Military Resources
Inside: Ultimate guide to military retirement gift ideas that’ll have service members feeling appreciated, honored. Funny, unique, personal gifts to forever cherish.
Retirement! What a time to celebrate. Over the past twenty years (at least!) the honored service member has devoted their life to service. Now it’s time to party! But when that retirement ceremony or party invitation arrives, you may feel a little panicked about gift expectations.
Gift-giving in the military can be intimidating. First, let’s just say that there is never a time when a gift is required. If you can’t afford it, don’t want to buy it, or aren’t sure what to get, it’s absolutely ok to show up without a gift. (I do recommend a card with a heartfelt note or veteran quote, you don’t really want to arrive empty-handed.)
As with everything else in the military, there are some traditions and protocols when it comes to retirement gifts. First of all, personal gifts are not encouraged at the official retirement ceremony. If there’s a party or reception, that is the time for gifts!
Military Retirement Gift Ideas Any Service Member Will Love
Did you know that of the 22 million veterans in the US, less than 10% of them served a minimum of 20 years to be considered retired? It really is a big deal!
Still not quite sure what to give, here’s a list of our 11 best military retirement gift ideas.
1. Custom Wooden Pieces
Home décor is a great military retirement gift idea. Consider customizing wood gifts with their name, branch, and years of service. Ideas include wooden décor, cutting boards, front porch signs, and even a small nameplate for their new desk.
Where to find it:
- That Flag Company for Rustic Military Flags
- Taylor Crafts Engraved for Cutting Boards, Pizza Paddles and Wood Boards
- Find a Variety of Front Porch Signs for Military Retirement Here.
2. Scale Model of Ship, Aircraft, or Tank
Service members are very loyal, and most tend to be nostalgic about their particular ship, aircraft, or land vessel. Gifting a miniature model of their passion is a great way to show them you’ve paid attention all these years. It also gives them something to show off to guests in their home.
Where to find it:
- SD Model Makers for any replica ship or vessel.
- Military Airplane Models at Museum of the Flight Store
- WoodART USA for Wooden Models of Land Vehicles and Planes
3. Bar Gift Set
From beer steins to wine glasses to whiskey decanters, there’s always room in the home bar for more! Consider a personalized decanter to display. Or even a fun piece of wall-art that allows the new retiree to share all the places they’ve drunk a pint or a glass of wine.
Where to find it:
- Bullet and Grenade Bottle Openers from Bottle Breacher
- Custom Class and Decanter Gift Sets from Home Wet Bar
- Find a Variety of Military Bar Signs Here
4. Engraved Watch, Clock or Compass
When the uniform is hung up for the last time, so are the regulations that dictate what kind of watch a service member can wear. This opens up a world of possibilities for their new timepiece, including pocket watches. Thoughtful engravings can make their new watch even more special.
Where to find it:
- Personalized Military Watches at Vetcom
- Custom Military Wall Clocks
- Retirement Wall Clocks
- Engraved Military Compass Here and Here
5. Military Blanket or Quilt
Encourage your favorite retiree to cuddle up and relax with a new blanket or quilt. These can be custom made out of old uniforms, t-shirts from past units or duty stations, or even display a particular region of the world where the service member was stationed.
Where to find it:
- Personalized Fleece Blanket from Personalization Mall
- Custom Military Memory Quilt from Cammies / Fatigues
- Branch Specific Military Quilts from Blanket Lovers
- Custom Veteran Quilts from Esraxled
6. Flag or Medal Display Case
Having an important flag is pretty common in military households, but often they sit on a shelf waiting for the “perfect place.” For a great retirement gift, consider a nice, wooden shadow box or display case for a flag. Or for medals, or even for that NCO sword.
Where to find it:
- Incredible Military Uniform Shadow Box for Retirement
- Medal and Flag Display Case from Capitol Flags
- Custom Retirement Display Case from Lees Woodworks
- Variety of Flag Shadowboxes from Shadowbox Guru
- Personalized Flag Displays from Framed Guidons
7. Coin Display Rack
Just like the flag that may be sitting around, your service member most likely has a drawer full of coins. Military coins are made to be displayed! A great way to display them is in a custom coin case or shelving. Again, this is a gift that can be personalized.
Where to find it:
- Handmade Challenge Coin Displays from Sawyer Custom Woodwork
- Military Challenge Coin Rack from All American Flag Co
- Challenge Coin Rack Holder from South Florida Flag Co
8. Nice Chess Set
Chess lovers will get a kick out of military-themed sets. Some of them depict historic battles, others feature college rivalry, and some are even hand-carved. A beautiful chess set can be used as a piece of décor as well as a functional gift.
Where to find it:
9. Golf Gifts
Now that they’re retired, there’s tons of time to golf, right? Encourage them with a new putter, golf balls and tees, or a gift certificate to the local golf course.
Where to find it:
10. Memory Book
Help keep the memories of the last 20 years alive by assembling a photo book or scrapbook. Reach out to friends or family members to contribute, or leave some pages blank for others to leave notes or send photos.
Where to find it:
11. Funny Gifts
Sometimes, a funny gift is the perfect gift. This “important paper” gift is a great way to remind the retiree to embrace the fun in retirement. These funny gifts are especially relevant if you share an inside joke.
When you’ve selected the perfect gift for this military retirement, consider these few things as well.
- Plan in advance, personalization, shipping, and manufacturing may take longer than you think.
- Also, if the retiree is moving soon after retirement, you may consider waiting until they move and mailing it to their house.
- If an item is fragile, wrap it in its original container for safe shipping.
Remember, gifts are not why you’ve been invited to share in this special occasion. Your presence means something to the person retiring and honoring them is the reason you are there. Gifts are a nice way to say congratulations or “thank you for your service,” but they are not the only way to preserve the memories.
Want more on military life?
- 6 Ways Military Families Can Prepare for Civilian Life Transition
- 13 Amazeballs Pre-Deployment Gift Ideas for Service Members
- 7 Bootcamp Graduation Gifts That’ll Make Your Service Member Smile
- 10 Military Spouse Gifts That Are Absolutely Perfect
- 75 Military Care Packages Ideas for Deployed Troops
- The Ultimate List of Farewell Quotes for Military Families
Pin It for Later
You missed a military retirement favorite on this list. Handcrafted custom military retirement keepsake shadow boxes from Relic Wood. Veteran owned family business. Check them out and possibly include on this list?
I like your suggestion about getting a wooden shadow box or display case for a flag, medals, or even an NCO sword. My siblings and I are having a hard time coming up with a gift for a veteran dad. Perhaps we should have a custom wooden shadow box made, and add a military insignia badge to it. Thanks for the idea!
My dad is retiring from army next month and I could not think of any gift to surprise him but this article gave me so many great ideas. Thanks.
Just found and appreciate your website. Some good variations on some retirement themes here. Although, I can’t help but think that something as elusive as a box of grid squares or a road wheel pressure gauge may be funny additions.