You love your boyfriend, and you’re proud of his military career and the sacrifices he’s made. A simple gift may not feel like it can appropriately express just how much you care for him and how much you want to honor his service. This list has you covered!
Not only are the gifts here suitable for every budget, but each gift comes from a company either founded by a veteran or by those who donate heavily to veteran-friendly charities. You can feel good giving anything from this list to your military boyfriend knowing that you not only gave something to him but that you also gave to his entire veteran community as well.
Veteran-Friendly Gifts for a Military Boyfriend
Grunt Style Zip-Up Camo Hoodie
Finding a good hoodie is like striking gold – and this is a GREAT hoodie! Running from size small to XXL, it features a cool camo print, the image of the American flag running down the back, and the Grunt Style logo on the chest. Grunt Style is a popular clothing brand created by former Army Drill Sergeant Daniel Alarik. The motto for his company is: “You don’t have to be a veteran to wear Grunt Style, but you do have to love freedom, bacon, and whiskey.” It’s a company with a sarcastic, witty heart that also employs over 400 veterans. This will be an article of clothing your military boyfriend can wear with pride.
Men’s Toiletry Bag Leather and Canvas Travel
Every man needs a good toiletry bag to carry his personal grooming items – especially a man in the military who is always on the go. The bags are lined in a water-resistant fabric and are the perfect size to fit shampoo bottles, shaving cream, an electric razor, etc.
The General’s Hot Sauce
If your boyfriend is a hot sauce friend, he absolutely needs these bottles of The General’s Hot Sauce. They’re shaped like grenades so you know they’re going to be serious business! Each bottle contains over four times the average amount of actual pepper material, and it doesn’t rely on the overuse of vinegar for flavor. These are the real deal, in more ways than one – veterans are close to this company’s heart, and they give generously to SEVEN different charities that help veterans and their families, such as the TD Foundation which gives aid to the children of fallen or wounded soldiers.
Doc Spartan Combat Ready Ointment
You always want to be there to help the man you love, but making sure he’s equipped to care for himself is a great gift to give. Doc Spartan Combat Ready Ointment is just that gift – the items in this kit are easy to use and perfectly portable, good for taking to the gym, on hikes, for use during training, or even if deployed. It contains coconut oil to moisturize, vitamin E to heal, and beeswax to prevent infection. He can use it on burns, cuts, scrapes, rashes, or even just for regular daily skin upkeep. This is a veteran-owned company that gives a portion of its profits to Team Some Assembly Required, a sporting group of adaptive veteran athletes.
Rumi Spice – Saffron Spice Blends Gift Box
Rumi Spice is a company created by American veterans who served overseas in Afghanistan and fell in love with the country. They wanted to help the people there in a way that did not involve combat, and so they employed over 1900 women in Herat, Afghanistan to farm and harvest Afghan saffron, the most expensive spice in the world. This amazing gift kit contains a Paella Spice Blend, Afghan Curry Braise, Kabul Piquant Chicken Blend, and Traditional Mulling Spice Blend. This is a fascinating, thoughtful gift if your boyfriend is a foodie, enjoys cooking, or has a charitable personality and would appreciate the backstory of this precious spice.
TRX GO Suspension Training System
If your military boyfriend likes to be physically active or wants to be MORE physically active, this suspension training system would make a very helpful gift! He can simply attach the anchors to any secure, stationary object like a metal railing, a tree, a street lamp, etc., and use his own body weight to build muscle and burn fat. The TRX GO system was developed within the US Military and is also used by professional sports teams and athletes. This beginner-level kit comes with workout guides, motivational posters, and a mesh carrying case so he can take his workout on the road – there’s also a TRX app with more exercises included!
World’s Okayest Exerciser T-Shirt
Whether your boyfriend loves to work out or sometimes needs some extra motivation to get moving, this shirt is a cute reminder that you’re rooting for him all the way. It’s designed by Tango Charlie Apparel, a veteran-created company dedicated to crafting quality, comfy gear for the gym, the couch, or really anywhere. Put a smile on your man’s face and support great company by gifting this super-soft tee with just the right about of stretch to complement any activity. This will be his new favorite shirt for sure!
Disgruntled Decks
Cards Against Humanity is great and all, but Disgruntled Decks is a card game made by people in the military, with help and input from people in the military, for people in the military to play! This game is full of in-jokes and raw humor that only those who’ve experienced military life will truly understand. And there are Disgruntled Decks for multiple branches – Army, Navy, Coast Guard, with Air Force coming soon. Give your boyfriend a well-needed laugh and an opportunity to grow closer to those he serves by gifting him this hilarious game.
Sperry Boat Shoes
Sperry shoes are a classic recreational look, perfect for the deck of a sailboat or just grilling in the backyard. Your boyfriend can dress them up or down, and they come in tons of colors and styles. Their inventor, Paul A. Sperry, was the grandson of a Civil War veteran from Connecticut, and he was an accomplished sailor and even joined the naval reserve himself. His non-slip boat shoes became so popular that the navy had him manufacture shoes for the United States Naval Academy during WWII – even a young President Kennedy wore Sperry shoes in the South Pacific, so your military boyfriend will be in good company when he wears the pair you get for him!
Rollors Outdoor Game
Designed by a US veteran who served overseas, Rollors is an all-ages game that combines the principles of bowling, bocce ball and horseshoes into a fun new lawn game that anyone can play. Your boyfriend can play with his friends on the base, at the park, in someone’s backyard – anywhere with 25 feet of flat ground. There are even expansion packs to the original game to keep it interesting. So the next time you two have friends over and the weather is nice, bust out Rollors and prepare to have a great time!
Bottle Breacher .50 Caliber Bottle Opener
Let your military man drink in style! Bottle Breachers are authentic recycled .50 caliber bullets transformed into the ultimate bottle opener. The company was created by Eli Crane, an active-duty Navy SEAL, who wanted to make something to help him give back to the veteran community. Bottle Breachers employ veterans and donate portions of the profits to charities like Wishes for Warriors and the Eagle Fund. These cool bottle openers come in several different colors and their easy-to-use patented design guarantees that your boyfriend will be able to love his new Bottle Breacher for many, many years without it warping or breaking over time.
Black Rifle Coffee
Start your boyfriend’s day off right with a mug of this delicious brew from Black Rifle Coffee. Veteran owner Evan Hafer perfected his roasting talents between his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and after ten years of testing and development, he unleashed Black Rifle Coffee on the world. The company is not only run by a veteran, but it’s also entirely staffed by veterans as well. Locally sourced from select farms in Brazil, the beans are then blended and roasted in the USA by this elite team for that truly special tastes-like-freedom flavor.
One Dozen Beef Jerky Flowers
Men can receive and appreciate flowers (it’s 2023, after all!) but give your man a bouquet of delicious beef jerky and he won’t ever forget it! This is a fun tongue-in-cheek gift perfect for a rugged dude with a good sense of humor and a hearty appetite. And get this – the “vase” these flowers arrive in is also a pint glass for his favorite beer. Two gifts in one! These beef jerky flowers come from The Manly Man Company, a veteran-owned business created by Sergeant Greg Murray. They say the easiest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so get him this bouquet and tell him to eat up!
KOTA Longboard
This would make such an eye-popping, unique gift, though it may prove difficult to wrap! KOTA Longboards are named for the Knights of the Air, French fighter pilots who fought in WWI, and many of KOTA’s designs are based on paintings on the sides of old warplanes. The owners and most of the employees are veterans who served in Iraq and Somalia, and the company gives back through charities like The Wounded Warrior Project. They even have their own group called Carve It For Life! – a longboarding program to help veterans, first responders, and their families deal with post-traumatic stress disorder. Your boyfriend might not longboard now, but he’ll certainly want to start getting into it! Who could resist trying out such a cool, meaningful gift?
Hydrating Face and Beard Moisturizer
This nourishing moisturizer from veteran-owned company Stubble & ‘Stache is great for all faces and skin types. So whether your military boyfriend likes to be clean-cut, is currently growing in some stubble, or already has a full-grown magnificent beard, this cream is exactly what he needs. It contains healing aloe, jojoba oil, chamomile, and soy protein to firm and soothes his skin. Consider it a gift for yourself as well – his face will be touchably smooth and soft! Maybe get a few bottles so he never runs out!
Mitscoots Men’s Winter Socks
I agree that hosiery as presents have a poor reputation. But we defy any man to not be grateful for these wooly, warm socks, particularly after learning that his purchase resulted in the donation of a similar pair to someone experiencing homelessness. Mitscoots is a veteran-owned business in Austin, TX (where the author of this piece resides!) with the motto “Get + Give + Employ,” which means that for every pair of socks bought, another pair is given to those in need, and that the company also employs many individuals experiencing homelessness who are making a transition. These are the most comforting slippers ever!
Last update on 2023-01-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API