Assignment patch



An assignment patch is a patch or badge worn on a Starfleet uniform to denote the ship, station, or other post to which an individual is assigned to.

In the early 22nd century, Earth Starfleet personnel wore assignment patches on the sleeve of their left arm. (ENT: all)

In the mirror universe, the 22nd century tradition was upheld. While the Empire uniforms had several variations from that of the normal universe, they still wore mission patches on their shoulders, even though a ships patch would be different from their mirror counterpart. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly" and "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II")

Several assignment patches, including ones from NASA missions, were on display in the 602 Club on Earth in the 2140s. (ENT: "First Flight")


 * While most of the patches seen were real NASA mission patches, one case contained fictional patches from the Star Trek universe, many of them seen for the first and only time in this episode.

Throughout the 23rd century, Starfleet continued the tradition of maintaining different assignment patch emblems for individual posts, now worn over the left breast. By 2278, however, this practice was abolished and Starfleet adopted the USS Enterprise's assignment patch as the standard emblem for all Starfleet personnel personnel to commemorate the historic missions of that vessel. It was at this point that assignment patches fell into disuse in Starfleet, as they began using badges and combadges. (TOS: all; TNG: "Cause and Effect")


 * Assignment patches were still in use during Star Trek: The Motion Picture, so they would have had to fallen into disuse sometime after 2272, when the film is believed to be set. Captain Morgan Bateson of the USS Bozeman was seen wearing the Enterprise symbol in "Cause and Effect," suggesting that assignment patches were eliminated in or prior to 2278.


 * Assignment patches on duty uniforms were apparently no longer used after Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the Starfleet pins adopting the Enterprise emblem in Starfleet's own symbol were used from then on; this badge was made into a combadge by 2344, the era of "Yesterday's Enterprise''" (TNG). Newer combadges were first seen in "Encounter at Farpoint" (TNG). Both pins were used on numerous members of Starfleet on countless ships and stations -- none of whom had any uniform detail specific to their ship or assignment. One later exception are the members of Red Squad, who wore a collar insignia pin depicting the squad's logo.


 * The assignment patch for the USS Enterprise'' (NCC-1701) and the movie era Starfleet assignment badge are very similar to those used by US Space Command in the 20th century and early 21st century.


 * There are some stray elements which detract from the "one ship, one emblem" theory, however; some members of Kirk's academy class who cajoled Kirk in a lounge in TOS: "Court Martial" also wore the Enterprise patch. It would seem unlikely that Kirk's direct subordinates would take part in such a thing, classmate or no, so it least suggests they were assigned elsewhere, yet had the same patch.