Sparty
Full Member
Posts: 100
Jul 13, 2014 21:55:57 GMT
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Post by Sparty on Sept 21, 2018 0:51:22 GMT
My brother is retiring from the military. There will be a formal ceremony and then a party afterwards. I’d like to get him a meaningful gift, but I’m stumped. Is there a traditional gift for military retirees? Any ideas would be appreciated!
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PrettyInPeank
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,691 
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Post by PrettyInPeank on Sept 21, 2018 1:04:47 GMT
My husband just retired, and common gifts are frames for their certificates/ribbons, coins, stuff that says "retired" more as a joke.
Can you request photos and information/captions from his entire military career? A professionally bound photo book would be an excellent gift.
What was his job?
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Sparty
Full Member
Posts: 100
Jul 13, 2014 21:55:57 GMT
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Post by Sparty on Sept 21, 2018 1:19:45 GMT
My husband just retired, and common gifts are frames for their certificates/ribbons, coins, stuff that says "retired" more as a joke. Can you request photos and information/captions from his entire military career? A professionally bound photo book would be an excellent gift. What was his job? He is a pilot and has held various other positions, from Squadron Commander to Emergency Preparedness Liason. His rank is Colonel. |
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Post by Basket1lady on Sept 21, 2018 2:03:56 GMT
DH will probably retire next summer after 29 years and I’ve been thinking about this, too. Coins, signed framed photos, etc are usually for those in the office. DH works at the Pentagon and they are pulling up some of the marble floors. He grabbed a ton of chunks of the flooring and they have wooden stands made for them with brass placards saying something like “you gave so much of yourself here, take a piece of it with you.” He’s had some cool departing gifts over the years, but that may be the most significant!
As for what you can get your brother, maybe something to do with what he’s doing in his retirement years? I think I’ll either get DH a watch (he still wears one daily) or a kayak. I just can’t decide!
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 20:29:18 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2018 2:35:55 GMT
He is going to end up with lots of military related gifts given to him by those he served with. My suggestion is to get him something related to his upcoming civilian life or family related since you are his family and that is going to be a unique relationship that no one else can commemorate.
Do you have a photo of the two of you playing as young children (or just him), especially if he was playing at being a pilot/planes/military that you could frame along with a recent photo of him in uniform and caption about look how far you've come, or something sentimental. Those are the kinds of sentimental things no one from his previous squadrons can give him.
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