The Continuing Tradition of Military Challenge Coins
In early July, the Secretary of Defense, Leon Penetta, made a surprise visit to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. He spoke directly with a number of the soldiers there, shared their meals in the cafeteria, and continued a tradition that goes back to the First World War. He distributed more than 150 special “Sec Def Challenge Coins” to the soldiers. The month before this, his predecessor, Robert Gates, did the same thing as part of his farewell visit to remote U.S. bases in Afghanistan. The tradition may go back a ways, but it is still as important now as it ever was.
Penetta’s Sec Def Challenge Coins had a simple design that featured a blue flag insignia with the words “Presented by the Secretary of Defense United States of America” inscribed around it. The actual coin is just a simple item, but it is going to carry a lot of value for the recipients.
Where Is The Value In Challenge Coins?
While there are some coins out there made from precious metals and featuring artistic imprints, that’s not usually what makes these coins so important. It isn’t about intrinsic value as much as it is sentimental value. These coins commemorate everything from one’s unit to a special event (like meeting the Secretary of Defense), and every time a challenge is made, you will be reminded of that time when you were part of something bigger.
Do you have a military challenge coin from your collection that you would like to share on the Military Challenge Coin Blog? Take some photos of your coin, write up a simple description, maybe how you came about the challenge coin, and submit it here. If you provide an email address you will be notified when your coin gets featured.
188TH Attack Helicopter Battalion Challenge Coin
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B Co. Sugarbears 1-228th Aviation Military Challenge Coin
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4th BCT (ABN) 25th Infantry Division Military Challenge Coin
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Amazon Challenge Coin
Amazon.com actively recruits Junior Military Officers (JMO) for Operations Management positions. As a former Marine Officer, I was recruited into Amazon a few years ago. Since, Amazon has continued to invest heavily in JMO recruiting, and this coin was created by the JMO recruiting section as a tribute to the veteran Amazon employees. I take great pride in working for a company that recognizes the value of military experience, and works to bring that experience and talent to its workforce.
This coin and post was submitted by one of our readers.
Do you have a military challenge coin from your collection that you would like to share on the Military Challenge Coin Blog? Take some photos of your coin, write up a simple description, maybe how you came about the challenge coin, and submit it here. If you provide an email address you will be notified when your coin gets featured.
Task Force Diamond Head Military Challenge Coin
Task Force Diamond Head was composed of many components, the list follows.
Organic Units:
HHC (Talons)
A Company (Black Jacks) (UH-60's)
B Company (Night Hawks) (UH-60's)
C Company (Long Johns) (UH 60's)(Task Force Pirate)
D Comapnay (Cannibals) (UH-60's)
Attached Units:
68th Med (Dustoff) (UH-60's) Hawaii active army
B CO 193 AVIM (Bounty Hunters) Hawaii NG Intermediate Maintenance
C CO 1-211 (Aces) (Ah-64's)
F CO 131 (Lifters) (CH-47's) ½ company from Alabama and ½ company from Georgia
This website is a bit old but it still has some good info:
http://25thaviation.org/tfdiamondhead/
Do you have a military challenge coin from your collection that you would like to share on the Military Challenge Coin Blog? Take some photos of your coin, write up a simple description, maybe how you came about the challenge coin, and submit it here. If you provide an email address you will be notified when your coin gets featured.
2nd Squadron 107th Calvary Military Challenge Coin
This is an excerpt from Donald J. Clink website about the 107th Unit Crest:
"The unit crest shield is yellow for cavalry. The bend charged with ailerons, from the arms of Lorraine, symbolizes World War I service; it is red to symbolize that the regiment served as field artillery during that period. The Roman sword in sheath is for service in the War with Spain and the cactus signifies Mexican border duty."
You must check out the Donald J. Clink website - it is a very well done site chalked full of 107th Cavalry Regiment pictures, newspaper clippings and history in general.
http://www.donclink.com/107th_Cavalry/index.html
Do you have a military challenge coin from your collection that you would like to share on the Military Challenge Coin Blog? Take some photos of your coin, write up a simple description, maybe how you came about the challenge coin, and submit it here. If you provide an email address you will be notified when your coin gets featured.
Joint Maneuver Training Center Military Challenge Coin
Camp Grayling, located in central northern Michigan, is the largest National Guard joint training center. Year around training is conducted on its 147,000 acres by the National Guard, as well as active and reserve components of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. Units of the Canadian Armed Forces train year round at Camp Grayling along with visiting Armed Forces from Latvia, United Kingdom, Hungary and Serbia. The Northern Michigan Law Enforcement Training Group has over 100 law enforcement agencies that train at Camp Grayling. The training site's unique combination of resources provides for a wide variety of training scenarios.
Check them out on the web:
https://www.mi.ngb.army.mil/Units/JFHQ/JMTC/
Do you have a military challenge coin from your collection that you would like to share on the Military Challenge Coin Blog? Take some photos of your coin, write up a simple description, maybe how you came about the challenge coin, and submit it here. If you provide an email address you will be notified when your coin gets featured.
Pall Aeropower Corporation Military Challenge Coin
Pall Aeropower Corporation makes the Engine Air Particle Separator for the CH-47 Chinook, hence the depiction on the coin. They make lots of other stuff for the military too - mostly filters I believe.
You can check out the aerospace portion of their website.
http://www.pall.com/Aerospace.asp
Do you have a military challenge coin from your collection that you would like to share on the Military Challenge Coin Blog? Take some photos of your coin, write up a simple description, maybe how you came about the challenge coin, and submit it here. If you provide an email address you will be notified when your coin gets featured.
70th Transportation Battalion Military Challenge Coin
This is the 70th Transportation Battalion Commanders Challenge Coin. I could not find much for history on this unit, please post if you have some more info.
Text on front: "70TH TRANS BN (AVIM) / SAFETY SOLDIERING CARING / LIFELINE TO FRONTLINE"
Text on back: "COMMANDER'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE / MANNHIEM"
Do you have a military challenge coin from your collection that you would like to share on the Military Challenge Coin Blog? Take some photos of your coin, write up a simple description, maybe how you came about the challenge coin, and submit it here. If you provide an email address you will be notified when your coin gets featured.