What are some of the more unique, not the "normal" Retirement gifts you have seen?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 01 May 2016 11:37:03 -0400

We've all seen the traditional shadow boxes, flags etc that are given as Retirment gifts. What other unique things has anyone seen? I'll start with mine. Had my Retirement ceremony last week. The whole unit chipped in and bought me a 1911. Actually brought a tear to my eye.

Response by SP5 Mark Kuzinski made May 1 at 2016 11:38 AM

SP5 Mark Kuzinski — Sun, 01 May 2016 11:38:43 -0400

Awesome - My retirement gift was a set of golf clubs. I can't wait to see other retirement gifts from others on RP.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made May 1 at 2016 2:09 PM

PO1 Brian Austin — Sun, 01 May 2016 14:09:20 -0400

SFC Private RallyPoint Member Now that's a retirement gift!
Mine was a new DeMarini softball bat. To replace the one i destroyed after popping out to 2B for the final out and losing the base championship game a couple weeks earlier...lol I still have the bat.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made May 1 at 2016 2:13 PM

SSG Warren Swan — Sun, 01 May 2016 14:13:44 -0400

What unit were you in, and how can I re-retire from there? That is awesome. Congrats on retirement tho.

Response by CPT Bob Moore made May 1 at 2016 5:11 PM

CPT Bob Moore — Sun, 01 May 2016 17:11:40 -0400

I gave my brother something that was unique for a retirement ceremony. It was part tradition, and part really personal.

So, a lot of people know about the silver dollar tradition for a first salute. I happened to be commissioned the night I walked off a plane after a year in Iraq. It was 0300, I had just got off the plane, and I didn't have a silver dollar. As part of the "welcome home" ceremony we had before they released us to go with our families, they kept my battalion and pinned a nice new 2LT bar on me and my brother, who was in the Air Force, was my first salute.

Fast forward a few years, when my brother was retiring, he asked if I would officiate his retirement ceremony. Of course, I agreed. As a Captain at the time, I knew I had never gotten him that silver dollar. So, I went out, got him a really nice, really old silver dollar and surprised him with it at his retirement ceremony. I doubt too many people got a dollar that they were owed from years before that was actually worth several hundred dollars when they retired.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made May 1 at 2016 5:49 PM

SrA Matthew Knight — Sun, 01 May 2016 17:49:21 -0400

My last unit gave a 1911 to our Chief when he retired. I can't remember what it looked like specifically but if I remember right it was really nice. He was big into hunting (had a brown bear hide draped on his desk) so it was fitting. He actually retired and moved to Alaska, God knows what animals he's brought down since he's been there. He was pretty awesome.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made May 1 at 2016 6:24 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Sun, 01 May 2016 18:24:51 -0400

Great Retiirement gift SFC Springman congrats on that I am very envious carried a 1911 as a grenadier in Vietnam had to give it back though I think I had a tear in my eye too again congratulations on your retirement

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made May 1 at 2016 7:36 PM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Sun, 01 May 2016 19:36:20 -0400

Mine was a small clock, with a plate inside the door, saying that my services had been appreciated.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made May 1 at 2016 9:07 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Sun, 01 May 2016 21:07:29 -0400

When I left company command of HHD 118th MP Bn, my soldiers bought me this WWII MP as they new I was a GI Joe collector. To be honest the 1/6th scale Ultimate soldier Little Bird Helicopter did give it away.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made May 1 at 2016 9:17 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Sun, 01 May 2016 21:17:38 -0400

When I retired, I had the distinction of becoming the second soldier in the 43d MP Bde to receive the standard presidential retirement letter signed by Obama - if you can count that as a "gift". I missed first by 30 seconds because my buddy who retired with me was a LTC so he got his first - RHIP :-)

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made May 1 at 2016 9:29 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Sun, 01 May 2016 21:29:39 -0400

SFC Private RallyPoint Member In 1980, a departing CDR of the 6th Army @ the Presidio of San Francisco was presented with a wooden model of a San Francisco Cable Car. (I was dinged for a contribution).

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made May 2 at 2016 9:59 AM

SGM Erik Marquez — Mon, 02 May 2016 09:59:35 -0400

My retirement gift?
That my retierment request was honored....

No award
No gift
No ceremony

My wish was that no soldier would be standing on a parade field because of me.
No staff officer and CG would have to take the time away from crucial tasks

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made May 2 at 2016 1:36 PM

Maj Chris Nelson — Mon, 02 May 2016 13:36:37 -0400

I got this at my retirement....it is numbered (don't remember the number, but pretty low). I REALLY like it...ties in my Army Medic years, AF Years, and I feel represents my deployments to Desert Shield/Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan!

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made May 2 at 2016 9:33 PM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Mon, 02 May 2016 21:33:15 -0400

SFC Private RallyPoint Member You lucky dog!! Congrats as well. I never had a retirement ceremony, just a set of orders in the mail. But I did have a Basic Training platoon give me an Old Timer skinning knife, engraved, thought it was really great!

Response by SGM Gregory Tarancon IV made Nov 9 at 2018 12:15 PM

SGM Gregory Tarancon IV — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 12:15:10 -0500

I think personalized gifts are the most unique for a retirement ceremony. Being of Cuban decent, my command thought and appropriate gift a humidor. Of they assumed, being Cuban that I enjoy smoking cigars. I know is stereotyping, but there assumption was correct. The other gift was from my family who all chipped in and it special since it was a commemorative edition AR-15 with the Special Forces Logo. The cool parts is the company that build the AR (Nordic Components) donates $100 to Task Force Dagger which is a charity that takes care of Special Operators.