Fathers Day Gifts For Soldiers
An Army Leader’s Father’s Day – Part 3
I hope you’ve enjoyed Parts 1 and 2, on leadership lessons for children and on great Father’s Day day’s out for soldiers.
In the final part of An Army Leader’s Father’s Day I wanted to share with you a few good Father’s Day gifts for soldiers. If you are buying a gift for an army father there are plenty of things you could buy. I don’t think there is a single soldier who wouldn’t love some of the latest ally kit. But they are hardly the kind of gifts that say ‘thanks for being a great dad’.
Personally, I’m lucky if I get a hand-painted abomination to stick to the fridge. But maybe you’re luckier. If your children (or, more likely, wife) are looking to buy you a gift, then you can unsubtly share this article with them on social media (visit the bottom of the page). And if you’re looking for a gift for your father, then go no further.
Each of these gifts are available by Father’s Day. Each are distilled, handmade, engineered or ground by former members of the British armed forces (or their families). I get no benefit from advertising them. I just think we should go to our veteran-owned companies to find gifts like these.
So here are five Father’s Day gifts for soldiers.
Heroes Vodka
Lets start at the simple end. Sure, not everyone drinks vodka. But every should have some vodka in their drinks cabinet. It’s a base spirit in more cocktails than you can mention and goes with just about anything.
Heroes Vodka is an award-winning, premium British vodka with a slight sweetness, a peppery spice and a very slight hint of vanilla. It’s a great drink served chilled but also makes a great mixer for cocktails.
The company was founded by Chris Gillan, who left the forces after sustaining a training injury in Afghanistan. It pours every drop of its profit into supporting Britain’s military community: The company delivers employment and training opportunities to veterans and donates some of its profits to the three main military charities: the Royal Naval and Royal Marines Charity, ABF The Soldiers Charity and the RAF Benevolent Fund.
They are also shortly to launch a limited edition gin to commemorate RAF100 called the Lord Trenchard Premium Gin. But the less said about the RAF the better.
You can buy Heroes Vodka online here.
Commando Coffee
I know I’ve got some bootneck readers. But I also know there are plenty of Army-types that have chased the coveted ‘green lid’ and proudly wear their dagger at every opportunity. If your a commando of any type, or if your father is, then this will be a great gift.
The Green Beret Coffee Co. was founded by a former Royal Marine and works closely with a speciality coffee roaster to select the perfect beans and blends for their coffees. The first range of coffee included Commando, Sniper, Veteran and Mercenary blends. Now you can get Viking and Spartan blends too.
They are perfect as a pick me up the night after some Heroes Vodka.
The guys at the Green Beret Coffee Co. have been kind enough to offer a discount to readers of The Army Leader. Until Father’s Day on the 17th of June you can get 20% off the price of a 1 kg bag of any blend, and there is free 2nd class shipping on sales over £15. Use the code CHEERSDAD at the checkout. Their website is here.
Les Langley’s Chainsaw Art
The next three gifts are unusual and unique, but none more so than Les Langley’s outstanding wooden chainsaw carvings.
Les left the Army after 23 years and has been a full-time chainsaw carver since 2012. You and your father might not want a chainsaw-carved owl, but Les creates a lot more than just those – plaques, signs, poppies and a whole lot more. All of them can be engraved with cap badges, unit crests and service details. They are unique gifts that look amazing. You can catch Les at country fairs and shows during the summer, but you can reach him via his website here.
Les offers a 10% discount to serving members of the Armed Forces and he’ll need about a week to turn the order around, do don’t wait if you want one for Father’s Day. As an aside, if you need some tree surgery done in Kent, he’s also your man.
The Medal Box Company
The Medal Box Company builds stunning glass and wooden medal boxes that can be engraved with the owner’s name, rank, service number and regimental cap badge to make a great personalised gift. They are run by a former military family and have been running successfully since 2013.
As you can see from the picture, they are stunningly made and I personally know a few owners of these great gifts. But the boxes are for more than just medals. Each one has compartments for cuff links, badges, bow ties or shirt studs. They are big enough for even the most experienced LE’s over-sized medal rack.
You can choose the colour of the felt lining, choose glass or wooden lids and there are a dozen designs. They aim to get the boxes to you within two weeks of your order. You can reach them at their website here.
The Valour Band
Valour Band – whose motto is ‘get it off your chest’ – provide genuinely unique Father Day gifts for soldiers. The company was created by a former Army officer with the aim of producing an item of jewellery that would allow a soldier or their family to recognise past or current service.
You start the design by buying a core bracelet, made of a series of steel links. From there you can add additional links for honours, awards and ranks to build up a unique record of your service. Once complete, you’ve got an understated piece of jewellery that you can continue to build on as your career progresses.
They are at the higher end of the price bracket, but they are solid, quality pieces of man-jewellery that are genuine conversation starters.
10% of all sales go direct to SSAFA. But in addition they’ve been good enough to offer a 5% discount to readers of The Army Leader until the 17th of June. At the checkout use the code ARMYLEADER5. You can find out more and order your Valour Band here.
Happy Father’s Day
Father’s Day isn’t here yet, but I hope the last three articles (on Leadership Lessons For Children and Father’s Day Days Out for Soldiers) have given you some food for thought as the day approaches. If you won’t be spending it with your children, then you have my commiserations. I’ve no doubt you will be able to make it up to them on your return.
If you are together on the 17th of June, I hope that your days starts with a great gift (and perhaps a lie in). I hope you have a great day out somewhere. And I also hope you get to use the day to connect with your children and pass on some of your fatherly wisdom – whether that’s about leadership or anything else.
Subscribe To The Army Leader
