Military-Themed Gifts for Veterans

Finding a good gift can be a challenging task, especially when it comes to honoring a military veteran. On the one hand, you want to find something that has meaning and value, something that communicates your love and appreciation for them. On the other hand, you don’t want it to sit on a shelf and gather dust. You want them to be able to use it.

If you’ve struggled to find a good gift for that important veteran in your life, whether it’s Christmas, Veterans Day, a birthday, or any other occasion, we understand. We’ve gathered together a few of the absolute best military gift ideas, each lovingly combining meaning and utility into something that your veteran will cherish.

1. Challenge Coins

Challenge coins continue to be one of the best gift ideas for veterans. While they can be made for nearly any occasion, military challenge coins, in particular, remain popular symbols of identity and respect for military personnel throughout the armed forces. 

Challenge coins have traditionally been rewarded and distributed to members from within the military itself for over a century now. They serve as a symbol of unification and camaraderie, bonding fellow service members within their ranks. 

However, you can also get a custom challenge coin for any branch of the military and can even have very specific information regarding your veteran’s unit, military history, dates for a tour, or anything else included as well. This personalizes the gift and gives them a memento that they can relate to from their own experiences.

2. GORUCK

Sometimes the best way to get a good gift for a veteran is to go to a company that is literally run by military personnel, like GORUCK. This A-list company was founded by a Green Beret, and it has been setting a standard in quality for years now. 

Products from here are proudly sold with an eye towards excellence, adaptability, and toughness — three traits that are precious to any vet. GORUCK provides tough-as-nails rucksacks, quality clothing that is built to last, and boots designed to go the distance. 

As if that wasn’t already more than enough to impress, they also host more than a thousand events across the globe each year. Each of these is aimed at bringing a military level of activity and engagement back to the civilian world, empowering individuals and building teams in the process.

If you’re looking for a gift with military-level utility or an experience that will bring a veteran back to the old days in the armed forces, this is a top-notch option.

3. Combat Flip Flops

If you know a veteran who loves to make an impact on the world around them, you might want to check out Combat Flip Flops. This focused, mindful company of special operation veterans is on a mission to change the world through “The Unarmed Forces.”

Their products come from entrepreneurs whom they have helped establish businesses in conflict zones where life can be extremely difficult. Their mantra is to “manufacture peace through trade.” 

On top of their business model, they also support many different charities including Aid Afghanistan for Education, Mines Advisory Group, and THE STATION Foundation.

If your veteran is a fan of a nice set of shoes or a pair of quality flip flops, this is the perfect way to deck them out in style, all while supporting a veteran-backed-and-owned organization looking to make a change.

4. Bottle Openers

We already talked about challenge coins, but have you heard of the “coin check?” This cheeky tradition takes place when a group of vets is drinking together. One will produce his challenge coin and “challenge” the others to do so. If anyone has forgotten their coin, they have to pick up the tab.

Of course, all of that free drinking may require a bit of bottle opening, which is why another of our top suggestions for good gifts for veterans is a bottle opener. They probably already have a bottle opener of some kind or another, and maybe even two or three. But a custom-designed bottle opener that bears an insignia specific to their days in the military is the kind of trinket they’ll proudly whip out. 

5. Sword & Plough

Last but not least, we have Sword & Plough. Another veteran-owned business, Sword & Plough is named after that age-old call to turn “swords into plowshares.” Their three-point goal is to empower veteran employment, reduce the amount of waste affecting the planet, and strengthen the communication and understanding between civil and military walks of life.

They sell a variety of military-themed products for both men and women and have proudly donated 10% of all of their profits to veteran nonprofit organizations since their inception. If you’re looking for a large variety of options, each of which is backed by a veteran-approved cause, this is the place to go.

Buying a Gift With Care

While these five choices are a good place to start, there are many other gift ideas out there. The important thing is that you shop for your gift with care. You want to make sure that any gift you get for the veteran in your life is purchased with a thought towards who they are, where they come from, and what deeper meaning the gift entails.