Long story short, my father "got suckered" into  being a VFD at a small department in 2000. He turns 71 this month, so got in late but always has passed the physicals. All the VFDs are also First Responders and he is Level 2 or whatever you call it, just shy of an EMT.

Then he was asked around 2002 to be a reserve Marshall. Did all the training and at different times has served as a volunteer marshall and was head of the reserve program for the county sheriff dept for 16 years (Lt) under two sheriffs. Now he's on the county's merit board, so that keeps him busy. Still is a volunteer with the town and stays current on firearms qualifications, training, patrol hours, physicals, etc...

Indiana has a law that allows you to be a paid officer for a year before going to the academy and in 2003 the town was short of marshalls so he filled in a lot of shifts until the chief returned from Iraq. Never made sense for him at his age earning 100k in rural Indiana to go to the academy, so he's stayed on as a reserve.

My question is what as a son can our family do to show our appreciation? He continues to do things like cover Christmas and New year's shifts so officers can be with their families. Sorry for the length, I meant to keep it brief.

As a son, tell him thanks over a dinner and beverage he prefers at a location he can be himself.

Let the community he serves know loudly & publicly what a servant they have and role model they have in their midst.

And tell your Pop thanks from another old fart working my county’s SO.

Dinners are far and few. I'm living and working in Erbil, Iraq (not mil or gov). He was recognized by the Optimists for his community work last year... I'm thinking a nice COACH or other high-end leather wallet with badge holder. I believe he'll get to keep it after retirement.

Eta: Perhaps a quality folding knife with some seals and his name engraved or etched. Who does that in the $250 Range? N

Brian Hoffner did some custom engraving on one of his folding knives for my dad's 30th anniversary at the SO.  Brian was using a new engraver and tossed in the engraving for free so I lucked out. His knives aren't expensive, just good duty blades.

http://www.hoffners.com/33-knives