to teach new MTI's are identified by a black cord around the hat. MTI's in the top ten percent of their career field wear a light blue cord and are more likely to be referred to as "Blue Ropes" than MTI's. U.S. Coast Guard Drill Instructors wear a navy blue version with a black cord, and the insignia worn is the same as would be worn with the combination cover. Royal Canadian Mounted Police In Canada the Stetson was the official dress hat of the Northwest Mounted Police (later Royal Canadian Mounted Police , who retained it as part of the full dress uniform) as well as Canadian Cavalry units in the First World War. The hat was phased out of military use by the service dress cap following the First World War. It also used by members of the Ontario Provincial Police . Though similar to the U.S. Campaign Hat, the indentations of the hat are different. New Zealand Army New Zealand Army , whose uniforms have historically followed the British pattern, has the campaign hat (known as the "lemon squeezer" hat) as the most visible national distinction. This was adopted by the Wellington Regiment about 1912 and became general issue for all New Zealand units during the latter stages of World War I . The different branches of service were distinguished by coloured Puggaree s or wide bands around the base of the crown (blue and red for artillery, green for mounted rifles, khaki and red for infantry etc). The "lemon squeezer" was worn to a certain extent during World War II, although often replaced by more convenient Forage Cap s or Berets . After being in abeyance since the 1950s, the "lemon squeezer" has recently been reintroduced for parade dress where it is usually worn with a version of the khaki "no 2" service dress of the British Army. Officer cadets and some bands wear this headdress with a scarlet and blue full dress uniform. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS |
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