USS Colorado Ship’s Crest Contest Winner Selected
with a wild mustang as the dominant design
of the new submarine emblem.
The Commissioning Committee of the USS Colorado
commanding officer and crew selected Michael Nielson as the winner of the Senior Division Ship’s Crest Design Contest. Michael was born and raised in Colorado and graduated from Ralston Valley High School in Arvada, CO in 2008. He enlisted in the Navy immediately after graduation and was selected for the Navy Nuclear Power Program. He was selected for the Seaman-to-Admiral program and attended Oregon State University. After graduating in 2013, he was commissioned an Ensign in the Navy and began officer nuclear power training. Shortly after completion of the contest, Ensign Nielson was issued orders to report to USS Colorado after training, a request that he had made prior to entering the contest. Ensign Nielson’s design will be adopted as the official ship’s crest.
Hope Colorado protects its wild mustangs forever so USS Colorado’s new emblem will be as powerful as the wild horse!