5 Inspiring Gifts to Show Appreciation to Military Veterans

Military service men and women offer years of service and dedication for our benefit. Everyday, citizens of the United States enjoy the freedoms that these amazing individuals have fought for and protected. Their dedication and bravery should never be taken for granted. However, people often feel unable to repay the debt they feel towards military veterans. Here are five inspiring gift ideas to show appreciation to military veterans.

1. Shadow Boxes/Presentation Cases

According to The Military Wallet website, display cases are one of the most popular ways to commemorate a military veteran’s service. Shadow boxes, also called presentation cases, house certain commemorative pieces in order to celebrate a particular event or individual. For military veterans, these shadow boxes can be filled with awards, ribbons, medals and any other recognition gained during service. Decorations relating to the specific military branch, the individual or the United States are also a great addition to the overall presentation. The military veteran’s name and rank insignia are also important additions.

2. Military Artwork

As military veteran Ryan Guina explains, “most military members can relate their service to a particular base or weapon system”. Generally, service members spend a large majority of time associated with one particular place or machine. Therefore, these objects or places begin to have an emotional significance for these individuals. A nice piece of artwork commemorating these objects or places can be an inspiring and sentimental gift for service veterans.

3. American Flag

While the American Flag may seem like a simple gift, it is the overall significance that is most important. During an active service, military members often associate their cause with the symbol of the American Flag. During long periods of deployment, any object that can remind service members of home is treasured. Furthermore, military veterans have been trained to honor the American Flag throughout their service. Offering this meaningful symbol as a gift to a military veteran can be very inspiring.

4. Dog Tags

Dog tags are another important symbol for service members. Over the years, these small objects are easy to lose or damage. Additionally, dog tags make great additions to military presentation boxes. For those interested in purchasing dog tags as a gift, particular attention should be paid to the quality of the tags. Only dealers who create military-grade dog tags should be used.

5. Thank You Letters

Writing letters of appreciation to military veterans is another inspiring gift idea. While abroad on deployment, service members treasure any news from home. Letters are a great way to keep a soldier inspired by creating a feeling of connection and appreciation. Even after retirement, veterans love to receive letters of appreciation for their service. It is not something that should be forgotten with time.