Director of information Management illustrator draws up new garrison logo

FORT RILEY, Kan. - Floyd Hansford just can't help himself when it comes to adding his special touch to artwork. The visual information specialist at Fort Riley's Directorate of Information Management recently was working on a large sign that featured the Installation Management Command logo.

"I decided to spruce it up a little bit," Hansford said. "It's basically the same logo, but instead of being flat and dull it's now got some sparkle and a little bit of pizzazz."

Hansford also added some text around the logo to make it specific to Fort Riley garrison. Arching across the top of the logo are the words "U.S. Army Garrison," while "Fort Riley, Kansas" completes an arc across the bottom.

Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Ian Mann took one look at Hansford's recreation of the IMCOM patch and latched onto it, Hansford said.

Hansford's artistic technique involved creating his freehand logo through the use of Adobe Illustrator software.

"I didn't really have the idea in my mind," he said. "I just started drawing and then when I got there, I said that's what I want."

Unlike the original IMCOM logo, Hansford's logo has a three-dimensional look to give it some depth.

"I think it made it more of a real thing instead of just a one-dimensional object," Hansford said.

The new logo is quickly spreading across Fort Riley. Hansford's artwork graces the top of the new garrison command boards.

The garrison also wasted no time in getting the new logo available to Soldiers and employees on a variety of clothing items, said Curtis Blanke, DOIM's visual information management officer.

"People have pride in their units, and IMCOM is no different than any other organization," Blanke said.

Illustration has been Hansford's passion for decades.

"I think the first paying job I got was in 1970," he said.

After serving as an illustrator in the U.S. Navy, he decided to do it for his own business as a civilian. Hansford later worked in the corporate world in that same capacity for 12 years. He's worked on Fort Riley for the past eight years.