Gifts for Veterans and Service Members
Whether they're actively deployed, long-retired fixtures at the VFW, or still giving back even after leaving the military, the veterans and service members in your life deserve a gift to know their service is appreciated. These are some of our favorite gift ideas to honor the service and sacrifice of the military members you love the most.
Prices and availability are subject to change.
Related: Thoughtful Gifts That Are Made in America
Know someone who says "Don't get me anything"? Then honor them by making a financial donation to the nonprofit of their choice. Charity Navigator has a list of reputable veteran-focused charities and nonprofits on their website.
$60 from Things Remembered
These subtle service signifiers are a cut above your everyday cuff links. Any sharp-dressed vet would appreciate a pair.
$90 from Etsy
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Pint glasses are a common gift — even high-quality personally engraved 16-ounce glasses like these aren't hard to find. What is uncommon, however, is a personalized .30-caliber ammo can to store them when they're not being used. As if that weren't enough, a bullet bottle opener and a razor-sharp lockback knife are also part of the package.
Related: Gifts for People Who Say, 'Don't Get Me Anything'
$40 and up from Etsy
This wooden tray is engraved with the crest of the four major military branches and can be monogrammed, too. Choose from walnut, maple, red oak, ash, or padauk. Measures 8 inches in diameter.
$29 and up from Amazon
These colorful American-made flags will let the whole neighborhood know that a vet lives here. Let your service branch colors fly with one of these weatherproof flags, which measure 28 inches by 40 inches. Mounting hardware is also available.
$29 and up from Etsy
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This framed, hangable blessing earns a perfect five-star rating on Etsy. The Celtic design overlays on green matting with hand-embossed gold corners, and the text is a testament to the importance and necessity of service. It comes in four sizes and can be personalized upon request.
$50 and up from Virgin Experience Gifts
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Virgin offers everything from romantic hot-air balloon rides to wine tasting to the chance to get behind the wheel of a race car. In other words, something way more memorable than a dinner-and-a-movie date night.
Related: Memorable Experiences Worth Giving
$120 from The Bradford Exchange
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As rugged and reliable as the Marine in your life, this canvas tote was built to last. Sturdy and durable, it features burnished metal stars and a full-color emblem — and it can even be personalized for free with a name on the outer pocket flap. It is officially licensed by the United States Marine Corps.
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$14 from Amazon
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The 256 pages of "Veterans Voices" by Robert H. Miller and Andrew Wakeford are bursting with stories from veterans. Intimate photos and personal tales of heroics, dedication, and loss make this book one of the great military memoirs of this generation.
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$80 from Etsy
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Classy and classic, this one-of-a-kind gift set is made up of a pen and pencil hand-crafted from harvested whiskey barrel wood. The shafts are empty rounds of ammunition, and one amazing feature is that instead of a traditional clicker, the pen and pencil are activated through a bolt-action mechanism. It comes in a rifle case-style gift box, and for $10 more, you can have the set engraved.
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$20 from Amazon
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This is a multitool for the digital age, which is another way of saying it’s the perfect gift for someone who is always carrying keys, pens, thumb drives, and whatnot in his pockets. The Pivot has room for six keys, or a mix of keys and extra-cost inserts like a flashlight, pen, knife, and USB drive. Bonus: It comes with two years of free return/replace service in case you lose your Pivot. Available in three colors and two other sizes.
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$20 from Amazon
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Nothing says military service like whiskey and bullets, so why not combine the two into one awesome gift. If your favorite vet is a connoisseur with a sophisticated palate, he or she is not going to want watered-down whiskey. These stainless steel whiskey stones keep drinks cold without diluting and changing the flavor of the drink, and if that wasn't cool enough, they're shaped like bullets.
$160 from Etsy
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If your favorite vet or service member has amassed an impressive collection of challenge coins, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better gift than an Old Glory-themed display rack. The stripes in the flag are shelves for coin display and emblazoned with text that honors the military and its veterans. The rustic, hangable gift measures two feet wide and is cut from distressed wood.
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$90 from Amazon
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Army vs. Navy is one of football's greatest rivalries, but the competition doesn't have to be limited to the gridiron. If the veteran in your life is a chess aficionado, this set comes complete with polyresin players that are hand-painted and individually polished. The board on which they do battle is made from beveled glass.
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$18 from Barnes & Noble
Based on the incredible life of Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman, "Alone at Dawn" tells the story of the Air Force Combat Control Teams, the most lethal, most sophisticated, least known, least celebrated fighting force in human history. Chapman, one of the first men into Afghanistan after 9/11, was killed in heroic mountaintop fighting and was posthumously awarded two Medals of Honor. Hailed as one of the greatest military books ever written, it provides an intimate look into one of the world's most secretive fighting organizations.
Prices vary from Operation Cookie
What began as a regular shipment of freshly baked cookies to her husband who was serving in Afghanistan slowly grew into a serious cookie-baking operation. This veteran-owned bakery based in Pittsburgh will mail their cookies and other goods to any currently serving service member, veteran, or civilian cookie lover. What's more, Operation Cookie donates a portion of its proceeds to a veteran-focused nonprofit like Folds of Honor, Fisher House, Wounded Warrior Project, and the Gary Sinise Foundation.
$140 and up from Crystal Central
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Exclusive to soldiers in the Army, the Army Reserves, and their spouses, this plaque can be personalized with your favorite veteran's name and brigade or battalion logo. Even better, you get to choose from several wording options. Made from high-quality crystal emblazoned with a brilliant but understated American flag in the background, it is available in several sizes and styles.
Related: Engraved Gifts That Will Make ’Em Remember You
$18 from Amazon
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It's hard to imagine there's a vet on Earth who can't recite the Oath of Enlistment on command. This placard sums it all up in one beautiful wood block sign. Made by hand in Tennessee from 100% locally grown and sourced hardwood, it's printed in a military-style font in stark, contrasting colors.
$167 and up from Etsy
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Made from chip- and rust-proof powder-coated 16-gauge steel, this homage to the troops is crafted in Pittsburgh and available in three sizes. In the foreground of the American flag is an anonymous kneeling soldier and the phrase "Remember Our Veterans." Personalized customization is available upon request.
$19 from Amazon
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This five-inch-tall resin polymer stone mini-statue is no ordinary military action figure. The Praying Soldier combines sentiments of faith and service in a solemn and spiritual decorative keepsake. Inscriptions like "Servant," "Duty," and "Faith in God" are engraved on the base.
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