Gifts for Veterans
To find the right gift for a veteran who is a member of your family or a friend, you first must determine two things. One is how this individual felt about serving his or her country. Did he or she see action, what happened to them when they did, how did they leave the military and how much a part of their lives did it remain afterwards- these are some of the questions you must have the answers to first. The second question is probably easier to answer. What kind of gifts have they received in the past?
To resolve the first question, you need to interact with family members and perhaps the veteran in order to get a feel for how they felt about serving their country. In some cases the answer will be as obvious as the nose on your face, especially with gung-ho type military families! Spouses obviously will know how their significant other feels about this matter. But if you are looking for a gift for a veteran who is an uncle, grandfather, sister-in-law, friend or a relative that you may not see every day, it makes sense to go to the people that know them best. If the person lives alone and you visit them at times, there should be ample opportunity to start a conversation that will lead you to their past military service. This should enable you to get a proper read on whether a gift related to them being a veteran is a good idea in the first place.
What they have received in the past in relation to their veteran status could be obvious if it is displayed in plain view or worn frequently. Again, if you are not sure, ask questions to find out. Once you have established that the veteran would appreciate a gift of this type, and you know what they have been given in the past, it is time to determine what you can get them that they will always cherish.
One thing that almost all veterans want is to simply be recognized for their service to their country. A gift that achieves this will be a popular one. Family members can collaborate on various projects to meet this end. One way would be to accumulate as much information on the veteran’s life in the military as possible and present a written account of it as a gift. This will take time and energy, as you have to piece together dates and locations, the correct rank, who they served with and so forth. A surprise gift of this nature will be hard to compile accurately because it would entail doing the project without the help of the veteran themselves. If it is to be a surprise, you may need to get in touch with people he actually served with. If it is not to be a total surprise, then it will be easier to do. The account can read like a biography or it can focus on one particular event or series of events that the veteran would be most proud of.
Another gift that you could give a veteran is to have a plaque commemorating their service hung in a public place, such as a town hall or a local school, if it is allowable to do so. Gather as much information as you can so as to have the proper data on the plaque. It should be an easy matter to find a business nearby that can produce a plaque for a reasonable cost. The plaque can be presented as a birthday or Christmas gift, or on a day special to the veteran, such as the day he entered or left the service or saw action in a specific battle. A ceremony involving family members, if possible to arrange, would be a touching tribute that would assure that make a gift of this nature would never be forgotten.
Any type of gift that can reunite the veteran in some way, shape or form with their old buddies from the service would be a hit. The degree of difficulty here is in direct proportion to the age of the veteran. World War II veterans, for example, will have less people they served with still living than a Vietnam vet. To arrange an actual physical reunion could be next to impossible, but there are other options available to you. One is to have a video reunion, where the people that served with the veteran are able to go before a camera and speak for a bit to the veteran, telling them how they are doing or recounting old memories. This can be done by contacting these people in advance. Tell them your idea and get their input. If they want to participate, have them record their message on a CD or videotape. Consider that technology can be a handful for older veterans to handle! Have them send the greeting to you; you can now employ a video photographer to put together the “reunion” for you. Imagine the reaction you would get when your recipient of this gift watches his or her former partners in crime wishing them well!
Another way would be to talk to, e-mail, or write the veteran’s comrades, wherever they may be in the world, and assimilate as much information as you can on what they are up to now or can remember about their experiences with the veteran in the service. This can be made into a type of newsletter, one that not only the veteran can receive, but everyone involved can enjoy as well.
The types of things that you can find in a military surplus store, such as specific insignia for hats, jackets, or flags, do make great gifts. You do want to be sure though not to duplicate a gift the veteran already has. One novel idea would be to purchase tickets for a sporting event that involves the veteran’s specific branch of the service, such as the Army-Navy football game or The Citadel playing Air Force in basketball. College football schedules come out well in advance of the actual games, allowing you time to plan a trip if the closest the team representing that branch of the service comes to your area requires one. The atmosphere associated with these contests would provide a thrilling day for a veteran.
The service academies could give you another great gift option. Contact the one that your veteran would have an affinity for and ask about tours of the facility. Plan a vacation around such an event or arrange for the veteran and his spouse or a friend to be able to go there. A trip to Washington, DC, with the plethora of history around every corner, especially if the veteran has never been there, would be a wonderful present.
Whatever type of gifts for veterans you decide upon, remember that there is one that is free of charge and that they are always grateful for. A simple thank you for a job well done!
