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Military Shadow Box
Military Shadow Boxes are enclosed cases which are typically presented to members of the military on retirement, during a retirement ceremony.
Although they are not "mandatory" to give one, typically a person of the same rank will have one built.
When someone retires from the military, they are usually given a Sponsor, and that sponsor will help design the shadow box with all the appropriate medals and duty stations
The Military Shadow Bos should contain the medals, awards, Military Insignia, Ranks, and duty stations. Also a U.S. Flag is put at the top of the shadow box, folded in a triangle form, with just the stars showing.
This is not just an ordinary flag purchased in some store, but it is a flag that flew over the congress building, and each day taken down and saved for a retiree from the armed services.
Military Shadow Box really make great gifts too.
The flag will be presented in the shadow box and also let the retiree knows which date the flag flew over congress.
Prices of military shadow box for retirement typically cost around $100 to $200 dollars, and this should be purchased by the "mess" depending on the rank. Example is if you retired a Cheif Petty Officer in the Navy, the Cheifs mess would pay for it, or a First Class, the First Class Mess would pay for it. This goes for all DOD branches as well. If there is no 'mess' per say, the workers of the retiree usually chip in and purchase the shadow box and have it made.
In the United States, there are some companies that do specialize in the construction, sale and total deisgn of shadow boxes.
Some of the groups that use shadow boxes are as follows:
- The United States Navy
- Army
- Air Force
- Marine Corps
- Coast Guard
- The Pentagon
- Defense Intelligence Agency
- Firefighters
- Police Officers
- Army National Guard
- Merchant Marine
- Army Security Agency
- Naval Intelligence
- Joint Special Operations
- Army Special Forces
- United States Joint Forces Command
- Active Duty Soldiers in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom
- Veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq
- USDA Forest Service
- USDA Risk Management Agency
- Federal, State & local governments
- City governments
- Eagle Scouts & Boy Scouts of America
As you can see, most of these are "sworn in" duties with some exceptions.
Shadow boxes tell the tale of the person, in a neat and respectfull manner, and make a great reminder to the person of the service they performed.
One of the best gifts you can give to a retired Veteran is a Military Shadow Box.