Air Force Commissioning Gifts
- Thread starter Tb637
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Just some things that I have seen in the past:
1. Pilot watch. A mid- level ($150-$250) G-Shock or similar will be fine for UPT. They tend to buy their own after that and customize.
2. A replica wooden propeller signed by all their squadron/detachment classmates. You can get decent 72” or 84” replicas for $100-$200. A Simpler Time website is a good resource.
3. Ceremonial sabre to wear for formal events or for display.
Stealth_81
1. Pilot watch. A mid- level ($150-$250) G-Shock or similar will be fine for UPT. They tend to buy their own after that and customize.
2. A replica wooden propeller signed by all their squadron/detachment classmates. You can get decent 72” or 84” replicas for $100-$200. A Simpler Time website is a good resource.
3. Ceremonial sabre to wear for formal events or for display.
Stealth_81
Pima
10-Year Member
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FYI, that flag will take weeks to get back to you. It will come with a letter, so it will take a few more weeks to frame properly.
Have either of you purchased the mess dress? At UPT for winging they will wear the mess dress (AF tux) It is hundreds of dollars.
~ If he has the mess dress, research party shirts for the mess dress. Basically the front and cuffs look like a tuxedo shirt. The arms and back of the shirt are fun. Google and you will find examples. IE maybe you can do his university mascot or logo.
For our DS, this is what we did.
1. Butter bars, both for the flight cap/cover, dress blue uniform and the shirt.
~ At his det. they have a tradition. As a PoC cadet inside/under their flight cap they have a butter bar passed down from someone in the unit that commissioned. Upon commissioning they will use that butter bar, and now hand over the one they purchased and would have used to pin on to another cadet within the det. IOWS, their flight cap butter bar is usually a cadet that graduated a couple of yrs prior. He still needs to buy them.
2. Silver dollar
~ 1st salute is to the NCOIC within the unit. It is expected to pay them for the salute, and it is traditional to do a silver dollar. We searched and found a silver dollar for the yr he was born. Some people will do the yr they entered college. Some will do the yr they graduated,
3. Flight hours
~ Commissioning and starting UPT can be many months. He needs to keep up those skills.
4. Hand in the AFROTC uniform and buy new.
~ At winging he will wear his blues. They have the choice of handing back the ROTC uniform and taking the$$$ to subsidize the cost for a new uniform, or keep that one they wore as a cadet. It costs them money to buy new uniforms.
5. White and tan undershirts for the uniform
6. MESS DRESS
~JMPO, if he does not have a mess dress, BUY IT. UPT winging is formal. It is not a 1 night function. It is a 3 day function. It is a HUGE deal.
7. UPT has only x amt of bases. We contacted the UPT base, specifically MWR. Paid for rounds of golf on base.
Have either of you purchased the mess dress? At UPT for winging they will wear the mess dress (AF tux) It is hundreds of dollars.
~ If he has the mess dress, research party shirts for the mess dress. Basically the front and cuffs look like a tuxedo shirt. The arms and back of the shirt are fun. Google and you will find examples. IE maybe you can do his university mascot or logo.
For our DS, this is what we did.
1. Butter bars, both for the flight cap/cover, dress blue uniform and the shirt.
~ At his det. they have a tradition. As a PoC cadet inside/under their flight cap they have a butter bar passed down from someone in the unit that commissioned. Upon commissioning they will use that butter bar, and now hand over the one they purchased and would have used to pin on to another cadet within the det. IOWS, their flight cap butter bar is usually a cadet that graduated a couple of yrs prior. He still needs to buy them.
2. Silver dollar
~ 1st salute is to the NCOIC within the unit. It is expected to pay them for the salute, and it is traditional to do a silver dollar. We searched and found a silver dollar for the yr he was born. Some people will do the yr they entered college. Some will do the yr they graduated,
3. Flight hours
~ Commissioning and starting UPT can be many months. He needs to keep up those skills.
4. Hand in the AFROTC uniform and buy new.
~ At winging he will wear his blues. They have the choice of handing back the ROTC uniform and taking the$$$ to subsidize the cost for a new uniform, or keep that one they wore as a cadet. It costs them money to buy new uniforms.
5. White and tan undershirts for the uniform
6. MESS DRESS
~JMPO, if he does not have a mess dress, BUY IT. UPT winging is formal. It is not a 1 night function. It is a 3 day function. It is a HUGE deal.
7. UPT has only x amt of bases. We contacted the UPT base, specifically MWR. Paid for rounds of golf on base.
Pima
10-Year Member
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Love you stealth, but for AFROTC I have to part ways here with you.
1. Saber is not a good idea.
~ They don't wear them or use them at all. That is more a USAFA thing.
2. The propeller
~ You and I both know that there is not 100% winging out of UPT. Great winging gift, but what if he washes out? It is just a painful memory.
~~ When our DS winged out of UPT. We purchased a wooden replica of pilot wings, and paid for his UPT certification framed. FYI, the framed certificate is expensive. Think 200 bucks framed.
3. G shock watch is a great great great gift, but it also comes down to them.
~ My DH flew AF fighters for decades, he was insanely particular when it came to his watch. He never purchased a G shock, I never purchased one for him, and would never even consider purchasing 1. G Shock is the go to watch, but still ….IMPO let them pick it out.
In the end this is about giving a gift that will be a memory. He will be like 99% of every AF officer, and have the I LOVE ME room. It will be filled with certificates and farewell pics.
JMPO, you want to give him a gift that he will treasure for his entire life. Take a picture of his 1st salute. Frame it.
Notice my avatar. My husband commissioned my son. He has that picture in his house in his house. He also has a picture snapped 30 seconds later when they hugged each other after the I swear moment
1. Saber is not a good idea.
~ They don't wear them or use them at all. That is more a USAFA thing.
2. The propeller
~ You and I both know that there is not 100% winging out of UPT. Great winging gift, but what if he washes out? It is just a painful memory.
~~ When our DS winged out of UPT. We purchased a wooden replica of pilot wings, and paid for his UPT certification framed. FYI, the framed certificate is expensive. Think 200 bucks framed.
3. G shock watch is a great great great gift, but it also comes down to them.
~ My DH flew AF fighters for decades, he was insanely particular when it came to his watch. He never purchased a G shock, I never purchased one for him, and would never even consider purchasing 1. G Shock is the go to watch, but still ….IMPO let them pick it out.
In the end this is about giving a gift that will be a memory. He will be like 99% of every AF officer, and have the I LOVE ME room. It will be filled with certificates and farewell pics.
JMPO, you want to give him a gift that he will treasure for his entire life. Take a picture of his 1st salute. Frame it.
Notice my avatar. My husband commissioned my son. He has that picture in his house in his house. He also has a picture snapped 30 seconds later when they hugged each other after the I swear moment
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No offense taken, but all of the things that I listed were commissioning gifts given to past AFROTC grads and were appreciated. Everyone’s experiences will differ.
Stealth_81
Friend2Life
New Member
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- Dec 7, 2019
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Thanks to both of you. My son commissions Friday, December 13. I will be swearing him in. It’s been a challenge to come up with ideas for a gift. I don’t want to weigh him down with more “things” as he travels; however, it needs to be personal and memorable.
I believe I’m going to frame his letter and get him the coin (along with some $$ to buy his uniforms).