USMC Helicopter Squadrons
$12.00
Only 26 items left in stock
Bulk Patch Pricing
Embroidered
Minimum order: 25
25-49: $6.00 each
50-99: $5.00 each
100-199: $4.00 each
200-299: $3.00 each
300+: $2.50 each
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Official VQ-3 Quality Assurance QA FOD Patch
Keeping the Mercury fleet clean and mission-ready.
Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Three (VQ-3), the Ironmen, operates the Boeing E-6B Mercury — the airborne command post that provides survivable communication links to the nation's nuclear submarine fleet under the TACAMO (Take Charge And Move Out) mission. Based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, VQ-3 maintains one of the most critical missions in the U.S. nuclear command and control architecture. The Quality Assurance (QA) and Foreign Object Damage (FOD) prevention program is essential to maintaining the Mercury's airworthiness — even a small piece of debris ingested into an engine or lodged in a flight control system could compromise a mission that the entire nuclear deterrent depends on. This patch represents the QA and FOD prevention professionals who keep VQ-3's aircraft flawless.
Perfect For:
VQ-3 Ironmen QA personnel, E-6B Mercury maintainers, TACAMO community members, Tinker AFB aviation professionals, and Navy quality assurance patch collectors.
Zero FOD tolerance on the nation's most critical aircraft.
If you want to swap patches on/off gear, choose hook & loop (velcro). If you’re attaching permanently to uniforms or fabric, choose sew-on. If you want quick application on compatible fabric, choose iron-on / heat seal (when offered). Backing options are shown on the page and update based on the variant you select.
Size is shown on the product page and updates with the variant you select (example: 3"). If you’re mounting on a hat or small panel, choose smaller sizes; for plate carriers and display boards, larger sizes fit better.
If the product is officially licensed, it will say “Officially Licensed” in the title and/or in the product details. If it doesn’t, it’s still a legitimate product—just not part of a licensed program.
Yes. If you see a note like “bulk reruns available,” that means we can support group orders or reruns. If you don’t see it, contact us with the unit/squadron and quantity and we’ll confirm options.
Yes—custom solutions are available (patches, name tags, lanyards, apparel). Use the custom request page and include artwork, size, backing preference, and quantity.
