The holiday season is a great time to get the military man or veteran in your life the ideal gift that shows him how proud you are of his service. Military men have a wide array of interests, and while they have spent part or all their lives in an environment that stresses uniformity, they are individuals and each of them have unique tastes.
Well, the venerated veterans of USAMM have struck again. We got together and asked each other what gifts we would like to receive during the holidays and while “world peace” was a popular answer, many of us agreed on the list of military gifts that follows below.
So, without further ado, below is USAMM’s list of military gifts for him just in time for the holidays.
1. Multitool
Most military men love a good multitool. Whether they are on active duty, reserve or in the National Guard, multitools make great military gifts for him. Granted, some military personnel in particular military occupational specialties will be more appreciative of a multitool they can use at work (like mechanics or engineers), but even guys who are in administrative jobs can use the tools off duty. Maybe they have a hobby, and they appreciate the convenience of a multitool.
2. Coffee and Coffee Stuff
Let’s face it, the U.S. military is an organization that runs on coffee. It’s the life blood of our men and women in uniform. There are many veteran-owned coffee companies in the marketplace and coffee is one of the top military gifts for him during the holidays. Think about getting several different types of flavors or blends and don’t skimp on getting him a cool mug that can be customized to reflect his military service.
3. Gift Cards
While getting a gift is nice, especially when someone nails it and gets you what you want, it is even better to be able to spend someone else’s money and get exactly what you want. Gift cards have somehow become synonymous with a lack of caring, but the USAMM vets all agreed that a gift card should be included on the list of military gifts for him. If you are shopping for someone who is faraway, stores like USAMM allow you to send them an e-gift card as well as an actual gift card.
4. Service Pride Gifts
Whether your serviceman serves or served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard or Space Force, they will love anything that helps them showcase their service pride. Service pride items make great military gifts for him because of the range of items offered. Hats, shirts, hoodies and other clothing items branded with service specific logos make great military gifts for him. Flags, decals, mugs, and office items make wonderful military gifts for him too.
5. Shadowboxes or Coin Displays
Anyone who has ever served more than a couple of years has earned at least some rank insignia and probably some coins. Shadowboxes and coin displays are great military gifts for him. Coin displays are easier to give as gifts because they don’t require anything to be added to them. Shadowboxes can be given empty as military gifts for him, but if you really want to make an impression, fill it with personal military items that you might have access to just to get things moving.
6. Headphones/Earbuds
Most military men exercise. Some also travel because of their positions so Bluetooth headphones are solid military gifts for him. The key is trying to figure out if he likes earbuds or headphones. Either way, these gifts are ideal for a military man on the move who likes to listen to music or his favorite podcasts or audio books.
7. Shades
Whether you’re getting him some classic aviators or some high-speed ballistic quality eyewear, sunglasses make great military gifts for him because they can be used in uniform or off duty (assuming what you buy doesn’t violate any uniform regulations). Since this is something considered personal wear, make sure to ask your military man what he likes or checkout what he currently wears. If he doesn’t have shades, then consider looking at some old photos of him and see what his taste is. Remember, glasses fit everyone differently and you might buy him something that doesn’t fit, so be flexible.
8. Portable Charger
As previously mentioned, military men are on the move and as they move so does their hardware. Whether they are lugging a laptop, tablet, cellphone, or headphones, having a reliable charging source is always a good thing. Remember that chargers are easy to price, the bigger, the better, but it will also cost you more. Chargers are awesome military gifts for him.
9. Silicon Rings
These things are all the rage right now and if you liked your military man so much that you put a ring on it, and he’s active, then you should consider a silicon ring as one of the military gifts for him. These are affordable and durable, and they make the perfect gift for a guy who doesn’t like jewelry but doesn’t mind the flexibility of something softer on his fingers which doesn’t get in the way of his active lifestyle.
10. An Adventure
Military men love adventure, if they didn’t, they would not have joined the military. If your pockets are deep, consider paying for an experience, rather than buying him stuff. Glider flights, hot air balloon rides, tandem skydiving, SCUBA diving lessons, are some great ideas that any military guy might enjoy.
We hope this list helps kickstart your holiday shopping motor. Remember, the best gifts are those given with thought and not necessarily the most expensive thing you can buy.