Description
A desk award for any rank, in any branch
When a leader moves on, the unit wants to give something better than a certificate in a frame. This award started as a gift for a departing First Sergeant. It has grown into a design we build for any rank in any branch, from a sergeant’s chevrons to a captain’s bars to a colonel’s eagle.
The insignia is the centerpiece. Enlisted chevrons and rockers are cut as a set of nested pieces, so each one sits inside the next and steps up toward the center. Officer and warrant officer insignia are cut from one thick piece of oak with beveled edges, so the bars, leaves, or eagle catch the light from every side. Either way, the insignia stands upright in a slot in a solid oak base.
The face of the base carries the engraving: the recipient’s rank and name, a line of recognition, and the duty title or unit. You can add a unit crest or branch emblem, a closing motto, and a colored epoxy inlay.
Make it yours
- Branch and rank: choose the branch and pay grade, and we carve that insignia, for example 1SG (Army), GySgt (Marine Corps), Chief Petty Officer (Navy or Coast Guard), MSgt (Air Force or Space Force), CW3, CPT, or LCDR.
- Name: as it should read on the base, with rank. Initials or a monogram work too.
- Message: a line of recognition up to about 120 characters.
- Duty title or unit, and dates: the position or unit you are honoring, and years of service or time in the position.
- Emblems: up to two, such as a branch seal and a unit crest. Send the artwork or tell us the unit.
- Gold or silver: we can paint the insignia to match the uniform, or leave it natural oak.
- Epoxy inlay: a groove carved into the front of the base and filled with colored epoxy, such as black, gold, silver, or a branch or unit color.
- Wood: white or red oak is standard. Other hardwoods are available when we have them in the shop.
How to order
Choose the size, branch, and rank, then fill in the name and message for the base and pick the color, inlay, and wood. If you want emblems, tell us which ones, and you can email the artwork after you order. After you order, we email you a digital proof of the insignia, layout, and lettering. Nothing is cut until you approve it, and reasonable changes before approval are included.
Materials and construction
Each award starts as a rough block of white or red oak. We mill it flat and square, then cut the outline of the insignia on our CNC machine. For enlisted ranks, the chevrons and rockers are cut as a set of nested layers, each sanded and fitted back into the stack. For officer and warrant officer ranks, the insignia is cut from one thick piece and the edges are beveled. A matching base is cut from the same stock, with a slot that holds the insignia upright.
The engraving goes on with our laser after you approve the proof. If you add an epoxy inlay, we carve the groove on our CNC machine, fill it with colored epoxy, and sand it flush. The whole piece is sanded smooth and finished with Walrus Oil Furniture Butter, an all-natural oil and paste wax finish that brings out the oak’s warm color.
Specifications
- Size: Standard, about 5 in tall x 4 in wide x 5 in deep. Medium, about 8 in tall. Large, up to about 10 x 12 in.
- Wood: white or red oak (other hardwoods when available)
- Branches: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard
- Engraving: laser engraved base with name, message, duty title or unit, dates, and up to two emblems
- Finish: Walrus Oil Furniture Butter (all-natural oil and paste wax)
- Display: free-standing
The story behind this piece
The first one was made for a First Sergeant leaving our training center. We wanted the insignia itself to be the award, not just an image printed on a plaque, so we cut the diamond, chevrons, and rockers as separate pieces that stack into one another. Then we were asked to recognize a captain’s service. Captain’s bars don’t stack like chevrons, so we cut the two bars from thick oak, beveled the edges, and stood them in an engraved base with a black epoxy line across the front. That build is why this award now covers officers as well as enlisted ranks.
Build time and delivery
Every piece is made to order. Once you approve the proof, plan on 5 to 7 days for us to build and finish your award. Shipping time is in addition to the build time. If you have a firm date, such as a retirement, change of command, or promotion ceremony, enter it as your need-by date and we will tell you honestly whether we can meet it.
We ship anywhere in the U.S., and the shipping cost is shown at checkout. To send it as a gift, enter the recipient’s address as the shipping address. Free local delivery is available for orders of $75 or more within 25 miles of Charleston, West Virginia. We are a private shop, so we do not offer pickup or workshop visits.
Care
Dust with a soft, dry cloth and wipe up spills soon after they happen. Keep it out of standing water, away from harsh cleaners, and out of long hours of direct sun. When the surface looks dry, rub in a little furniture oil or wax, let it sit a few minutes, and buff off the extra.
Good to know
- Wood grain, color, and figure vary from board to board, so your award will not match these photos exactly. The photos show awards we made earlier; yours is built new, to your details.
- For unit crests and other protected marks, tell us what you need and send proof of permission when you have it.
- Personalized pieces are built to your details and cannot be returned. If anything arrives damaged, contact us with photos of the piece and packaging and we will make it right.
- West Virginia sales tax applies to orders delivered in West Virginia.
Frequently asked questions
An Army captain and a Navy captain wear different insignia. Which do I get?
The one for the branch you choose. In the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force, a captain (O-3) wears two bars. In the Navy and Coast Guard, a captain (O-6) wears an eagle. Pick the branch and rank on this page and we will carve the right one.
Some ranks share the same shape. How do you tell them apart?
A second and first lieutenant’s bar are the same shape, and so are a major’s and lieutenant colonel’s oak leaf. On a uniform, the difference is gold or silver, and we can paint the insignia to match. The engraving on the base names the rank, too.
Do eagles, stars, or anchors cost more?
No. The price is set by size, not by rank.
Can I order several for a ceremony?
Yes. Tell us how many, the names and ranks, and your ceremony date through our contact form, and we will confirm the timing before you order.