Nearly every government mission — from spy satellites to classified aircraft — has a mission patch, often designed by the crew itself. But even if you’re not a crew member on America’s new $US2.3 billion nuclear sub, the USS Colorado, the Navy wants your designs anyways.
The USS Colorado, which was commissioned back in 2012 and is under construction right now in Connecticut — and it’s looking for a crest design. Brand New’s Armin Vit points out a design contest for the logo, which will grace official plaques and uniforms for the nuclear sub’s crew. It will also appear “other places where such an emblem is appropriate throughout the life of the ship”, possibly referring to crew tattoos. The contest is organised into a general submission category and a youngster’s category (after all, the kids’ designs are usually the best).
So what are they looking for, specifically? “Elements in the design of the crest should relate to what makes our state special,” explains a statement on the contest page, which also provides a hint: “One fact to consider is that Dolphins have a place in submarine lore.” Sure, dolphins have a place in submarine lore, but Colorado is landlocked, after all. To get the juices flowing, other more Colorado-appropriate totems might include pow pow, Casa Bonita, and obviously, legal weed.
The contest runs until March 1, so you’ve got a little time to run some focus groups and start sketching. [Brand New; USS Colorado]