Lights Out Origin

The Lights Out Mother****er (LOMF) patch was designed by Charles “Chip” Lasky in 2010. His intent was to create a patch professionals would actually want to wear. Often patches are simply a brand’s logo and professionals do not want to simply be a walking billboard. The spotlight for this patch was on the phrase and discretely placed a small Tactical Night Vision Company (TNVC) Raven logo at the base of the patch. Having his brother in arms wear the patch was the intent, associating the patch with the TNVC branding was simply a bonus.

Design

The patch started with a khaki background and brown font with “OUT” in green lettering. Initial variations of the patch were produced with changes made simply due to supply of materials. A black background variant was also produced for the LE community with gray font and outline. This is the version I received after attending TNVC’s Night Fighter Armed Professional course earlier this year.

The latest versions of the patch have been made available publicly due a partnership with UN12 magazine. One of the two versions is included at random with the first issue of the magazine. I received the version with a tan background. Another variation has a multicam background and all green lettering.

The patch was not exactly meant to be PC and comes with a warning label.

Acquisition

These patches are not laid out at shows or sold online. It is a coveted patch given out to those attending TNVC courses or to certain attendees at trade shows. This discretionary distribution made for coveted ownership. Some were also given to a special missions unit in 2011, with photos leaked of some of the operators wearing LOMF patches on the back of their helmets in 2012. Thanks to these pictures, those with LOMF patches started selling them online reaching prices of up to $400 on EBAY.

The LOMF patch remain a highly coveted morale patch by many in the industry. If you are lucky enough to own one, you now know a little of the history behind such an iconic patch and its origins.