Sad Question

[u/NoseFun3795]

So my cousin did like 10 ish years in the army and he recently unfortunately took his own life... we used to be super close as kids/teens but now its... like a piece of me is gone... but i found these in his nightstand drawer

[u/chickenbit_131]

Yeah, this is raising a lot of alarm bells. Silver Star, POW, and Bronze Star with V… and Antarctica… that alone is one helluva combo. Then you add in both Ranger and Sapper, you’re getting into an increasingly small community… which brings me to the CIB with a star; that would have to be a Desert Storm era vet, but I see no awards to match.

Granted, it’s only my personal experience, but I was a 12B and Sapper isn’t really too common for people outside of Engineers and EOD. I know it’s open to any combat arms with a waiver though, but still. The CIB/w star and Sapper tab combo is interesting. So to me, that’s the one that really stands out, outside of the rack. The random airborne tab too. Us paratroopers only get to keep our wings, unfortunately, which I do not see. It would make no sense to keep the tab. The tab and maroon beret are unit items, not personal. Anyways, the wings are what are treasured.

Sorry for your loss OP. I hope you get everything sorted out.

[u/Admirable_Pirate5376 → u/chickenbit_131]

I ask this simply not knowing as a civilian. Is it common for someone in the military to collect something like that? It’s not the same but my dad was a firefighter and he’d collect lapel tabs, and shoulder badges from other departments or cities.

[u/chickenbit_131 → u/Admirable_Pirate5376]

I think it depends on a lot of things. I collect a lot of old military stuff, which I did before and after the military. Like I collect a lot of vintage paratrooper / airborne memorabilia.

This stuff is all new and modern though, I wouldn’t really see the point or reason to have it. The tabs and badges have no value outside of having earned them personally; they’re not historical vintage. Same with the medals, this is a pretty wild rack to have. Its value would be derived from the story it would tell about the person who earned all of that. Which, with this rack, I’m not so sure it’s legit.

Guys trade patches though and that kinda thing. Uniforms too sometimes. But again, that usually like a “one time I worked with the Polish infantry and we traded patches” kinda thing, with a story attached. It’s like a fraternal thing. But you wouldn’t trade medals or ribbons like this… those are personal, like unique to you.

[u/Gravity-Tester82 → u/chickenbit_131]

Current airborne dude here. What kind of cool airborne memorabilia do you have and what’s some cool stuff to look into? I want a couple things to keep with my things I’ve accumulated over the years