Coining support for veterans
[caption id="attachment_22554" align="alignnone" width="591"] Battle Buddy coin along with Dog Tags created by Leading Seaman (Retired) Debbi Ferguson, owner of Delta Fox Trot Designs.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff WriterA military veteran has created a collectable coin for the ill and injured to let them know they are not alone.The Battle Buddy Challenge Coin, says creator Leading Seaman (Retired) Debbi Ferguson, is a symbol of hope and support. Those who purchase them for themselves become part of the Battle Buddy family. Those who buy them as a gift become a Battle Buddy, demonstrating that no one gets left behind. That idea is echoed in the design, with a soldier carrying an injured comrade to safety. On the flip side, two hands interlock in a firm grip, symbolic of reaching out for help, with a maple leaf in the background. The coin has a silver antique finish and comes with a registered number and certificate with the name of the recipient. Ferguson has also turned the design into a Battle Buddy dog tag, as some people prefer to wear the art rather than carry a coin.“The purchaser of the coin is saying to the recipient, I have your back and I am there for you in the darkest hour, and will be there to pick you up in your time of need. I will always have your six.”Ferguson created the coin and dog tag as part of her company Delta Fox Trot Designs, which she opened after leaving the military in 2008. She served for 14 years before a medical release. She says the concept for the coin and terminology was drawn from Second World War infantry, with each soldier on the battlefield assigned a battle buddy or foxhole buddy. This life-or-death pact required one soldier to keep an eye out for threats while their...