TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- How do you put 75 years of history together into one simple anniversary logo?
That was the question Tinker’s 75th Anniversary design committee had to answer, and it wasn’t easy.
“We had several things to consider, like being home to three flying wings from three major commands, one air base wing, a supply chain wing, an air logistics complex and the Sustainment Center,” said Maj. Alan Condor, deputy director of the 72nd Force Support Squadron and chairperson of the 75th Anniversary Committee. “We wanted to incorporate a bit of Oklahoma’s heritage in our design as well.”
Members of the design team are Jerry Bryza, 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs; Rose Meyer, 72nd Force Support Squadron; Master Sgt. Michael Meyer, 72nd Security Forces Squadron; Debbie Watts, 72nd Force Support Squadron; and April McDonald, 72nd ABW Public Affairs.
“We want the logo and coin to represent Team Tinker and our missions through the years in two images, and I think we accomplished that,” said 72nd Air Base Wing Commander Col Stephanie P. Wilson.
The final logo design includes:
• “Oklahoma City Air Depot” and “Tinker Air Force Base” -- the name of the installation when it was officially activated on March 1, 1942, and the current name.
• Douglas C-47 Skytrain: More than 5,000 were produced at the Douglas Plant, now Bldg. 3001, starting in 1943.
• KC-46A: This aircraft represents the future depot workload.
• The insignia with the stars and bars is displayed on all U.S. military aircraft.
• Eagle feathers, representing Oklahoma’s heritage
• “Delivering Combat Power for America” - Based on the Air Force Sustainment Center mission statement, this phrase summarizes what Tinker AFB does for the AFSC, Air Force Materiel Command, the U.S. Air Force and the country.
When it came time to talk about the design for an anniversary coin, the team chose to use the logo on the front and one of their potential logo designs on the back.
Elements on the back of the coin are:
• “Team Tinker” - The phrase that encompasses all the missions of Tinker AFB.
• The turbofan, a major element of today’s engines worked on by the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex.
• The three-bladed propeller, which represents the Douglas C-47 Skytrain
• Ring of aircraft - This ring annotates aircraft on which depot-level maintenance has been performed, starting with the BT-13 in 1942 and continuing today with the B-1B. (Aircraft that were not at the depot in significant numbers were not included.)
• “Enabling the Warfighter through Partnerships” - This phrase exemplifies the relationship between Tinker AFB and its mission and community partners.
Beginning Tuesday, the coins will be available for purchase at the Arts and Crafts Center in Bldg. 478 and Gift Corner in Bldg. 3001. They are $10.