What Is a Garrison Cap? Army Overseas Cap Explained

A garrison cap is a soft, fold-flat, visorless military side cap — the Army’s AGSU headwear, historically called the overseas cap.

Slip one on wrong and it reads immediately: crease off-center, ridge tilted, cap crushed into peaks. The fix takes ten seconds once you know where the crease and the brim line belong. This is the Army garrison cap — formerly the overseas cap — plus how the Navy wears the same style, so you can tell the two apart on sight.

What Is a Garrison Cap, Exactly?

The garrison cap is a nonrigid, visorless cloth cap that folds flat when not in use. The NSN catalog entry for MIL-C-3261F describes it that way — nonrigid, no visor, folds flat — which is the whole point of the design: it tucks into a pocket or bag without losing its shape.

In the U.S. Army, the garrison cap is a clothing bag issue item authorized with the Army Green Service Uniform (AGSU) in Class A or Class B. The green service uniform brought the cap back as an official component, and older references call the same item the overseas cap. The name changed; the cap didn’t.

Navy versions of the same cap style are built to a real specification: three-piece crown, one-piece curtain turned up on the outside, tapered ends crossing at the front, laminated back, interlining, polyester lining, and a fabric sweatband.

How Do You Wear It Correctly?

Army wear guidance is specific: center the cap on the forehead with the front vertical crease in line with the nose, about 1 inch above the eyebrows, ridge parallel to the ground. Do not crush or shape peaks into it.

The Army regulation spells out the details:

• Worn with Class A or Class B AGSU only.
• Front vertical crease centered on the forehead, in line with the nose.
• Lower front approximately 1 inch above the eyebrows.
• Unbroken front and rear vertical creases, and an unbroken top edge.
• Ridge parallel to the ground while standing at attention.
• No crushed or peaked shaping.

Navy wear guidance for its garrison cap lands in nearly the same place: worn squarely on the head, fore-and-aft crease centered vertically between the eyebrows, lowest point about 1 inch above the eyebrows. The Navy cap is authorized for male and female Sailors as a unisex item with appropriate uniforms and outerwear — black or khaki in poly/wool.

Full current guidance lives in the Army’s wear and appearance regulation.

If you’re buying one, fit and fabric matter more than brand. Our breakdown of the best army overseas cap options tested covers sizing and materials.

Army vs. Navy Garrison Cap: What’s Different?

Both branches wear a garrison cap, but the authorization, color, and fit details differ. The Army ties the cap to AGSU Class A or B wear; the Navy ties it to specific authorized uniforms and outerwear for both men and women.

Common mix-ups are easy to avoid once the alignments are clear. Do not wear it like a peaked cap — the guidance stresses fore-and-aft alignment, crease position, and a level ridge. And do not treat it as everyday civilian headwear: the Army authorizes it for AGSU Class A or B wear only, the Navy for its own approved uniforms and outerwear.

FAQs

Why is it also called an overseas cap?

The name comes from its use by troops stationed overseas, where a soft, packable cap made more sense than a stiff peaked one. When the Army green service uniform brought the cap back as an official component, older references kept the overseas cap name. The item is the same design either way.

Can you fold a garrison cap flat?

Yes. The NSN catalog describes the cap as nonrigid and visorless, folding flat when not in use. That design is what makes it practical to stow in a bag or pocket. The one caution: don’t crush it into peaks or shape it, since official wear guidance requires unbroken creases and a straight top edge.

Does the garrison cap come in different sizes?

Fit matters because the cap sits 1 inch above the eyebrows and needs the fore-and-aft crease centered properly — a loose or tight cap shifts out of alignment during wear.