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What gift to give an ROTC cadet at commissioning?


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One would think I might know this being retired military. But what is an appropriate gift to give an ROTC cadet at their commissioning ceremony?

A little history. Four years ago I worked with a young lady who wanted to be an Army officer. We stayed in touch and saw each other about once a year and I sort of steered her as best I could to make wise decisions. Badda Bing Badda Boom she gets commissioned in about three weeks and has invited me and my wife to her ceremony.

It looks like she will get her wish to fly as she is in line to go to flight school. She wants soooo bad to be a medevac pilot! It is so refreshing to see a young person with so much ambition. I don't want to come up short in the gift department.

So if you gave or received a gift for such an occasion please chime in and let me know what you got.

Thanks

Kevin

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How about a Desk nameplate plaque. Put a butterbar on one and then her name. She can change out the rank insignia as she promotes. Put a little plaque on the back with the name of the University and year.

I got one from my parents and have carried it around with me ever since.

Here are some examples:

Military Desk Plaques

Other Option Just add two small holes to the left and add the insignia.

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Great idea and story!

I like the idea of the desk plate. Only problem is,is that as an aviator she most likely won't have a desk till she gets less active.

The flight crews I remember and even the commercial ones I know now seem to be big on nice shades and watches. A nice watch with an inscription would be cool...

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I actually thought about the compass! LOL But I never knew an LT who could use one anyway!:roflol:

And yes it is only the first salute she ever gives that she forks over a buck.

I was also thinking of a really good book for a young officer to read. Any thoughts there? I think I have done a pretty good job as a First Sergeant in teaching her to listen to and respect her NCO's and to always take care of her troops first and foremost. But a good book along those lines would be something that might be a good idea.

Thanks

Kevin

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I know it's not quite inline with what she is trying to accomplish, but Sun Tzu's book "The Art of War", is said to be the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time, and is still read for its military insights.

The Art of War is one of the oldest and most successful books on military strategy in the world. It has been the most famous and influential of China's Seven Military Classics: "for the last two thousand years it remained the most important military treatise in Asia, where even the common people knew it by name." It has had an influence on Eastern military thinking, business tactics, and beyond.

My .02....

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I actually thought about the compass! LOL But I never knew an LT who could use one anyway!:roflol:

And yes it is only the first salute she ever gives that she forks over a buck.

I was also thinking of a really good book for a young officer to read. Any thoughts there? I think I have done a pretty good job as a First Sergeant in teaching her to listen to and respect her NCO's and to always take care of her troops first and foremost. But a good book along those lines would be something that might be a good idea.

Thanks

Kevin

My grandfather always said every officer needs a good sgt. and a crowbar. :ph34r:

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I know it's not quite inline with what she is trying to accomplish, but Sun Tzu's book "The Art of War", is said to be the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time, and is still read for its military insights.

The Art of War is one of the oldest and most successful books on military strategy in the world. It has been the most famous and influential of China's Seven Military Classics: "for the last two thousand years it remained the most important military treatise in Asia, where even the common people knew it by name." It has had an influence on Eastern military thinking, business tactics, and beyond.

My .02....

+1 to Sun Tzu. Here are a few others:

Hostile Skies (WWI)

Winged Victory (WWII)

Thud Ridge (Vietnam)

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A nice watch with an inscription would be cool...

I've never given or received a gift of this sort, but that was my first thought, too.

A nice, personal inscription on the back of an item she would have with her always seems better than something left at home or in the office.

What should the inscription say?

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What about a leather man multiple-tool? Tons of uses, carry one almost all the time. Would imagine it would come in hand often and could still be engraved. :blush:

That and a good flashlight (probably one that takes AA batteries...for ready replacements)

Maybe an electronic book reader...which she could load up with books.

Real shooting lessons.

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since she is going to flight school i would buy her a good manual flight computer (ok maybe an electronic one since this is the 21 century.) a manual so that she doesn't have to worry about batteries. i have one with a rolling scale on the back which i found always handy since it didn't matter what plane i was flying i just rolled the scale to the right range. in my day (mid 70's) i paid over a $100 for this one and i still have it today.

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A nice watch with an inscription would be cool...

I've never given or received a gift of this sort, but that was my first thought, too.

A nice, personal inscription on the back of an item she would have with her always seems better than something left at home or in the office.

What should the inscription say?

The thing is it wouldn't have to be a mega expensive watch. Utility would be the best thing for her at first I'd guess. Wouldn't even have to be new. Maybe hit a pawn shop or two. Something gender neutral. Maybe look into watches that flight crews tend to use everyday and find one that you can be comfortable giving in the situation. The engraving might be a few bucks, but that would make the difference I think...

For the inscription?

I'd keep it simple. Maybe,,,

'Duty, Honor, Life'

'No Option'

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Since flight crews need a firearm and long guns (or compact AR's) are hard to manage in the cockpit...I'd like a colt 45 with pearl grips. Just sayin'.

"Only a pimp in cheap New Orleans whoreshouse has a pistol with pearl handled grips" George Patton

Ivory would be acceptable.

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I don't know about Army, but a nice butter-bar gift in the Navy is a ceremonial sword.

Later,

Chuck

ETA: You may want to hold off on the flight crew stuff until she gets her wings: things sometimes go in unexpected directions in the military ;)

Edited by ChuckS
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I had to read the book Chickenhawk by Robert Mason:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0143035711/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1303046264&sr=8-1

maybe when she makes it through Ft. Rucker you can get her a fancy watch and engrave it either with a few words from the poem High Flight (Oh I have slipped the surly bonds of earth...) or the helo pilot's version Low Flight. :goof:

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