Since the black beret was made standard Army-wide headgear in 2001, the nonsubdued pin-on metal Captain cap rank insignia has been worn centered on the black beret's, as well as on organizational issue headgear (i.e., maroon, tan, brown, and green berets). Before that time, these insignia were worn on Garrison Caps that were issued as part of the Class A/B Army Green Uniform beginning in 1956.
Although they were made obsolete for official Army wear with the move to the black beret, the Garrison Cap's absence turned out be only temporary. In 2018, the Army introduced a new version of the "Army Greens" called the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU), bringing back the Garrison Cap as a clothing bag issue item. The pin-on Captain insignia is worn on the curtain on the left side of the Cap, centered vertically and placed one inch from the Cap's front crease.
Two decades ago, the decision to replace Garrison Caps with black berets was not met with universal praise. In hindsight, however, there is no denying that berets have several of the qualities that led to the adaptation of the Garrison Cap in France during World War I. Unlike Service Caps, both berets and Garrison Caps take up almost no storage space; they are essentially impervious to any type of permanent damage; and cleaning and care of berets and Garrison Caps is much simpler than for Service Caps.
More Army Captain Rank Insignias
In 2011, the Army announced the Patrol Cap would replace the beret as the standard headgear for the Army Combat Uniform, but that the black beret would still be the default headgear for wear with the Service Uniform. However, in 2015 the Army announced that despite the beret’s status as standard headgear for the ASU, all personnel—enlisted and officers alike—would be required to own a Service Cap. Both the green and blue Service Caps are still considered optional wear items—which means it is the Commander's option to have personnel wear them and that it is the Soldiers' responsibility to own them.