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]
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]
The statement was supplemented by pictures of soldiers with Cavalry Hats photoshopped over their berets, including a military working dog toting a stetson.