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An assignment patch was a patch or badge seen on uniforms, most notably on Earth, where their use began in the 20th century. The United Earth Starfleet and MACO personnel continued to use assignment patches to denote the ship, station, or other post to which an individual was assigned, as did the later Federation Starfleet.
History
In 20th and 21st century Earth, assignment patches were used on military uniforms and civilian uniforms alike. NASA patches from that era appeared in the Crash-n-Burn Bar in Bozeman, Montana, and at the 602 Club in San Francisco. (Star Trek: First Contact; ENT: "First Flight")
In the early 22nd century, Starfleet personnel wore assignment patches on the sleeve of their left arm, in a similar style worn during the initial period of space flight on Earth. The uniform was later updated, adding the Starfleet patch to the right arm. (ENT: "These Are the Voyages...") The assignment patch of Enterprise NX-01 was also used as a screensaver on monitors aboard the ship. (ENT: "The Catwalk")
In the mid-23rd century, Starfleet continued the tradition of using unique patch emblems for different assignments, albeit placing them instead over the left breast. By 2278, this styling ceased, and Starfleet adopted the USS Enterprise's assignment patch as the standard emblem for all Starfleet personnel. Assignment patches thus fell into disuse, and Starfleet supplanted them with badges and, eventually, combadges. (TOS; TNG: "Cause and Effect") For example, a style of Starfleet pins incorporating the Enterprise emblem was made into a combadge, used by the crew of the Ambassador-class USS Enterprise-C, by 2344. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan; TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise")
In the mirror universe, the Terran Empire used the traditional styling from the 22nd century. While the Empire's uniforms had several variations that distinguished them from those of the prime universe, they still wore mission patches on their shoulders. By the 23rd century, the mission patch had been replaced with the Imperial insignia. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly", "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II"; TOS: "Mirror, Mirror")
In the alternate reality created by Nero's destruction of the USS Kelvin, assignment patches were done away with much sooner than in the prime timeline, with the Kelvin's patch becoming Starfleet's standard by the 2250s. (Star Trek)
20th and 21st century patches
22nd century patches
23rd century patches
24th century patches
Starfleet uniform styles | |
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By era: | 2140s-Early 2160s • Mid 2160s • 2230s • Late 2230s-2250s • 2250s-Early 2270s • Mid 2270s • Late 2270s-2350s • 2350s-2370s • Late 2360s-Early 2370s • 2370s-Early 2380s • Early 2380s • Mid 2380s • Late 2390s • Early 2400s • 29th century • 32nd century |
By type: | Casual duty attire • Alternate & parallel uniforms • Alternate reality uniforms • Fictional uniforms • Terran Empire uniforms |
Related topics: | Assignment patch • MACO uniform and equipment • Starfleet decorations • Starfleet insignia • Starfleet ranks • Terran Empire ranks • Uniform |
Appendices
Background information
The assignment patch for the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and the movie-era Starfleet assignment badge are very similar to those used by the US Space Command in the 20th century and early 21st century.
The assignment patch for Enterprise NX-01 was created by Wendy Drapanas, whereas the patch for the ECS Horizon was designed by Anthony Fredrickson. "When Wendy and I had our assignments on the pilot ["Broken Bow"]," recalled Fredrickson, "one of hers was to design the NX-01 patch – which was a cherry assignment that I was very jealous she got! So when Mike [Okuda] gave me the Horizon patch, even though it was only for one show, I was very happy." (Star Trek: Communicator issue 144, p. 36)
External link
- Assignment patch at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works