# Gift for Air Force "pinning" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 15, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125 "2005-08-15T18:30:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125/1 "2005-08-15T18:30:59Z")
I need some gift suggestions for an Air Force friend who has been promoted to Colonel. He and his family have been very close friends since I was a child; we’re actually closer to them than any of our extended family. He’s not having a formal ceremony, but we would like to send a gift. We’re not sure what’s really appropriate for this situation though. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125/2 "2005-08-15T18:48:46Z")
One of [THESE](http://www.amishonlinedepot.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2_81&zenid=5c59cf110b0190afb21d8e8f99696d02) [Or THIS](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5986566058&category=2595) [Or THIS](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5986566094&category=2595) Or, better still, [HERE](http://store.yahoo.com/uniquehandmadecreations/modfigair.html). ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125/3 "2005-08-15T18:50:01Z")
OOH! [http://store.yahoo.com/uniquehandmadecreations/wrightflyer.html](http://store.yahoo.com/uniquehandmadecreations/wrightflyer.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125/4 "2005-08-15T18:52:58Z")
Popcorn? ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125/5 "2005-08-15T19:02:31Z")
Get him whatever you’d normally get him as a gift. If you want it to be specific to his military service, go somewhere like [Personal Creations](http://search.personalcreations.com/search.aspx?search_words=military) and get one of their military items personalized. A nice little touch, I’ve found, is to send one of [these](http://www.military.com/ecards/1,14825,promotions,00.html#af_enlist) e-cards (available for all services and ranks). > [@Ethilrist](#): > > Popcorn? That’s actually exactly what I got for my best friend when he made Lt. Colonel – but then, he loves popcorn. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125/6 "2005-08-16T12:32:02Z")
If he has a wife, ask her if the colonel has his **mess dress epaulets** yet. It’s the rank that goes with the very high-end uniform (the formal military tux) and it costs about $65 IIRC. Any friend of yours in the service - including dependents - can pick the shoulder boards up at the Military Clothing Sales office. This assumes that he’s working somewhere where he will have formal dinings-in or dinings-out pretty regularly. Air Force junior captain here - my parents have gotten me epaulets for each of my three pinnings. If that doesn’t work, think about what you’d get a civilian who made partner or VP at work. Golf clothes are okay if you know his size; a good bottle of wine or scotch is a nice gift, especially since colonels usually feel obligated to throw a promotion party once they get to their first command. A nice card with a short personal message will also be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125/7 "2005-08-16T15:41:08Z")
A car. Because obviously, he’s pinning for the Fords. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125/8 "2005-08-16T18:48:52Z")
[Mercurochrome?](http://www.cnn.com/US/9707/11/blood.pinning/) ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125/9 "2005-08-16T18:58:40Z")
An expensive pen? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125/10 "2005-08-16T19:25:48Z")
Stargate SG1 DVD box set? ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125/11 "2005-08-16T22:47:52Z")
Liquor. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2005, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-for-air-force-pinning/317125/12 "2005-08-16T23:17:12Z")
So many replies…thank you all! My mom has enjoyed this thread too (though I did have to explain the Monty Python reference). I think she’s leaning toward liquor as a gift.