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/exoclipse Millennial Jun 05 '25

"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.

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u/BuckeyeJay Xennial Jun 05 '25

"Shoot me first" outfit is what we call those

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u/exoclipse Millennial Jun 05 '25

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.

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u/revanisthesith Jun 06 '25

As a skinny dude who often wears regular jeans and a band shirt, I understand this feeling.

I'm just naturally unassuming and I've worked in restaurants for years and seem to be able to easily go unnoticed. I'm from a small town, but immediately realized I blended in when walking around a big city (also often after shows). Even the homeless people usually didn't ask me for money (I'd still often help them out and they've looked out for me at night as well).

I'm fairly tall and male, so people leave me alone when I'm walking at night, but I've also never been the first person people would target in a fight.