Marinparents.com shop (CLICK DA PICTURE)
Posted on 05/14/2016 8:16:15 PM PDT by Silly
I just learned today that my roommate's son, approx. age 20, is starting combat training in July to become a Marine. I am very proud of this young man, and want to show him my respect and honor him when he completes training and graduates.
Can you give me some gift suggestions, please, that are not too expensive, but would be meaningful, and possibly a keepsake, that he might be glad to receive?
Feel free to ping military lists to this thread; I'm sure they have lots of great ideas.
Thanks, everyone.
Silly
My mother gave me a 4 leaf clover before I headed to Jump School back in the day, carried it in my wallet and on every jump I was on until I lost my wallet in Thailand. Meant a lot to me
And this is kind of neat too, how about a Marines license plate frame? :) There’s a keepsake box, iphone cover.
http://www.cafepress.com/+usmcfp+gifts
I agree with JudgemAll...
I gave my nephew a standard issue-type USMC Kabar as a departure gift when he entered the Marines...
Couldn’t take it with him to boot camp, but he later did take it when he was deployed to Afghanistan...
He was very happy to get a “real Marine Kabar”...His words...
I like that idea too!
Marinparents.com shop (CLICK DA PICTURE)
Ah, I forgot —for the G-shock and some other sturdy digital watches they have embedded in the band a backup COMPASS.
I think for the Land-Nav evolutions they give everyone proper compasses, but I did feel better knowing there was a very basic back-up compass in my watch.
For the models so lacking, u can get bands that do contain the compass, and swap that in.
They will give him a packing list for boot, and on the first day they will (with great relish, gusto, speed and voice volume) throw into a sack and confiscate from him all the things he has on his person and in his bag that do no appear on that list.
I think it’s very generous of you to plan on buying him a gift.
My suggestion is to ask him, what he would like, that way you will know for sure you are getting him the right gift he will appreciate and use.
Many great ideas, thank you all, this is helpful!
We gave our son the Mamaluke dress sword when he was commissioned as a Marine Officer; it’s about $800. Sgt Grit online is full of excellent Marine gear.
Nice site! I think my idea was too pricey and would be better as a graduation gift. Although an NCO sword would cost less.
Bummer.. nothing like breaking in boots the old fashioned way..
Get him a personalized Leatherman tool. Super useful and he’ll think of you when he uses it, which will be often!
I think one of the most unique, most interesting, most useful and most memorable gift one could give to someone is to pay for a DNA genomic analysis for possible future health conditions.
For $99.00 one can get a DNA test done via ancestry.com either by directly setting up an account or purchasing same through amazon.con at:
http://www.amazon.com/AncestryDNA-Genetic-Testing-DNA-Test/dp/B00TRLVKW0
Either way, they mail you a test kit, you fill a small vial with saliva, mail it back and activate the kit online at the time you mail it back.
Six weeks later they email you back that the results are done and then you can log back into the account and download your DNA genome file, which is basically just a small text file.
For five dollars, you can then upload your genome file into:
and in a few minutes you will receive a notice from promethease.com that you can download an interactive HTML file that includes a health interpretation of your genome based on all the latest scientific research regarding which genes can be problematic in terms of future (or even current) disease.
There are MANY diseases that can be avoided in the future by making simple lifestyle changes such as avoiding gluten if you have a high propensity for developing Celiac disease, or taking supplements that could help ward off other possible diseases such as taking lutein and Zeathanthin if one is prone to macular degeneration.
In some cases, actual genetic diseases that WILL happen or are happening right now could show up.
In other cases, where disease may show up but there’s not much you can do about it ‘til it happens, at least you’re aware it COULD happen and be on the lookout for symptoms so that if it DOES happen then you’ll know what’s going on right away and can get an early start on treatment without having to go to a dozen doctors and take a hundred tests.
I really think a genomic analysis is one of the greatest gifts that anyone could give to someone.
SOA V42 Marine Dagger Banks Edition with Sheath
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM1By8cGGZg
http://www.budk.com/V42-Military-Stiletto-Dagger-with-Sheath-21850
These are very popular among the troops.
The Air Force two Marine helicopter stopped at a hanger I was working in at Wright Patterson. I bought a Red Marine ball cap off it’s Marine guards. They had all kinds of stuff for sale. I gave it to a friend whose dad had been a senior drill instructor. It looked good on him.
The G-Shock watch was a great suggestion. The one I had also had sunrise/sunset times and air temperature on it, was useful for this old hunter.
Your roommate’s son?
http://www.foxsox.com/Catalog/search.aspx?type=category&code=MILI
I considered doing the DNA through ancestry because of looking for my mom, brother and maybe other relatives. Asked a lot of questions and did a lot of reading. Decided against it because the government is building a massive DNA database which Ancestry is contributing to. I would think that Amazon might as well.
Your suggestion is a great one but any medical information about someone is ending up in D.C. Whenever our family needs any lab work done, there is a local free standing lab available in our city where you can pay cash, don’t need anything from a doctor, don’t even need to use your real name and the results only go to the person requesting the tests.
Yes.
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