I went into the Air Force in 1969, straight out of college. My degree was my ticket to Officer Training School, so I was quickly on my way to becoming a 90-day wonder.
We spent a short time as “rainbows.” All the colors of the spectrum, because we were all still wearing our civilian clothes. Then we got our uniforms, and after a couple days to get them laundered and looking fresh, we had our first opportunity to wear them. Our uniform of the day was “1505s, low quarters, and flight caps.”
The first thing we had to do in our new uniforms was stand for inspection by our commissioned officer flight leader, a young 1st lieutenant with a big southern drawl. We had already been briefed on proper wear of the uniform, and I must have taken special notice of the direction to wear the flight cap “at a jaunty angle.”
As the lieutenant passed in front of me, he made a left face, and drawled, “Not that jaunty, Mistah Linahahn.” He readjusted my cap for me, made a right face, and continued on down the line.
Throughout my 24 years in the Air Force, and even to this day when I don my American Legion flight (garrison) cap, the Lt Grigg’s words come back to haunt me. Not that jaunty.

Dennis J. Lenahan, Stevensville, Mont.