--- title: "Here’s why Chris Kyle wore a ball cap instead of a helmet" description: "\"Why a ball cap? Ninety percent of being cool is looking cool. And you look so much cooler wearing a ball cap,\" Kyle wrote in his autobiography." date: "2021-07-23" modified: "2021-07-24" authors: - name: "Shannon Corbeil" job_title: "Contributor, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/scorbeil/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/popular/chris-kyle-ball-cap-helmet/" categories: - "History" --- # Here’s why Chris Kyle wore a ball cap instead of a helmet ![]() A user on Quora asked the following question: "Do some troops really wear ball caps and berets into combat instead of helmets? Why?" It might sound surprising, but the answer is actually *yes, yes sometimes they do*. It seems counterintuitive, given that a helmet is worn to protect against bullets, collisions, and shrapnel while a ball cap is...*not*, but enough troops weighed in with their own experiences to confirm this activity. The reasons varied, but legendary sniper Chris Kyle probably gave the most honest answer: --- ![]() *Bradley Cooper portraying Chris Kyle in the film 'American Sniper.' (Warner Bros.)* "Why a ball cap? Ninety percent of being cool is looking cool. And you look so much cooler wearing a ball cap," Kyle wrote in his autobiography, "American Sniper." The late Navy SEAL is credited with 255 kills, making him America's top sniper. He also remains spoken highly of as a leader and [as a family man and friend](). He really didn't need the ball cap to be cool. He just was. ### Also read: [Chris Kyle's 10 most definitive American weapons of all time]() ![]() *Before Kyle's death, 'American Sniper' screenwriter Jason Hall had the opportunity to work closely with him to maintain the authenticity of the film. Here, Bradley Cooper plays Kyle in a close-quarters scenario. (Warner Bros.)* Other vets have said that helmets limit their agility and visibility — they accept the risk in removing the helmet to gain mobility. To mitigate this, [the military is developing new lightweight protection systems](). But one of the most important reasons service members will don a ball cap or beret in lieu of the helmet is to appear less intimidating to the local population. When dealing with low level insurgencies, appearing more friendly can help reduce tension and ["win the hearts and minds" of civilians](). Still, at the end of the day make no mistake, in combat a protective helmet is the best protection against traumatic brain injuries and death. ## Author Shannon Corbeil has worked for We Are The Mighty as a digital video producer, writer, and host, as well as a staff writer covering military history, trivia, and valor. Shannon is a fierce veteran advocate, covering the achievements of members of the military community and volunteering in multiple veteran non-profit organizations, including Pin-Ups for Vets and Warriors for Peace Theatre. Her undergraduate degree is in Humanities and Philosophy and her Masters is in Strategic Intelligence. A screenwriter and actor recently seen on SEAL TEAM and THE ROOKIE, Shannon writes about exciting projects in the entertainment industry. She is an alum of the Writers Guild Foundation Veterans Writing Project, a Finalist in the Disney TV Writing Fellowship, an inaugural fellow for the STARZ/VME #TakeTheLead Program, and has performed at the Geffen Playhouse and Kennedy Center as a writer, dancer, singer, and actor. As a U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, Shannon supported the 25th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, and conducted Cyber Threat Analysis at the National Security Agency. Her work has been seen in Business Insider, Task & Purpose, Military.com, and various other publications. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()