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How to Order Custom Shirts for Your Military Unit

by Stacy Gentile on September 29, 2026
Man wearing the black Patriots 1st Battalion 304th Regiment shirt with front crest and sleeve artwork
Our Patriots 1st Battalion 304th Regiment shirt, shown from the front.

Ordering shirts for a unit or veteran reunion sounds simple until the sizes arrive in six different messages and two people approve different versions of the artwork. Before you collect money or promise a delivery date, put the order in one place.

This checklist is for the person organizing a run of 50–100 shirts. It covers the information to collect, a copyable quote brief, and the checks to make before approving production. For pricing and design help, visit our custom military unit shirt service.

1. Agree on the purpose before choosing the shirt

Is this for a reunion, a farewell, everyday off-duty wear, or a group event? Write down the occasion, the total budget, and the date the shirts need to be in hand. An event date and a shipping date are not the same thing.

If the shirts will be worn at an official activity, confirm the applicable requirements with your organization before selecting colors or artwork. A military-inspired design is not a promise that a shirt is authorized for uniform wear.

2. Collect sizes for the actual garment—not a guessed average

Choose the garment and get its size chart before asking everyone to respond. Have each wearer check the chart rather than assuming that every brand’s large fits the same. Keep one private list with these fields:

  • Wearer or organizer reference
  • Garment style and color
  • Size and quantity
  • Confirmation received
  • Any unresolved question

Keep personal details with the organizer; send only the size totals needed for your quote. Do not include service numbers, operational information, or other sensitive details in a quote request.

Example only: 6 M + 17 L + 17 XL + 10 2XL = 50 shirts. That is an arithmetic example, not a recommended size mix. For your order, total the actual responses and list any spare shirts separately. Do not automatically double a 50-shirt size breakdown for a different group of 100.

3. Make a front, back, and sleeve artwork checklist

Write out every word exactly as it should print: unit designation, motto, dates, and any names. Specify each print location separately and confirm that you have permission to use the supplied artwork.

Our Patriots 1st Battalion 304th Regiment shirt is a concrete example of a design using multiple locations: a front crest, Patriots back artwork, a U.S. flag on the right sleeve, and a unit logo on the left. Your project may need fewer locations. Decide what matters instead of adding printing simply because there is space.

Describe left and right from the wearer’s perspective. On the proof, check spelling, placement, artwork version, and how the print reads against the chosen shirt color. Ask for clarification on anything the mockup does not show.

4. Send a quote brief someone can actually use

Copy this outline into your request and replace the brackets:

  • Group and occasion: [general description]
  • Quantity: [confirmed count, plus separately listed extras]
  • Garment and color: [preference, or ask for options]
  • Size totals: [count per size]
  • Print locations: [front, back, sleeves]
  • Artwork: [ready to supply, or design help needed]
  • Needed in hand: [date and delivery destination]
  • Budget: [total or per-shirt target, if set]
  • Still undecided: [items needing confirmation]

Ask what the quote includes, whether particular sizes or print locations affect the price, and when delivery can be confirmed. Do not treat another group’s price or an old quote as the price for your order.

5. Freeze one final version before approval

Name one organizer to send the final size totals and approve the final proof. Give that version a date. If someone requests a change afterward, ask whether it can still be made before promising it.

At Veteran Shirts, custom orders are quoted by quantity, garment type, print locations, artwork needs, and deadline. Our recommended minimum is 24 shirts, with our best bulk pricing at 50 shirts and up. Design help is available. Payment and mockup approval are required before production begins; submitting a request alone does not start an order.

6. Leave a clean record for the next run

Keep the approved artwork version, garment details, size totals, and order reference together. For a reorder, send the new quantities and date, then confirm current availability, price, and timing. A repeat order should start with a clear reference—not a search through last year’s group chat.

Ready to put your order together? Request a custom unit shirt quote with your quantity, size breakdown, artwork plan, and needed-by date. Learn more about our veteran-owned company.