As Veterans Day approaches, it is a helpful reminder to let the general public know that a veteran has heard the phrase ‘Thank you for your service’ more times than we can count. So much so that most of us have a prepared canned response at the ready. When someone finds out that I’m a Marine veteran of Iraq and I hear that phrase, my response is always ‘no problem, it was a good time.’ It’s the truth as it was a good time, but now it just serves as an easy response. So, let’s talk about gift ideas that communicate genuine appreciation. You’ll hear from many that great gift ideas for veterans may include personalized items like custom flags or ammo boxes, practical gear such as multi-tools or tactical flashlights, and patriotic apparel or challenge coins. For a more personal touch, consider a high-quality watch, a personalized coffee mug, or a gift card to their favorite store, especially if you're unsure of specific preferences. We have a few ideas on unique gifts for veterans and with your permission, we’ll share them with you now.
Why Gifts Matter for Veterans Day
As we get into why gifts matter, let’s first bring a little clarity around the holiday itself. Veterans Day exists to celebrate all veterans who ever wore the uniform. It doesn’t matter if you never deployed, you took the oath and this day is for you. Many often confuse Veterans Day with Memorial Day and that is a sore point for some veterans. Memorial Day is for the fallen and that is not the time to thank a living veteran for their service.
Celebrating Veterans Who Never Deployed on Veterans Day with a Gift
Another sore point among veterans is the guilty feeling that some feel because they never deployed. The guilt is not justified as military members go where they are ordered. This is a common issue as the past 20 years of the Global Wars on Terror saw many service members endure multiple deployments. If you didn’t deploy during that time frame it was not your fault.
As such, a gift on Veterans Day is a great opportunity to remind those who never deployed that their service mattered and you are truly grateful. Remarkably, even among those who deployed, there is an element of guilt felt by those who never say combat. I personally have a Combat Action Ribbon and my brother, who is also a Marine, does not. He is no less of a Marine than I. Veterans Day is for all who served and this is your chance to honor them.
Why Tactical Gear Makes a Perfect Gift
Now to some practical suggestions on what type of military gifts make a great Veterans Day gift and why. A great gift for veterans is one that calls back to their time in service and offers practical utility going forward. This is what makes tactical gear an ideal fit. It reminds the veteran of the days they wore the uniform and stood in the gap in the defense of this nation. Additionally, they can take this gear to the range, wear it on the street, and in a real tactical situation, put it to good use.
Tactical Clothing for Everyday Wear
A key concept of Everyday Carry (EDC) that bad guys rarely make an appointment when they want to do you or your family harm. This means you have to carry every single day just to be ready for the one day in your life that someone tries to test you. This same is true for tactical clothing. Wear clothing often that gives you free range of movement and comfort.
M-Tac Tactical Pants Aggressor Gen.II Flex
The key to wearing it more days than not is that the clothing has to be stylish. If all your tactical clothing looks like you are heading out to play paintball, you’re going to stick out like a sore thumb and you won’t wear it often. So think simple colors like black, Army olive, coyote and others that have a tactical look. Stylish enough to wear any given day and up for the challenge when you have to put in the work.
Tactical Gear for Those Who Train Often
At the End of Active Service (EAS), turning in one’s gear back to supply can be a harrowing affair. If you’re missing anything significant the military will come after you for the costs. It also can be tough because a service member may not want to part a beloved piece of gear. In the Marine Corps that was the beloved poncho liner or, as it was affectionately called, the woobie. More Marines than I can count called that a lost item knowing full well it was in their possession.
Helping a veteran replenish their tactical gear checks both boxes of harkening back to their time in uniform while offering practical use going forward. Everything from tactical plate carriers to medical bags and winter jackets with tactical capability. The great thing about this category is that it is so encompassing and diverse that it offers gift options at every price point.
M-Tac Utility Organizer Transparent Elite Gen.II (Large)
A Tactical Morale Patch Customized for the Veteran
Great ideas for Veterans Day gifts don’t have to break the bank. Tactical Morale Patches are a great way to honor the veteran’s service while allowing you to choose the patch that best fits in the individual veteran’s personality. Most tactical gear and kits have spots to attach these patches and your choices range from the intimidating to the absurd. Know your veteran and pick the right one for him or her.
How to Choose the Right Gift for a Veteran
The first step in choosing the right Veterans Day gifts for veterans is to do your best to understand the story of their service. We mentioned a few sore spots such as deployment status or combat history. If you don’t know those details, at least know which service branch they served with. Marines don’t like to be called soldiers and confusing them will often lead to correction. Personalized gifts for Army veterans may be different than for Marines.
The next step would be to match the budget with the relationship. If there is a veteran you only passively know at work, a simple flag or challenge coin with their service branch is a nice gesture. Maybe just offer to take them out for lunch or coffee. This is a reasonable step beyond simply saying thanks for your service and small gifts will be equally appreciated.
M-Tac patch US flag vintage ( 3" x 2") Black/GID
However, for veterans that are important to you in your life, this is your opportunity to show that you really understand them. Personalized gifts like buying your veteran husband a tactical shirt that you think fits his form and shows his body off is a win for the wife. The same is true for husbands who think their wives look hot in military gear. Military men love a good woman in uniform as well.
If you know they are into training and prepping, then perhaps tactical gear is the route you want to go. There is always some piece of gear that they want, but perhaps wouldn’t buy it for themselves. This is your opportunity to step in and play the hero. Just know that most veterans are used to being thanked, but very few actually wind up getting a gift. As long as you choose the right budget item that is congruent with the relationship it will come off as thoughtful and welcomed.
Retirement Gifts: Gear that Keeps the Spirit Alive
Finally, we’ll just note that Veterans Day is not the only time to honor and recognize a service member’s career. Retirement means a service member has spent between 20 to 30 years in uniform. That transition can often be both a celebration and a difficult transition. Because retired soldiers often join at 17 or 18 years old, more than half their life has been spent in the military.
Military retirement is an appropriate moment to recognize their service with a gift and the same rules used for Veteran’s Day can be applied. Choose a gift that commemorates their prior service and sets them up for a future of success. Honor the past and celebrate the new. The best gifts always tell a story. If you use this formula then finding gifts for military veterans in any setting won’t be difficult. Just know that a great gift doesn’t have to be tactical/Army in nature as long as you show you put some thought into it. Reach out to us if you have any questions and thank you for seeking to honor those who serve us all.
