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A couple weeks ago, I saw a suggestion about challange coin as a graduation gift and secret hand shake. I think it was posted by someone named craig. I can mo longer find where I saw this. Can anyone help me?

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Ronda
You probably saw it on the PIR Group that is sponsored by NavyDEP.com over on Facebook. He is what it said:
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Hi all,

Some of you have messaged me on wondering if it's proper for a parent to give their sailor a challenge coin...    Here are my thoughts as a sailor....

To me, boot camp is a major accomplishment. In 8 short weeks, the Navy will return to you a mature and capable young man or woman that will have the foundation to be a leader. They will have the ability and knowledge to be a successful person in life. This is an honor for me, as a parent, to see my sailor's life change. You too, will soon realize that for 18 years or so you have been the "referee" in your sailor's life. You were the rule setter and the penalty enforcer. But as your sailor's life changes, so will yours. You will now become the "cheerleader" for them. You will watch and cheer as they work their way through the advancement system, the qualification standards, and simple things like just folding their towels correctly. You will stand and scream at the PIR as their division enters, and you will stand and cheer as their ship enters San Diego or Norfolk after a deployment. I have decided it is far more important for me to be a cheerleader than a referee. I don't waste my time on the sadness, I focus my feelings on the positive things that will help my sailor. When I show my sailor that I am proud of him, it goes a lot further than an award that the command "might" officially recognize him with. I am his "cheerleader".

Many people will say "but they didn't officially earn the challenge coin". Let me tell you, no coin is officially documented on a sailor's page 4 entry in their service record. It's only the sailor that will remember when, where, and the reason for what the coin was given. If you did receive a coin from a command and you happen to lose it, the only way besides begging the command to give you another (which they rarely do) is to buy it. So does that cancel out the spirit of the reason you receive the coin? No. You received it for something you accomplished. Whenever my sailor pulls that coin out, he immediately remembers how proud I am of him. It's ever lasting.

Tradition in the Navy must continue.  Some will say it's only proper for the Commander or a military member to pass the coin, this is wrong.  It is proper for the family member to pass the coin to their freshly minted sailor.  It is your day with your sailor. This is your time to show that you have learned the Navy as well as your sailor. The proper way is to greet your sailor with your hugs and kisses, then while everything starts to wind down and while still in the graduation hall, you will tell them to stand there because you want to make it official for them being a sailor. Then you will do the "secret hand shake" passing the coin (here is how to do the secret hand shake).

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/28663038#28663038

or, present it to them in the presentation box.  Both the coin and presentation box can be purchased at www.PIRGifts.com.  

This is the family’s big day, live it to its fullest!!!!!

Your sailor will always remember this day.  They will always remember when they were "coined", they will always reflect back when they got coined at future coining, and that you were the 1st to coin them, and they will always wonder how you knew how to officially present the coin to them.  It's very enjoyable.....


Now let me ask, after PIR you go into the Navy Exchange and buy the mementos from boot camp that your sailor wants. You might buy a Navy Boot Camp water bottle, maybe a glass, patch, or hat that has "Great Lakes Navy Boot Camp" on it, or maybe even a t-shirt. But what item do you think will stand the test of time? It will be the challenge coin that your sailor's grandson or granddaughter will hold up and say "What is this? What does it mean? How did you get it?" That is when the grandfather or grandmother (your sailor) will get a warm smile on their face and will proudly tell them about what it was like to be a sailor.

Just my thoughts....

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