5 Unique Ways to Show Military Pride
First published on October 1, 2018
There are more creative ways to celebrate your military pride than camo attire and combat boots, though those cargo pants are awesome. In some cases you can also support Veteran owned businesses at the same time. Below are five ways to do both.
Pocket Square Heroes Pocket Square
People don’t talk about pocket squares often. But a Pocket Square Heroes pocket square representing a chapter of your military service creates a flare. Those who know the award will notice a brother or sister. Those who don’t will be curious. This is the most tasteful way I’ve seen to use color schemes of a military medal. They also have an informative blog discussing the history of military medals.
Tiny Ribbon Rack
Continuing with military awards, there are also tiny ribbon racks, not to be confused with the full-size thin ribbon rack for military dress uniforms. Created as a single piece, you can pin the miniature chest candy to your collar or peacock cap using 2 damnits. For the scale, a tiny rack 3 wide by 4 high is ~2 by 1.4 inches. A tiny rack with your fave three medals may look better.
Combat Flip Flops Gear
Combat Flip Flops was rejected on Shark Tank years ago for “trying to do too much.” They’re still “doing too much” partnerships in combat zones worldwide – and they’re great. Their flip-flops and shemaghs are made in Afghanistan to support Afghan girls’ education. Their footwear are made in Columbia to offset results from war. And their jewelry originates from MAG’s efforts in Loas. Other partnerships are listed on their charities page. I quote Podnutz’s DoortoDoorGeek all the time saying “Vote with your dollar“. With Combat Flip Flops every dollar helps an important cause – helping people recover from war. Oh, and they make great Soundcloud playlists. I’m hoping to release a track that would fit them soon.
Colorful Flip Flops and Shades
Flip Flop N Shades donates a percentage to charities based on the color of the product you purchase. Anything red goes to heart and blood-related issues. Blue is anti-bullying. Green is for the environment. Yellow is for military families. And pink is for breast cancer. Just like in the miliary, the colors symbolize something bigger than one’s self – something that connects us all. It’s a colorful way anyone can support a Veteran owned business and charity at once.
ValorBands Wristbands
I recently found Valorbands on VeteranOwnedBusiness.com. They use donated uniforms and embossed dog tags to create inspiring wristbands with a snap-on button. They also tell a short story of the uniform donor on the website that enhances the wristband’s personality. The product name on the website states the branch and uniform used for each product. You get a discount if you send an uniform piece.
“Vote With Your Dollar”
Care about what you buy. Care about what happens with the money you pay for a product or service. It’s hard but take it one purchase at a time. There are databases like Veteran Owned Business and National Veteran Owned Business Association (NaVOBA) to help you find such initiatives.
Unrelated (and pasted from 6 Upgrades to your Military Uniform), for those that don’t wear a dress uniform anymore but could use help with getting a great suit or interview preparation, SuitingWarriors is worth checking out.
Tags: military
