# Military Grad Ceremonies: What happens to the hats?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-grad-ceremonies-what-happens-to-the-hats/406950>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 6, 2007, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-grad-ceremonies-what-happens-to-the-hats/406950 "2007-06-06T04:30:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-grad-ceremonies-what-happens-to-the-hats/406950/1 "2007-06-06T04:30:42Z")

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You know, when everyone all throws them up into the air at the same time. What happens afterward? Are they identifiable and returned? Does everyone keep a random one? Do they all get new ones?

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**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-grad-ceremonies-what-happens-to-the-hats/406950/2 "2007-06-06T04:55:12Z")

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My bet is that the owner’s name is in the hat on a tag somewhere. After the hat toss, pictures, etc, the owner finds the hat with his name on the label inside.

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**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-grad-ceremonies-what-happens-to-the-hats/406950/3 "2007-06-06T05:01:00Z")

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Wouldn’t graduating cadets get new caps along with their new ensign or lieutenant uniforms?

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**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-grad-ceremonies-what-happens-to-the-hats/406950/4 "2007-06-06T09:22:41Z")

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I believe it is tradition for all the children attending to rush out and retrieve them as souvenirs.