I had a Direct Entry Trick Cyclist on my RNZAF Staff course (senior Flt Lt) who had wings from the (then)policy of teaching such chaps to fly in order to better understand his role, and who I noted one day on leaving the Mess that he had A W/O's hat! I asked him how long he had been wearing "that hat"and he said, "since I joined. Why?"
"Get many salutes?"
" No, but come to think of it I get some strange looks!"