14 Awesome Gifts for a Military Leader

Each February, the nation celebrates the birthdays of both George Washington (February 22) and Abraham Lincoln (February 12) on Presidents Day, the third Sunday in February. While we primarily recognize their birthdays on this date, we also reflect on the leadership they provided to the country during their time in office, and in relation to battles and conflicts that helped to define their roles in American history.

Today’s modern military leaders are making their own heroic impact on history, too. How can you celebrate them? Make a point of giving them gifts that recognize their strength, determination, humanity, sense of family, patriotism, and more. SpouseLink Guest Blogger Ashley Kornee has some more specific gift-giving ideas. Take a look!

By Ashley Kornee
SpouseLink Guest Blogger

Finding the perfect gift for our loved ones can be quite the hustle, but it is even more difficult to make the right choice when a person in our family is in the Military. Need some inspiration? Below you will find some great ideas on gifts for your loved ones that they are bound to enjoy and use. The only thing left for you to do is to pick the one that matched their personality and needs the best!

1. Personalized Dog Tag Necklace

When your loved one is away from home, it is always nice to have something with them that reminds them of their home and family. This would be a great gift for any military servicemember that is going to be deployed soon — or someone who will have to spend many hours away from home in training. When you want to show your partner that you always think of them no matter where they are, then a personalized dog tag necklace is the perfect choice. It is easy to wear and carry around so they will always be able to have it on them. On top of that, you will easily be able to make a matching pair so that each of you wears one.

2. A Durable Watch

Love a military men? Have you noticed that all men love a good watch? Yours will probably not be the exception. You can take advantage of this fact and find a good quality watch that he will be able to wear on all of his military adventures. When shopping for the right watch, make sure that it has some particular qualities that add to its usefulness. For instance, it should be water-resistant, as well as magnetic and shock resistant, so that no matter what it goes through it will last. After all, he is bound to wear it anywhere and everywhere.

3. Personalized Swiss Army Knife

This is a great idea for a gift for a military leader because it’s so practical. Swiss army knives always come in handy. They have built-in tools and can bear an engraving of your servicemember’s name or initials. If you are making this for your husband, for example, you can even engrave your own name or your children’s initials on it. Wherever he goes, this compact toolkit and knife will easily fit into his pocket for whenever he needs it.

4. A Bottle of Jack Daniel’s

Do you agree? Typically, Jack Daniel’s is the brand of whiskey that every military man loves. (Some women love it, too… It’s a classic!) The military is known to purchase single barrels from this brand that contain around 250 bottles! So, while you might not need that many bottles in the house, it would definitely be a great surprise to give the military man in your family with a good bottle of this fine whiskey. Rest assured, he is bound to love it.

5. A Personalized Card from the Entire Family

If your Military Family member is away on deployment, you might not be able to send a lot of things for celebrations while they’re away. It is always a good idea though to send a nice, heartfelt card that contains wishes from the entire family. This is a great way for your loved one to know that he or she is always on your minds and in your hearts — no matter how far he might actually be. And it will give him the strength they need to carry on.

6. A Good Pair of Boots

Any soldier in the army can tell you how important a good pair of shoes is — which definitely makes this a good idea. Look for a pair of boots that is not only lightweight but also durable. The padding must be comfortable and keep the ankle stable and provide stability so they can easily walk or run in any environment.

7. A Tactical Stocking

When Christmas rolls around, keep this gift in mind. It’s far more than just your usual Christmas stocking. It is made of a durable material that will not rip and it contains four lightweight attachments to carry equipment as well as a handle, hanging hook and an inside pocket to pack more goodies. If you are looking to make a personalized stocking for your Military Family member based on their personal wants and preferences, try this!

8. A Personalized Wood Lighter Case

There are few situations in which a lighter doesn’t come in handy — especially for people who are in the military. Lighters are of high importance and they are always in their pockets. Get the Military servicemember in your family a personalized wooden lighter case and they will definitely always keep it on them. You can engrave their initials or the division their in to make it even more special. The fact that this is just a lighter case means it will be a lot easier for them to simply replace the lighter on the inside so they can keep in on them always.

9. A Personalized Military Coffee Mug

Mugs are one of the things that always come in handy and every adult surely loves coffee. Getting your Military servicemember a personalized mug would be a great idea and it can work for every occasion. There are so many options online to choose from when it comes to finding a homemade Military coffee mug. But, of course, there is also the option of making a personalized one that will be special and just for him.

10. A Pair of Good Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

Headphones are always a great gift to make to those who need it. A pair of wireless Bluetooth ones will be a great option for any man that is preparing for deployment or goes through training. Look for a pair that is made with very durable material and that is noise-isolating. This will ensure that they will endure everything that happens to them and they won’t easily be destroyed.

11. A Personalized Bullet Keychain

Bullet key chains are a great option for any military servicemember. They can easily be used as both a keychain and a necklace and they will surely endure anything and everything. The thing that makes them personalized is the engraving that gives them a personal touch that your Military Member is going to love. You can pick their Military branch to have engraved and remind them of how proud you are of them serving their country.

12. A Personalized Large Beer Mug

Everyone enjoys some well-deserved time off. If the military servicemember in your family follows the same habit, what better way to surprise them than with a huge beer mug that carries their initials? You can even make it so that the mug bears the name of an American hero or a certain date to remind them of their first deployment or anything else you might consider important. In any case, they are definitely going to appreciate it!

13. A Pair of Very Durable Socks

If you are thinking of getting them the pair of boots that were mentioned earlier, it might also be a good idea to invest in a pair of Darn Tough socks. These wool socks are truly amazing and they are definitely going to be able to survive each and every one of your servicemember’s adventures. No matter if they wear them in the army, on a hiking trip or just at home, they can be a great pair to wear every single day. They are not only comfortable and fast-drying but they will also help with the bad odors as they are naturally antimicrobial. This makes sure that they can wear them for hours at a time.

14. An Emergency Medical Kit

There is no doubt that a small sized emergency medical kit is ultra-useful. Even if your servicemember is not currently deployed, chances are they will still want to go on a hike or a do a similar activity. A medical kit is something they should always have on them, no matter where they are. Look for a medical kit that will be both lightweight but also full of all the basic supplies that might be needed in an emergency situation. Think of all the things your servicemember could possibly need when they deployed and try finding something that will cover most of them.

Personalized Gifts Make the Best Choice

No matter what you end up choosing, keep in mind that personalized gifts are always considered the most thoughtful and they are always much appreciated. As long as what you pick comes from the heart, your Military Family Member will definitely love it and they will consider themselves thankful to have such a considerate family.

About Ashley

Ashley Kornee is a blogger and freelance writer. She always tries to write about ordinary things in a creative way. Need help with writing, you can find her on the team at supremedissertations.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.