Gift ideas for retiring military?

[BMWTurboDzl]

I have an old friend from high school who's retiring next month from the USMC and I wanted to get him a gift. My trouble is that I'd rather not buy him something that's related to The Corps because he probably has a ton of that stuff already.

Y initial thought was a nice bottle of Scotch or a box of cigars.

 

[ls1mike]

Having spent 11 years in the Navy, 2 years in the Army and now working on Subase Bangor, I can tell you are on the right track. If I had a dollar for every retirement I have been to, I wouldn't have to work.

A nice bottle of his favorite beverage goes a long way.

 

[QuietPortage]

What's your price range?

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Originally Posted By: Bandito440
What's your price range?


Don't really have one. Probably $500

 

[silverrat]

A selection of fine meats.

 

[zzyzzx]

I was thinking of some sort of alcoholic beverage.

 

[QuietPortage]

$500 will get you a bottle of Laphroaig 25 year, which is the finest liquid I've ever encountered.

 

[Astro14]

$500 is a very, very generous gift. In that case, you might check with a few of his active duty buddies. Generally, the big gift at a retirement is a "shadow box" - which is a case that contains all of his patches, or military medals, or rank, or an American Flag, or all of the above. These things are usually custom made by a local guy, and come in quite a variety of sizes/shapes to accommodate those items that the service member wants in the shadow box.

 

[OneEyeJack]

A 3 day cruise out of Miami?

 

[mattwithcats]

Shadow box with a flag flown over the White House....

Look on your US Senators web site,
there should be directions on how to obtain one.

I usually pay around $20, I think...

 

[El_Vato]

Take him in to a men's cothing store (JoS A. Bank, Men's Warehouse, etc...) and get him a nice suit(s).

This will go a long way towards future job interviews and possibly the job itself (if it requires a suit on a daily basis).

It will not be cheap, but it is a worthwhile investment.

 

[bubbatime]

He would probably really like a vacation. Maybe a nice fishing/hunting trip.

 

[Timo325]

COA #1

Donate a sum of money in his name to the wounded warrior project (or similar program). Many retirees do this, and it's a very humble way to show appreciation for his retirement and a gift to those who served and wounded.


COA#2

Go in with his current military buddies on his shadow box, if he isn't planning on purchasing his own.

COA#3

Buy large flask,tankards,pens with rank (ret.) type memorabilia that collect dust, but would be appreciated.

 

[Joel_MD]

One of the coolest military retirement gifts I have ever seen is a custom Colt Government .45 that had custom engraving from the Colt Custom Shop, and included ivory grips with a USAF insignia on them. Of course a gift like that requires a lot of lead time and is a bit expensive. But if this Marine is a "gun guy," then even an off-the-rack gun of some sort makes an awesome retirement gift.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: El_Vato
Take him in to a men's cothing store (JoS A. Bank, Men's Warehouse, etc...) and get him a nice suit(s).

This will go a long way towards future job interviews and possibly the job itself (if it requires a suit on a daily basis).

It will not be cheap, but it is a worthwhile investment.


This!