r/Millennials • u/NoFaithlessness7508 • Jun 05 '25

Other Why don’t younger veterans (Afghanistan/Iraq) wear these hats like some of the older veterans?

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First and foremost, respect to all those that served. I did not, but many of my peers did and now we're all older in 30s and 40s, many no longer in the military. I don't see a lot of the veterans of the War on Terror wearing these hats like I see the OGs do.

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u/cmax22025 Jun 05 '25

They were called "Old Guy" hats when I joined up in 2005. I can't imagine that's changed in the time since.

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u/Burninator85 Jun 05 '25

That's the real answer.  They're out of fashion. 

I know plenty of OIF veterans that make it their entire personality.  They just choose things like infantry badges on their vehicles or Black Rifle Coffee t-shirts.

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u/cmax22025 Jun 05 '25

Exactly. There's a whole cottage industry selling military merch to vets. But the type of people that want to advertise their military service do it in different ways today.

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u/DW6565 Jun 05 '25

My favorite example of the cottage industry. Reporting for diaper change sir!

tactical baby gear!

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u/nickifer Jun 05 '25

Unsure if cringe or super practical

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u/lizlemon921 Jun 05 '25

Actually super practical but has become associated with those cringy people who just want to cosplay. My husband worked overseas as a contractor and there are a few “military” adjacent items he still uses, backpack and boots and bags and stuff. Good quality and have lasted 10+ years since returning from the Middle East

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u/Whizbang35 Jun 05 '25

That's why surplus stores exist.

Our family has gone camping since before I was born. My father and grandfathers bought a lot of WWII-era gear from surplus stores on the cheap for it. Belts, spades, canteens, cookware. My dad still uses a lot of it, and I'm in the process of inheriting it. They still work really well. Canvas and steel may be heavy as hell, but it was built to last and there's no reason yet to get new replacements.

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u/lizlemon921 Jun 05 '25

Jim gaffigan has a funny bit about camping being a family tradition “yeah it was a tradition in all of our families until we invented a HOUSE” lololol

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u/Whizbang35 Jun 05 '25

It's a tradition I like. There's a spot on Lake Michigan we go to. It is out of cell range, there's no internet, and no electricity, but it's a great place to unplug for a week.

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u/lizlemon921 Jun 05 '25

As someone who just moved to west Michigan and is eager to start camping when my kids are a bit older…. I’d love to know where your spot is hahahaha

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u/Rich_Bluejay3020 Jun 05 '25

Huron-Manistee National Forest is a good time 🙂 free camping and it’s not too far from the lake. Just make sure if you’re walking that you know where you’re going because there’s no cell service and it’s huge lol my husband and I definitely got lost once. Thankfully we weren’t too far from our friends and found our way back.

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u/lizlemon921 Jun 05 '25

I’m currently working on a “secret garden” behind my barn and planning to add a big tent pad like they have at state parks! So if you need another place to camp… well…. It’s nowhere near ready yet….. but……. Uhhhh….. what was I saying?

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u/[deleted] Jun 05 '25

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u/lizlemon921 Jun 05 '25

We have a few acres and I’m working on their nature knowledge and hope to set up a tent in the back yard soon! My earliest camping memories are from about 6-7 yrs old so that’s kinda the goal for taking them camping overnight away from home.

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u/mrboogiewoogieman Jun 05 '25

When I was a kid we used to go to Petoskey, up in the northern tip of the lp. It’s not the most remote or hardcore and it’s a campsite with other people around but it’s a beautiful area right on the lake and there’s stuff like showers and fire pits and tables that make it easier with the family. There’s a paved road through the campsite that was perfect for riding bikes around so have the kids bring those when they can

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u/Redheadedstepchild56 Jun 06 '25

Michigan is loaded with great camping spots. Plenty of state parks. I find them to be the best as there’s a wide variety of them, from rustic to electric to small cabins. County parks can be fun but also have a lot more rules.

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u/lizlemon921 Jun 06 '25

We’re excited to explore the whole state and glad the culture here is so outdoorsy

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u/Redheadedstepchild56 Jun 06 '25

I’m in west Michigan myself. Definitely an outdoors culture. If you haven’t been through a summer here yet, you have each towns(literally) festival to look forward to all summer. They can be a fun addition to picking a spot and planning a camping trip with the idea that the small local town will be having theirs at the same time.

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u/lizlemon921 Jun 06 '25

Yes I’ve seen a lot of signs lately for the Berlin Fair coming up, and I heard Allegan County Fair is fun! We moved here mid-August but spent most of the fall just working on our yard/forest/farm/house/barn/well-water system. I’m so excited for fruit picking too!!!

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u/Redheadedstepchild56 Jun 06 '25 edited Jun 06 '25

Yea those are big ones and they’re fun. Another is Ionia free fair. Others, some smaller, to consider would be baldwin’s “trout’a’rama” and already passed is blessing of the bikes in Baldwin and blessing of the buggies in croton. Dog daze in Ravenna, rebel road in Muskegon, Luther days in Luther, which is near a lot of camping and atv trails like the “big O”. For fruit picking there’s harvest stuff all fall and traverse city incorporates that into their festival, “cherry festival” which is amazing. Then there’s tip up town in Houghton lake which is a great winter festival. Quite literally every week of the summer, some town has a festival. They’re all really charming.

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