My son graduates from MCRD San Diego in four weeks.
This question is mainly for Marines, but others are welcome to chime in too.
What should this father give his son at boot camp graduation?
A Randall 17. Just my opinion, of course.
time with his hometown plaything with bouncies…
I’m not sure what the highly regimented nature of a USMC unit would permit, regarding gear. But I wouldn’t suggest a heavy pricey custom knife that could walk off & be seldom used. I think the most used items I have are: mechanix coyote colored gloves, new multitool with the clip on feature & petzl headlamps Tactikka or the new one with the seperate red LED. For the love of all things holy… please do not buy one of the POS 3 point slings they sell in the MCRD exchange.
What about something like this?
Had one, plastic bezel popped off. and Tritium watches not cool in a NIght Vision enviornment
Best watch ever: G-shock, DW5600MS-1 nightvision friendly, and all the tools you’d need, stopwatch, countdown… and alarm
So how would the G-shock go over as a graduation present? I googled it and it seemed like I nice tool, like a nice toothbrush or hammer, but maybe not “cool” enough to seem like a meaningful gift to mark becoming a Marine. I might slip him one casually, but maybe not ceremonially, if that makes sense. Your thoughts?
My parents got me a Tag Heuer Link for my colllege graduation. It is by far my most cherished posession.
I think a nice watch would be an awesome gift!
To me, a long lasting, high quality time peice shows that it was a gift they want me to have use of for a long long time, and everytime I look at it I think of how proud they were of me the day I got my diploma. Best gift ever!
I would have to agree with you. A G-Shock is a nice watch, and I hope I am not being a pretentious prick here, but I don’t think a $150 watch is an appropriate gift for someone as they become a Marine.
I looked at the price tag on one of those. You and my son must have grown up in different zip codes. That’s out of my league.
My dad got me a bottle of Macallans scotch and a box of Gloria Cubana cigars. Anyways, get something you know your son appreciates or enjoys. You know him best and what ever you get him he will enjoy it, as long as it comes from the heart. Best gift ever I got was from my Granddad when he shook my hand and looked me in the eyes as an equal…a man.
A nice watch would be good. Stuff like Oakley’s,gloves,slings, PMAGs, OTIS kits, and all that should be more pre deployment because hes gonna get CTAP issue which has all that stuff(not PMAGS), soo buying nomex gloves and oakleys now is just wasting money.
I say, get him something like a nice watch like the Gshock(Ive got one on as I type this) and a copy of Dave Grossman’s On Combat. Besides being a awesome book, it’s on the reading list and will get him a “good onyah” from any NCO’s over him. It all starts in the mind, and sadly most Marines arnt really in the game upstairs.
If you really wanna go all out on a watch, get him a Casio or Sunnto with GPS.
As far as wanting a “Marine Cool” gift, most Marines don’t care THAT much about their job to spend their little pfc money on “high speed” gear and are quick to throw the “gear queer” jab around like a frizzbee.
A pocket watch, a nice watch (doesn’t have to be a $5000 Bell & Ross or the like), a bottle of single malt whiskey, things like that. They all get better with age and are things that right now might not seem like a great gift but your son is making the transition to a young man and eventually he will treasure a gift like that. Just my 2 cents (and my exeperience as my father gave me a nice watch when I commissioned). Good luck with your search and congratulations.
In keeping with the manly theme a solid folder may be cool, certainly much more useful than a seldom carried fixed. I have a much traveled Strider folder issued… but those cost about the same as a pistol. Saw a solid looking ZeroTolerance 0302 other day, if I was paying for it i’d get one, around two bills.
Maybe you could have the EGA laser engraved on one side & name
When my brother came home from Iraq (2/2 Warlords USMC) I got him a brand new Springfield Amory Loaded 1911. I realize I should have gotten him a Glock but it is what it is. He wont part with it for anything and makes me proud to have been able to give my biggest hero something, anything. God bless you and your son, sir.
Thank you, Ryan.
What about the Traser watch for the cool factor and a G-shock for actual work?
Congrats to your son Bill.
As far as a gift, a practical durable watch would be more functional than a watch with bling, than will come later down the road. Several pairs of coyote tan mechanics gloves will serve him well and so will a BFG Vickers two point padded sling.
What about a Colt WW I Reproduction or high end 1911 with some sort of USMC emblem on some custom grips that can be passed on down the line.
http://www.topgunsupply.com/colt-wwi-reproduction-45acp-blue.html
Roger, clarifying . . .
To you is this a functional watch or a bling watch?
I have not served in the military. So this may be off. But how much time will he have off before reporting for the next phase of training? (any?) If he has a few days off, how about a nice family trip?
We’re got this covered. He has ten days leave before SOI and MOS school, and we’re taking him up to Los Angeles to see the sights.
It’s functional but some, as stated, have had problems with that type.
I was just playing with my watch collection a Rolex Sub, Citizen AT4 (pilot watch), Suunto Core and Casio Pathfinder. I was wondering if I was going to down range for a year or more, I’d take the Pathfinder.
Solar powered (don’t need batteries), atomic self time sync in Asia, the US and Europe, 24 hr world time settings, digital compass, good to 10ATM (1 atm =33feet, 330feet or roughly 100 meters), etc…
http://www.tatedefence.com/servlet/the-2074/NEW-CASIO-PATHFINDER-WATCH/Detail
more details on the watch here:http://www.casio.com/products/archive/Timepiece/Pathfinder/PAW1200-8V/