The necks of airmen at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, will continue to scorch under the blistering summer sun after a request to let them don the military’s iconic boonie hat was denied by higher headquarters.
Col. Joshua DeMotts, commander of the 99th Air Base Wing at Nellis, wrote to Air Combat Command boss Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach last month with a plea for cool heads: Could airmen wear the floppy Operational Camouflage Pattern boonie hats instead of ball caps during the hot weather months from April 1 to Nov. 1?
“Due to the extreme heat at Nellis AFB that tops 120 degrees during the summer, it is imperative to adjust aspects of the uniform to ensure appropriate protection is afforded to our airmen performing their duties,” DeMotts wrote in the memo. “The boonie hat will allow the relief of excess body heat and protection for the neck and face from the intense summer sun.”
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Wilsbach’s response put the request on ice: No.
DeMotts’ memo, signed July 9, appeared on the unofficial “Air Force amn/nco/snco” Facebook page on Thursday. Air Combat Command spokesperson Lt. Col. Emily Grabowski confirmed the document’s authenticity on Friday.
She declined to provide a reason why the commander denied Nellis’ request.
“Local commanders may request exceptions to policy outside of current Department of the Air Force instruction,…
