Challenge Coins

[rocketboy]

I just got my first challenge coin. Does anyone else have any? If so what kind?

 

[BourbonFromHeaven]

I just got my first challenge coin. Does anyone else have any? If so what kind?

I got around 8 or 9. I was only coined once, and that was at the 82nd Airborne Convention couple months ago.

 

[Deacon]

I just got my first challenge coin. Does anyone else have any? If so what kind?

How did you get one? Those are usually only given to people who have served and are able to buy a round or two...of beer.

 

[daveleau]

Tried and true tradition.

I've paid many of times at the movies on deployment because I'd habitually forget my coin. My wife designed our deployed coin in 2004. Here it is:

 

[rocketboy]

How did you get one? Those are usually only given to people who have served and are able to buy a round or two...of beer.

Im in the Civil Air Patrol, its an auxillary of the AirForce. i got mine one day at an airshow. its not a big deal in CAP, but alot of people have them.

 

[Crusader05]

The tradition of challenge coins (according to R. Lee Ermy's Mail Call show) dates back to the 19th century when enlistedmen rarely recieved medals. The head NCO would reward his men for a good job by giving them the medal without the ribbon section. Thus the tradition of giving out unit coins as a rewrad for a job well done began.

Today coins are given out for membership in a unit, participating in an operation, or as a reward. Many commanders and high ranking NCO's will have their own coins made an give them out as a reward.

I have a coin from my ROTC detachment, from Operation Iraqi Freedom, one from Field Training and an Airman's coin. I was coined last month and had to buy a pitcher of beer! Great tradition that we need to keep alive.

 

[pinqy]

Coins...Let's see if I remember them all.

4th Squadron 11th ACR
11th ACR Regimental coin
104th MI Battalion coin (4ID)
3rd Squadron 3rd ACR
Army Chief of Staff (GEN Shinseki)
Army Chief of Staff (GEN Schoomaker)
Deputy Chief of Staff, Intel (G2) (LTG Noonan)
Deputy Chief of Staff, Intel (G2) (LTG Alexander)
Deputy Chief of Staff, OPS (G3) (GEN Cody)
Sec Army (White)
742nd MI Battalion
704th MI Brigade

hmmm I'm forgetting one or two. I don't expect any more so I'm content.

 

[BruceP]

"Coining" is a very fun tradition... but it really seems to have been of more recent times... I don't remember challenge coins being around until the late 1980's... and by the mid-1990's the fun was everywhere...

I've been retired now since 2003 and I STILL carry my coin... just in case... or perhaps praying for an opportunity to "drop" one and start something with an old friend or three!

The fun has even involved the most drastic attempts to catch someone totally unprepared... even to the extent of dropping one in the base gym shower... the real sport in coining is to catch someone empty-handed who ALWAYS seems to have it with them...

I personally have nearly a hundred of them... from hither-and-yon... additionally the coining craze has also spawned some folks to convert their carpentry talents from hobby to small business (and perhaps big-business in some extreme cases) as they received requests to build ever bigger coin display stands and cases for close friends, and friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends... ok just say it... complete strangers!

The usual goal seems to be to collect coins from the highest ranking people possible... Flag Officers (Generals and Admirals) kind of have a target on their chest for coins... usually these encounters involved trading one of your coins for one of theirs... the Flag Officers collections really must be huge!

Coin! Here's mine! Are you buying today!

 

[BourbonFromHeaven]

What coins do you guys actually carry? I am considering bringing my Purple Heart coin or my OIF one, but, they are so darn big and well...tacky.

 

[Billnew]

What coins do you guys actually carry? I am considering bringing my Purple Heart coin or my OIF one, but, they are so darn big and well...tacky.

cool.

Well I guess I buy if I ever meet up with my fellow airmen.
38th TMS had something like this, and GLCM training did too(I went directly into Glcm and didn't get the training.

BUT!!!!!
How many Enlisted Airmen could by the ENTIRE WING a drink.
(ok, it was the 38Th TMW Admin group, and it was 12 people)

 

[Crusader05]

cool.

Well I guess I buy if I ever meet up with my fellow airmen.
38th TMS had something like this, and GLCM training did too(I went directly into Glcm and didn't get the training.

BUT!!!!!
How many Enlisted Airmen could by the ENTIRE WING a drink.
(ok, it was the 38Th TMW Admin group, and it was 12 people)

I was coined at the club a while back and I just bought the table a pitcher of beer. I'm an LT so I can certainly afford it, but I dont know of anyone who would make an airman send all his money on drinks. Now, if a I see an officer put his wallet on the bar or commit some other faux pas I wont hestitate to bring the bell on him!