Graduation/Commissioning Gift Suggestions

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

I have a niece graduating and was just commissioned. Suggestions for a gift? She’s going into artillery, so I was going to send some foamy earplugs along with whatever- or are some foamies and cash the best?

[Alex V]

Hard to say without a budget.

When I graduated college my parents got me a Tag so I can have a big boy watch and I started my career. I find that to be a perfect gift for such an occasion but it may not be within the budget.

[chuckman]

Bear with me: I have a friend who was a recon Marine, he was CO of a recon battalion (now he's CO of some cyber something or other). My neighbor's dad was a WWII Marine aviator, when he died she gave me all of his uniforms, flightsuit, etc., donated most of it to the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. I kept some of the WWWII-era EGA devices and gave him, which he put on his Alphas, he said it was a "generational connection to the past Marines."

I think a nice gift would be something old, artillery-related, something that could tie her to the legacy of Army artillery.

[GH41]

The army will be giving her all of the ear protection she needs so I wouldn't do that. It would be hard to beat a prepaid bank card.

[utahjeepr]

I'm guessing whiskey, hookers, and getting finned is mostly a guy thing? ;)

How about some mini trip for her to relax before she has to knuckle down? Even just a weekend breather to recharge after all her hard work?

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

The army will be giving her all of the ear protection she needs so I wouldn't do that. It would be hard to beat a prepaid bank card.

The ear pro was more of a joke than anything. I have a lot of nieces and nephews, but since she did ROTC and going active duty I thought I'd do something special.

Thanks everyone.

[Coal Dragger]

Well if you want to get her ear pro, maybe some custom fit outfits with a set of decent electronic muffs to go over them. She'll be able to hear just fine if the electronic muffs are turned up even through the fitted earplugs, but during fire missions they'll effectively double her hearing protection. I do this almost exclusively at the range anymore if I am shooting any kind of rifles, no more headaches, way less fatigue.

[LowSpeed_HighDrag]

I've always felt a nice blade made the best gift. Winkler Belt Knife or of you really want to go all out, a Winkler Combat Axe or RND Hawk.

[SteyrAUG]

I have a niece graduating and was just commissioned. Suggestions for a gift? She’s going into artillery, so I was going to send some foamy earplugs along with whatever- or are some foamies and cash the best?

Commissioned officer? If so WWII vintage 1rst lieutenant bars were pure silver. When my brother made Captain I found some WWII vintage captain bars and had them polished up nice. He really dug them. Even put them on his Class As.

Btw, all WWII vintage bars will be pinbacks not push pins. Ebay is a great source at decent prices.

[Wake27]

She know where she's going yet? I don't know for a female but I asked some friends.

[Coal Dragger]

I've always felt a nice blade made the best gift. Winkler Belt Knife or of you really want to go all out, a Winkler Combat Axe or RND Hawk.

An arty officer probably has no use for those. I was an infantryman and all the knife I ever needed was a good folder and a multi-tool.

[matemike]

Is her diploma or commissioning letter framed yet?

I really like those "float frames" where the piece of paper is surrounded by a couple inches of glass and it "floats" in the middle of a see though black frame. Looks very modern and professional. Plus, with zoom calls being the new age thing, she might want those things hanging in the back ground when possible...?

Just my 2 cents being recently commissioned myself.

[pinzgauer]

- money for uniform (ASUs, pinks & greens, good boots, etc)
- black leatherman wave with name etched

Also
-money for flights home for leave from FABOLC (Ft Sill)

My son is an Infantry CPT, daughter's serious boyfriend just commissioned as an artillery LT.

[LowSpeed_HighDrag]

An arty officer probably has no use for those. I was an infantryman and all the knife I ever needed was a good folder and a multi-tool.

Never said they had a USE for them. They make nice gifts....

[crossgun]

My son just graduated last week and the family went with a watch, Garmin Tactix Delta. For his commissioning I got him a 2021 Staccato P DPO with a Holosun 509. 2nd LT is already at Knox for the next two months and then off to IBOLC, Airborne and Ranger School.

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