Gift for an Aspiring Navy Aircrewman?

Insipid Moniker

Insipid Moniker

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Feb 28, 2011
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A good friend of mine just began basic training up at Great Lakes and he's slated to go to Navy Aircrewman training if all goes as planned. I'd like to gift him something useful for his schooling and career afterward, but I'm out of my depth on this one. He's already got a decent multi-tool (SOG Powerplier, I think), some nice folders (CQC-10, Superleaf) and I figured I would get him a fixed blade once he graduates and has some idea what he'll end up doing. With those three things out of the pciture for the moment I'm at a bit of a loss of what to give him. Flashlight? Load bearing equipment? Water wings?

I'm not too worried about budget, and any help would be much appreciated.
 
a good quality single or double cell cr123 LED pocket light would be a nice gift....as well as a good quality LED headlamp
 
When I was in the Marine Corps, I found the most useful blade to be a 4" folder. In addition, I also carried a 7-1/2" bladed Gerber Mark II and a set of brass knuckles.

If I thought there might be trouble, I added a .45 Colt Commander and some friends that did the same, or escalated it up from there.
 
A CRK One Piece knife is a nice option for a fixed blade. I gave my C-130 driver friend a Shadow IV and it served him well. Unfortunately, they seem rather pricey today as collector items since production stopped.
 
he might need smallish flashlight to be always on his pocket. maybe something like the Thrunite Ti or Fenix EO1, or the AA models like Zebralight sc52.
Bigger flashlight would do, but i think everyone needs small flash light carried everywhere.

as for the fixed blade... i am not a military guy but all i know is small fixed blade like Izula or ESEE-3 is more utilitarian and easily carried. my personal favourite would be the Spyderco Mule Team in Elmax...
 
What is he going to A school for? There's several different ratings in Naval Aviation. Did he get a guaranteed rate? Been there, done that. I would suggest a decent watch. I actually had a very nice divers watch that may or may not be in the Gulf of Mexico still. Lucky for me there was no shiny bits to it, so I was allowed to wear it. Many envied that watch, should have put a better strap on it. With all that said, what does the list say of approved and needed items? I'd start there. Once he's out of A School - then get him something nice!
 
I used to be a Flight Equipment Technician in the Marine Corps. We worked pretty close with aircrew. I would say a really high quality backpack. Something that can take a beating. They have to carry all kinds of random stuff. He'll have a folder in his flight vest. Ours were Spyderco Enduras. The h1 variant.
 
I was in the navy as an electrician. If you want him to carry it on duty, best i can recall is sub 3 inch blade was max allowed but that is somewhat dependant on what command he goes to.

If he is assigned to a ship a flashlight is indespensable as during GQ exercises the ships lighting is turned off and emergency low level lights automatically turn on. Not all of them always come on or have a weak battery and you have a dim to pitch black room. For a flashlight I would say to not get a cr123 powered light as fresh batteries will likely be unavailable during a 6 month deployment unless he has a good stash of spares, AA lights he can buy batteries world wide. Buy a flashlight that can take 1 or 2 cells with a body change like the 47s lights so he can pocket carry it as a single cell or 2 cell if he knows he will need it to run bright for many hours. Actually 47s quark lights(if they still call them that) can run on about any battery size cr2, aa, 2aa, 18650, cr123, alkaline nimh or lithium ion with a simple change in the tube body.
 
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I second the LED headlight recommendation. Any decent outdoors store should have a nice one. I especially like having a red light option on one of those as your night vision is less impacted.
 
I'll add to the chorus of recommendations for a good flashlight. Crawling around a ship or an aircraft, there are sure to be plenty of times when a light source would be handy. A good, water-resistant, non-shiny wristwatch (I'm partial to my G-Shock) would be wearable with NWUs, and could potentially save him an ass-chewing for being late. A good, tough pen would also be used multiple times in every watch.
 
Flashlight w/a red filter would be great, as would a nice watch with a good water seal.
 
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