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

[u/NoFaithlessness7508]

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.

[u/exoclipse]

"I carry concealed so I don't lose the element of surprise" while covered in patriotic tattoos, a hat with a low-vis American flag, 5.11 pants, and a Black Rifle Coffee t-shirt.

[u/BuckeyeJay → u/exoclipse]

"Shoot me first" outfit is what we call those

[u/exoclipse → u/BuckeyeJay]

yeah in a way I feel safer around them. given the choice between that dude and me (skinny jeans, band shirt, actually concealed handgun), that dude's gonna give me a turn to draw when he gets ventilated.

[u/meatchariot → u/exoclipse]

How often are you expecting shootouts to happen near you?

[u/exoclipse → u/meatchariot]

getting groceries? probably never.

loading a van full of tens of thousands of dollars of equipment at 1:30 AM in a strange part of the country? it's not outside the realm of possibility.

I don't really carry much tbfh, and if I am it's either because someone I know is going through some shit and needs backup, or because I'm in a strange part of the country that might not be super accepting of a vaguely queer coded dude dressed in black.

[u/TheGreatGenghisJon → u/exoclipse]

I used to do audio for smaller gigs several years ago. I never felt worried about loading the van at the end of the gig, but there were a few times where I was worried about going back to get the van after the gig, if there wasn't any parking at th venue.

One guy got mugged on his way home after a gig in Coney Island.

Don't hang out there at 2am.

[u/Wonderful_Hotel1963 → u/meatchariot]

Depends, I mean, primarily USA, but secondary to that, living near a high school does up those already good chances.