RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
An entry from a Randolph Air Force Base graphic artist recently won the second annual United Services Organization's (USO) San Antonio T-Shirt Design Contest.
"It was quite a surprise when I found out that I won," said Tony Ervin, 502nd ABW public affairs graphic artist. "I forgot all about entering it."
Mr. Ervin, who entered the contest Nov. 30 after getting an e-mail about it and chatting with workmates, said he's usually up to entering any contest.
So, he put some thoughts down and worked on his computer, using Adobe Illustrator for four nights, after normal working hours, on two entries - each featuring the San Antonio skyline and the Alamo, an American flag and the silhouette of a uniformed serviceman in the background.
One entry featured a cabaret dancer complementing the Alamo-flag-serviceman silhouette design. The design with the dancer, Mr. Ervin said, was made to evoke memories of the cabaret shows at USOs during World War II, when Bob Hope entertained servicemen.
The other had no dancer but all of the other elements. That one won the contest, netting Mr. Ervin a T-shirt with his design on it and a $100 cash prize.
For that, he was congratulated by Annette Hernandez, San Antonio USO programs manager, who told him, "We appreciate your participation and design entries. We felt your design was original, creative and expressed what the USO is to San Antonio."
Ms. Hernandez said in addition to the $100.00 and the T-shirt, the USO will be printing Mr. Ervin's contest-winning design on its USO San Antonio T-Shirts and other related materials.
Mr. Ervin's supervisor, Lino Espinoza, chief, graphics department, 502nd ABW Public Affairs, said it was a pleasure and a privilege to participate in the contest.
"This year," Mr. Espinoza added, "four illustrators from our graphics department submitted entries. Although all entries were extremely creative, one stood out above the rest."
He called Mr. Ervin a "highly motivated and extremely talented artist."
"He continually provides outstanding work," Mr. Espinoza also said, "and recently participated in the creative team providing artwork for the AF's 2010 Symposium."
Mr. Ervin, a retired Air Force Master Sergeant who retrained from air traffic control into graphic design in 1989 and spent almost his entire active-duty career in graphic design, said he's on his fourth year of civil service at Randolph.
The Cibolo resident has yet to tell his wife of his win.
"That's because I know she'll want a cut of the $100," Mr. Ervin joked.