Military retirement gifts have been around for centuries. Even thousands of years ago members of the Roman Army were gifted something special upon retirement. These days, retiring military servicemen and servicewomen can be just about as difficult to buy for as any other person, but this time you are dealing with someone who most probably is very set in their ways and very firmly know their likes and dislikes, especially the things they dislike! That results in a pretty tough challenge when it comes to buying them something fulfilling for their retirement that will truly make them happy.

Some people about to retire from the military, either the Navy, Army or Air Force, feel that they have had enough of the military life and want to dissociate themselves from it. The majority, however, will retain their link to the military for the rest of their lives and retain their sense of pride in their Service. Leaving the military after serving for some time can be tough; the most difficult thing I remember was losing that feeling of being relied upon by people; of being someone ‘important’ and ‘needed’. These good feelings were replaced by a sense of loss (almost the same feeling as losing a member of the family) and I recall the most difficult thoughts were when I was walking down the street and nobody was looking at me, nobody recognising who I was or what I had done, what I had experienced in my military life. It was like I had become a ‘nobody’. After a period of re-adjustment, those feelings gradually subsided and a new-found sense of acceptance prevailed.

My bond and association with the military, however, has remained and will do so until the day I die. After some 20+ years since leaving the military, I still have the retirement gifts that various people gave to me. They are on permanent display in my home and give me feelings of belonging. That’s pretty typical of most people who retire from the military and I find great joy in visiting the homes of other veterans and seeing their trophies, mementos and keepsakes from their time in the Service.

So what to buy them as the perfect Military Retirement Gift for anyone from the Navy, Army or Air Force? Luckily there are now many websites selling gifts that are entirely suitable for serving and retired veterans so you are not going to be caught short. One recent addition to the range available has been the introduction of duvet cover and pillow case bedsets, printed in high-definition of various Services, Branches, Units, Regiments and Battalions. Each bed set incorporates the insignia, flag or emblem of each unit and are proving to be extremely popular. They serve as the perfect way for the retiree to maintain their link with the military. Some of them will have spent many a night in uncomfortable places, fatigued from the events of the day, probably sleeping in the same uniform they have been wearing for the past week. What better then, than snuggling under the comfort of your military memento of your former service.

One company have even started a service whereby they can print just one item in the design of your choice, so if the retiree of the person you are buying for served in a particular Branch, Service or Unit, you simply contact them and they will gladly work with you to come up with a suitable design for the retiree if they don’t already have one in stock.

Whatever you choose for them, it will surely be much appreciated; that sense of loss on leaving one family can be healed by feelings that people outside the military, friends, family and acquaintances, still care about them and are grateful for the service that they did for their Country.