The Air Force two Marine helicopter stopped at a hanger I was working in at Wright Patterson. I bought a Red Marine ball cap off it’s Marine guards. They had all kinds of stuff for sale. I gave it to a friend whose dad had been a senior drill instructor. It looked good on him.
The G-Shock watch was a great suggestion. The one I had also had sunrise/sunset times and air temperature on it, was useful for this old hunter.
Your roommate’s son?
http://www.foxsox.com/Catalog/search.aspx?type=category&code=MILI
We gave our Marine a fine watch. He also received a professional-type pair of Oakleys and a beautiful knife. The boys generally like to get iTunes gift cards or games. They do not generally love the “moto” Marine clothes and gear; those things will make everybody laugh at them, since they’re really intended for the mommies and daddies.
Tell him “Rah!” from our family.
Don’t know your price range but a fairly good pair of compact binoculars would be nice. If a jeweler could engrave his name it would be a plus.
When I was in (long time ago) we were allowed personal weapons, don’t know if that is still true.
If so; a good 9mm or 45 cal. engraved with his name, branch of service, and service number.
If they frown on personal weapons now (likely); get him a good folding Buck Knife, also engraved as above.
Not just a good weapon, but also a good, useful all around tool.
A couple of 24-packs of premium Gillette razor blades. Razor blades are expensive.
If he doesn’t have a decent watch, I’d buy him a rugged watch. Casio G-Shock around $100 is plenty.
I’d also just give him cash in the form of a pre-paid gift card.
Give that outstanding young man a box of Nubs.
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If you do this, just be sure to wait until after he graduates to give them to him.
My cousin also told me that when he was at Parris Island, some guy's girlfriend sent him some cigars,
and the DI made that recruit eat the cigars while drinking a canteen full of hot water.
Of, by, and for Marines. Profits go to support Marine programs.
That said, all Marines go through the School of Infantry short course, and then on to their career training. If they’re going to be a full time combat person, they go on to more combat training. Graduating SOI isn’t as big a deal as boot camp.
He will go straight from SOI to Marine Occupational Specialty school. After MOS he will get a break and then go to whatever base he’s assigned to.
Marines have to pay for their own uniforms; it comes out of their boot camp pay. They are expensive! And they need replacing. https://www.marineshop.net/ has uniforms, so a gift card will go to good use. My son got a nicer dress hat, called a cover, for wearing to the Birthday Ball. The Birthday Ball is a Really Big Deal to Marines.
So that’s my input. See tag line.
What branch of the service does he identify with?
Ooo rah!
USMC Kabar knife.
I got a pair of Gortex socks and life got good. If they got wet inside, I just took them off and wiped them down and put them back on. Well worth the $30 dollars I spent. The GORTEX boots- they were retired.
Easy.
Ka-Bar knife. One of the classic ones with the stacked leather handle. Not the plastic version available these days.
I was gifted a Ka-Bar when I was a young lieutenant. It went with me on every deployment and still serving in my retired years.
And I’m an Army guy. Those Marines have a good knife.
I’ll caveat this and say the Ka-Bar is a good utility and fighting knife. The best all-around survival knife is probably the USAF pilot knife. Both made by Camillus if I remember right.
FReegards!