Military Challenge Coins and their Uses

There are several units in the military that do not show their special coins to any one out of the military units. The reason is that the Military Challenge Coins are special things that are a part of the uniform of the officers and they have to carry it with them through out their job.

The coin can be challenged by any other officer or senior at any time to make sure that it is with the officers and can be shown at the time of need. Most of the army officers carry their coins in a small pocket in their under clothes or tied in a small pouch or some thing around their neck or wrist.

The Military Challenge Coins have to be preserved in their original condition. The shape of the coins cannot be altered, the coins cannot be even drilled a hole into to pass a thread or ribbon through it as they loose their basic purpose if spoiled.

The coins in the early times and even now were challenged at bars to show, if the challenge could not be accomplished the looser had to buy a round of drinks for all. This was a way to make sure that all the officers carried their coins at all times. The coin check could be carried out at any time and so it was necessary to keep the army challenge coins with the officers so that they could make use of them at any time or unforeseen emergency.

All those people who are given the coins are strictly issued the orders to keep the coins with them at all times. The exact words that were used were to ‘keep the coins at an arms length always.’ The Military Challenge Coins were challenged in two different ways:

i)              the first was the verbal way in which the challenger showed his coin to all announcing that he is challenging all those present there to show their coins.

ii)             The second way is the image way. The image way is that the challenger snaps his coin down on a hard surface in such a manner that everyone present gets to know that he has been challenged to show his coin.

It is important for the officers to show the coin of the exact unit or regiment they belong to as the coin of any other regiment is not of any use to the other officers.

The officers who fail to show their Military Challenge Coins when they are challenged are punished for being so irresponsible. The punishment is that they have to return their coins to their regiment. The officers are given the army challenge coins for their safety and if the officers cannot carry them for any reason, then they do not deserve to be given to them either as the army challenge are actually a thing of much pride for the officers. The punishment of the army challenge coins being taken back is very hard as the officers are ridiculed by the other officers for their act of irresponsibility.