I just completed a SWAT medic course (Level 1 of 3) and on our certification certificates, it had the 1* shield on it. I am familiar with it through working with the local SWAT team in the 90s. The way I understand it, Gary Paul Johnston came up with it and it just did what all simple great ideas do, it took off. Now I see Butch Ramik (Who is he?) as being credited with designing the 1* with a thin blue line in it. So, in effect, he took the designs of two other people, the thin blue line license plate and the 1*, and put them together and gets money from it? WOW. Am I missing something here?

I guess it is a little like the gem clip deal. The guy that designed the gem clip doesn't get near as much in royalties as the guy that designed the gem clip with ridges on it.

Level I, working on getting into level II. Put on through National Association of Tactical Medics.

http://www.naotm.com/