Strengthening Your Team’s Identity and Unity
People choose to create challenge coins for many reasons, but regardless of why they are made, one thing stays constant: they endow those lucky enough to receive them with great pride. That is why they are an excellent investment for companies and team leaders. This simple object can strengthen teams by imbuing them with a sense of identity and unity. On an individual level, it also serves as a reminder of past accomplishments and achievements.
Raise Morale with Custom Belt Buckles & Patches
Though best known for our challenge coins, we also manufacture belt buckles and patches. Like challenge coins, they too can be used to raise team morale. An excellent example of this can be seen in a recent project done for Sergeant First Class (SFC) William Pankake of Alpha Company, 2-5 Cavalry stationed out of Fort Hood, Texas.
A Co, 2-5 Cavalry 1ABCT, 1CD
Also known as Lean Apache, this small Bradley mechanized platoon is part of a cavalry unit created in 1855. Before the Civil War, it fought under the command of Robert E. Lee and fought in a total of 13 Indian campaigns: World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the Iraq War. Currently, they support our European Allies in Romania along the Black Sea. The name Lean Apache also has a bit of fascinating history behind it. Back in Vietnam, there were two Alpha Companies in the battalion, A Co 1-7 and A Co 2-5. To differentiate themselves, they adopted the nickname “Lean” after their tall and skinny commander.
Their Source of Inspiration: Ownership & Pride
In 2020 ,before their deployment to Romania, SFC William Pankake was placed in command as platoon sergeant. It has since been his goal to strengthen the platoon in every way possible, and when asked why he decided to have his belt buckles made he replied with this:
“There are a few foundation principles every human needs to strive. The main two are a sense of ownership and pride. Belt buckles are a way to create that in an organization. Everyone wants to be known. When you attach that mentality to an abstract object, it further serves to amplify those principles.”
Their Belt Buckle Design
The Belt Buckle design was created with an antique silver finish. That particular finish was chosen because of the buckle’s 3D logo. The darker antique recessed areas help better define the 3D relief. The red and white banners feature the red/white colors of the cavalry banner and list the company name and the platoon’s nickname, the “Hell Raisers.”
Their PVC Patch Design
Since the belt buckles can’t be worn in combat and training exercises, SFC William Pankake got PVC patches as they can be sewn onto the sleeves of his platoon members’ uniforms. PVC patches are a fantastic option as they are both durable and appealing. Because they are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material, they have a rubbery feel and can be made to have a low-profile 3D effect. The company logo on their patch has a 3D relief similar to their belt buckle design. One cool feature of this design is that the white PVC glows in the dark!
Mission Accomplished!
When asked how his platoon members liked the custom belt buckles and patches, SFC William Pankake replied, “The guys love them! I have a feeling you will have orders coming from the other companies soon, as they were all extremely impressed with them.”. We love getting this kind of feedback from our customers as it is always our goal to make the very best custom products. We take pride in our work and in knowing that those who receive our products also take pride in them.
Tell Us About Your Experience…
We always love getting feedback from our customers as we can use it to gauge whether we’re meeting expectations, and what we can do to improve and better meet the needs of our customers. We asked SFC William Pankake if he had ever made custom products in the past and how we compared to other past experiences. This was his reply:
“I have created company coins from a different source in the past, but by far this was the easiest and best interaction I have had to date. Lone Star Challenge Coins was extremely quick, easy to use, and provided great art designs for what little I supplied. Also, the company is very customer service orientated. I’m sticking with them for all my future needs.”
In Conclusion
Improving morale is important for any team leader. Whether you’re a platoon sergeant or a corporate team lead, you can use custom products to improve morale by creating a sense of pride and unity. All people take pride in their team and the work they do together, so celebrate it with a custom challenge coin, belt buckle or patch. It will serve as a constant reminder to those on your team of past accomplishments and achievements, as well as the appreciation you have for their hard work and dedication.
