We select recipients based on available funding, materials, and current workload.
A Handcrafted Final “Thank You” for Those Who Served.
The Final Salute Project gifts custom wooden keepsake crates to recently retired U.S. veterans — built by hand, customized with their name, rank, and branch, and given at no cost to them.
Powered in partnership with Freedom Crate Co.
What Is the Final Salute Project?
The Final Salute Project is a veteran-focused initiative dedicated to honoring U.S. military service across generations. We provide handcrafted wooden keepsake crates for veterans, retirees, and families preserving the memory of loved ones who served — whether recently retired or long since passed.
These crates are built to safeguard medals, patches, photographs, letters, and personal items that tell the story of a life shaped by service. From World War II and Vietnam to modern-day conflicts, each box serves as a lasting tribute to duty, sacrifice, and legacy.
Every crate is crafted by hand, one at a time, with respect for the individual it honors. Many begin as Freedom Crate Co. ammo boxes and are thoughtfully customized into memorial or recognition pieces designed to protect what matters most.
Our Story
The idea for The Final Salute Project began with a simple conversation between friends — one of them a Marine who had just retired. He mentioned wanting a special box to hold his medals, patches, and photos — something sturdy and meaningful, built to last. That conversation sparked an idea that would grow into a mission.
We soon realized that veterans everywhere share that same desire — to keep their stories close. Some display their service proudly, while others keep those memories tucked away in a quiet space. Whether it represents the best years of their lives or memories they choose to keep private, every veteran deserves a way to preserve their journey with honor.
We also see these crates as more than a gift for one veteran — we see them as family heirlooms. A place where medals, photographs, letters, patches, and personal memories can be protected and passed from one generation to the next. A World War II veteran’s memories might one day be handed down to a grandson who serves in the Marine Corps, adding his own story to the same box. That is the kind of legacy we hope these crates can carry: loved one to loved one, service member to service member, family to family.
That’s why we build boxes — not hats, or belts, or t-shirts — but handcrafted wooden keepsake crates. Each one is a tribute to service, designed to hold the memories, medals, and mementos that define a lifetime of dedication. Built tough and rugged to last for lifetimes, every crate is meant to protect what matters most and keep those stories alive for the family that follows. It’s a tangible way to say thank you — a final salute to the men and women who served.
How It Works
1
Nominate a Veteran
Family, friends, or the veteran themselves can submit a nomination with basic service details and a short story about their career.
2
We Select Recipients
We select recipients based on available funding, materials, and current workload, with priority often given to recently retired veterans or those nearing retirement.
3
We Build the Crate
A handcrafted wooden keepsake crate is built and customized with their name, rank, branch, and other details that matter to them.
4
We Ship It Free
The finished crate is carefully packaged and shipped to the veteran or their family at no cost as a final salute to their service.
Support the Final Salute Project
A portion of proceeds from Freedom Crate Co. supports the Final Salute Project. As support grows through product sales, donations, and partnerships, so does the number of veterans we are able to honor.
If you’re interested in donating, partnering, or sponsoring crates for a specific unit, organization, or group of veterans, reach out using the contact section below.
If you’d like to support the project directly, you can donate securely through our GiveSendGo campaign below.
Prefer a full-page donation page? Open campaign on GiveSendGo
Nominate a Veteran to Receive a Free Handcrafted Keepsake Crate
Use the form below to nominate a U.S. veteran for a handcrafted Final Salute Project keepsake crate. You can nominate yourself or someone else.
Keepsake Crate Gallery
A look at our handcrafted wooden keepsake crates built for U.S. veterans across every branch of service.
Contact
Have questions, ideas, or want to discuss a partnership between your organization and the Final Salute Project?
Email us at
info@finalsaluteproject.org
You can also learn more about the handcrafted crates that help fund this project at
freedomcrateco.com