Not everyone chooses to give a gift to veterans on Veteran’s Day, but if one does, understanding military culture and veteran’s longing for nostalgia usually wins the day. Tactical gifts that pay homage to a veteran’s military service offers familiarity while giving them a practical use for the gift. When gifting tactical clothing on Veteran’s Day, one can simply lead with, “I saw this and thought of you. Happy Veteran’s Day.” To help you with your military gifting decisions this year, we’ll walk you through the average veteran’s experience from head to toe. Not all military experiences are the same and mine is certainly written from the viewpoint of a Marine grunt, but we’re confident this will get you headed down the right path on what to give a veteran for Veteran’s Day.
Military Veteran’s Products that Protect the Head
Military jargon is famous for renaming parts of the body. The human head can be called anything from a grape, brain bucket, noodle, and even brain storage housing unit. Personally, grape was what I heard most in the Marine Corps with phrases like, “get a cover on that grape” yelled often.
Once a veteran leaves the military, he or she doesn’t hear that phrase often. However, there is still a need to protect one’s grape and there is a great gifting opportunity for Veteran’s Day. The M-Tac Fleece Watch Cap is a gift that will feel awfully familiar to the average veteran. The need for such a cap on cold nights serving fire watch or just standing outside smoking a cigarette with your buddies is common. It’s familiar and practical to those of us who served.
Because everyone’s military experience is unique, we also offer a wide range of tactical headwear that may better fit the veteran in your life. There could be some nuances if you are searching for gifts for Army veterans or Navy veterans. What is fairly universal is that when the fleece watch cap is on, the danger is typically low and great military memories are often made.
Thank You Gifts for Veterans that Protect the Torso
When learning to fire weapons in the military, we are taught to aim for center mass when targeting the enemy. That would be the torso and, as such, most military practice targets mimic the shape. That might be a black silhouette shaped like a torso or the beloved green ivan targets that knock down when it and pop back up ready for more damage.
If you’re on the hunt for men in military service or veteran status, a tactical combat shirt makes a great addition to one’s collection. They are designed to be worn under body armor and create a breathable torso that is abrasion resistant and manages moisture. Trust me when I say this is a vast upgrade from my day in the Marine Corps where our standard cammie tops were the best they could offer. It did nothing for moisture and the buttons could dig into the body while wearing armor.
If that doesn’t fit your veteran’s needs, then consider a tactical jacket with winter fast approaching. These jackets are built to handle the harshest winters this country may endure. They come in a variety of styles that make them suitable for everyday use and not just tactical scenarios. Once again, a massive upgrade from the standard field jacket I was issued back in the late 90’s. As a veteran, I would have traded every single piece of cold weather gear I had for a jacket that could actually keep me warm in the mountains.
Thank You Veterans Gifts for the Legs and Feet
Perhaps no other part of the body suffers abuse in the military like the legs, knees, and feet. There is something about a 15 mile hump with a 200 pound rucksack that the body doesn’t appreciate. The knees take a beating jumping in and out of tactical vehicles and the feet endures countless blisters and stress fractures due to the abuse.
Now that veterans are on the other side of the uniform, they will appreciate tactical leg and feet care that take care of the body. Modern tactical pants are built with movement and durability in mind. Designed so that the wearer can move, twist, and shoot without restriction. Much like the outerwear, they come in designs that make them suitable for everyday wear and use. They still come with all the necessary pockets and storage capacity that give them a tactical advantage, but these are stylish on the range or the street.
Moving on to the feet, one of the early pieces of advice I learned from the experienced Marines was that taking care of your feet was a top priority. That means dry socks and well broken-in boots. In my day, we still had the all-leather Cadillacs that were spit-shined to perfection, but they didn’t offer much comfort in certain environments.
Modern tactical footwear has used technology and modern materials to offer a 100% upgrade over boots of the past. Their ability to keep the feet dry while simultaneously protected by the elements is surpassed by none. Unfortunately for the nostalgic veteran, they don’t come in anything you get to spit shine. They do, however, come in sneaker varieties that give you options when boots are not called for or fashionable. If you give a veteran a Veteran’s Day gift that protects his feet, they’ll be certain to thank you as they know what it means.
Don’t Forget About the Worn and Rugged Veteran Back
Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the backs of veterans who carried so much for this nation. I mean that both literally and figuratively. Personally, I have arthritis in my lower spine, which is not something one should have had since their early 20’s. I just consider it a parting gift from the Marine Corps and one that will be with me for life. Thank you Chesty Puller, wherever you are!
Just every piece of tactical gear from head to toe, the technological advancements made in tactical bags is amazing. As someone old enough to have humped ALICE and MOLLE, modern tactical bags' ability to evenly distribute weight without losing carrying capacity is second to none. They come in all shapes in sizes to include smaller tactical bags one might take on patrol and larger bags needed to carry everything one would need for a prolonged deployment. Give an old veteran’s back a break and give him one of these bags for the win.
Gifts for Army Veterans and Marines Could Differ from Air Force and Navy
As we wrap up this article for Veteran’s Day, I should point out that this article was largely written from the experience of a Marine grunt that would still play well as a gift for Army men. The grunt experience has its similarities. If your veteran is a Navy, Air Force, and yes, I guess I’ll include the Coast Guard, know that their military experience would vary. However, there is still an opportunity to give them great tactical gear that they will appreciate.
If they are even remotely into outdoor life, they’ll appreciate outdoor gear created with a tactical intent. We’re talking cold and wet weather gear, sleeping systems, and all the other tools that make camping life easier. Any great veteran’s day gift is one that pays homage to their service and offers practical use going forward. Regardless of which branch of service the veteran served in, they will sincerely appreciate the kind gesture.
How to Thank a Veteran on Veteran’s Day
As some who receives his fair share of “thank you for service” remarks, giving a gift is a great way to show sincerity beyond those words. It’s not that we don’t appreciate the words as we do. We just hear it so much that most of us have fairly canned responses. When I hear those words, my response is almost always, “no problem, it was a good time.”
A tactical gift on veteran’s day offers a step up in appreciation. It indicates you understand what they put their bodies through from their head down to their toes. It acknowledges that they did so when the gear was less than stellar as was the case in my day. Most importantly, it gives them gear they can wear with pride and put to use on the other side of the uniform. We don’t get gear issued to us anymore these days and so when you drop an amazing piece of gear on us, we appreciate it more than you do.
Thank you veterans gifts are truly a blessing, even if that is just a cold beer. However you decide to bless the veteran in your life, just be sincere about it and you truly can’t go wrong. On behalf of the team here at M-Tac, thank you to all veterans who served this nation in every generation and may your back, knees, and feet treat you well into the future.
