Gift Guide for Deployed Service Members

Oh, this lucky #7 gift guide was so surprisingly fun to put together! I was inspired to put this together by a reader who requested something like this months ago, and I agreed with her that settling on what to send service members while they’re deployed can be a tough one! Not only do they have limited space to store their personal items, but whatever they receive they either have to find a way to bring back or they’ll have to leave overseas for another soldier to have and use.

My husband has spent a ton of time overseas, so with his help, we put this guide together! Though every service member’s interests are unique, these broad ideas will hopefully get you on the right track if you’re currently putting together a holiday package.

PS: All of the following items are purposefully from Amazon because most (maybe all) will ship to APO addresses. Don’t delay in purchasing and shipping though. Holiday packages need to be sent pronto if you’d like them to make it in time.

Note: I’m going to be using a generalized male pronoun throughout this post so that I can avoid using he/she him/her etc. constantly in every single sentence for an unnecessarily wordy read. Obviously there are a zillion incredible female troops stationed overseas (we have several close female soldier friends) that this post is absolutely intended for as well! <3

Gift Ideas for Deployed Service Members

Leather Pencil Cup ($20.99), because he’ll not only use this to finally organize his desk, but he’ll also smile every time he sees this reminder of his family back at home. It’s attractive, professional, and can be opened or closed. Here’s another style that’s a bit cheaper ($11.99).

Motivational 2018 Desk Calendar ($9+), because deployed troops can never have too much encouragement or too many reminders to keep pressing on toward their goals. Also, this one would make anybody laugh. I love it!

Sriracha Hot Sauce Packets ($11.99+), because the food is often less than desirable overseas, so if he’s missing having the ability to add a kick and a bit of flavor to his meals, send that kick his way. 😉 Instead of the packets, you could also consider gifting this gift set with keychains so that he’ll never be without Sriracha. He’ll laugh at you and love you all at the same time. 😉

Snack Variety Pack ($20+), because VARIETY. He won’t know what to dig into first!

Nalgene 32oz. Water Bottle ($10.79), because on a personal note, my soldier is absolutely obsessed with these water bottles. They’re all he carries, so maybe your soldier would like one as well?! 🙂

Bluetooth Headphones ($29.97), because there are two things service members do frequently during their occasional downtime: go to the gym or watch movies on their computer. These bluetooth headphones can be used for both. He’ll appreciate these big time!

Military-grade Shockproof/Waterproof External Hard Drive ($58.99), because he either hasn’t realized he needs one of these or because the one he has is a little old and finicky, and he could use a new one. When you’re talking about a device that holds as much as an external does, you don’t want to buy the cheapest one!

Hungry Man’s Snack Bundle w/ Beef Jerky ($38.95), because this is another snack option that he’ll go crazy over (who wouldn’t?)

Protein Bars (varies), because his schedule is so inconsistent and he often misses meals at the DFAC, so being able to grab a quick protein bar before jetting into a meeting would be a game changer!

Knock Knock Inconsequential Dilemmas Book ($13.83), because he’s frequently hanging around with his friends shooting the breeze, and this would be a hilarious book to kill time with. Who would choose what dilemma?!

Power Bank ($25.99), because who couldn’t use one of these? Service members are constantly in and out running around 24/7, so having one of these on hand would be extremely handy.

American Flag PopSocket ($9.99), because these are quickly becoming all the rage, and this American flag print is great!

Home State Apparel ($16+), because a Home State tee might be just what he needs to remember his roots and the load of people back at home who love him.

Mesh Squishy Ball Pack of 12 ($12.22), because he could share this pack with all of his friends, which could be used as stress balls or just as something “dumb” to play with. They’re super popular right now!

American Flag Adult Onesie Pajamas ($39.99), because LOL. But seriously… someone please buy this for your loved one. 😉

Kindle Paperwhite E-Reader ($119.99), because rest is so important, and e-readers make it so easy to lose yourself in new books at the touch of button. This e-reader is mega popular across the board with outstanding reviews.

Fleece Sheet Set – Twin ($39.99), because he’s likely sleeping on a cot or in a tent on a mattress an inch or two thick, so gift him something he’d never ask for but will absolutely love you for: fleece sheets. It’s possibly getting quite cold wherever he is deployed to, so these sheets will be such a well-deserved treat at the end of his day.

**** New gift guides are published each weekday between November 7th -22nd! To catch up on previous guides, click here.