On December 12th, 1999, the Officers a Crew of the USS Shiloh voted to authorize the commanding officer to request a change of name to Black Hawk. The name change was implemented in a two stage plan, the second being changing to a larger class, in order to reflect the population and area in which the chapter was situated. The crew also voted to continue with the Black Hawk Class Developmental project, with the provision that if in a reasonable amount of time the project did not go forward then Fleet Captain Jeff Higdon was authorized to suggest to the membership a different class and submit submit that class to the DTS.

On December 16th, 1999, Admiral Alex Rosenzweig, Director of the Department of Technical Services, STARFLEET, authorized the name change. Thus we officially became the USS Black Hawk, NCC-74683, Intrepid Class Starship.


The next item of business was to come up with a new logo. In the interim, it was decided to carry the former USS Shiloh's logo over until one could be developed. Ideas came around using the profile of the actual war Chief Black Hawk or to use the profile of the Black Hawk Statue (located outside Oregon, Illinois, overlooking the Rock River). Both ideas were actively looked into. The profile of the Chief was discarded as being too impractical due to the massive amounts of graphic work need.

It was by chance that while surfing the Internet that the Fleet Captain stumbled over the 'shield' for the United States Navy Ship USS Black Hawk, MHC-58, a Mine Hunter Cruiser based out of Texas. The 'shield' (shown left) featured a crest with a "black hawk", flying over the waters, a star on the underside of its wing, representing the one battle star that the Destroyer Tender USS Black Hawk, AD-9, won during World War Two. The Fleet Captain decided to use this "black hawk" as a basis of the design for the new ship's logo, changing the wing design and including the command star from the old Enterprise Delta shield, gold in color, in place of the battle star. The "hawk" would be flying through the dark reaches of space and within its talons would be a delta shield with the colors of the old USS Shiloh. This was to represent that the USS Black Hawk was carrying forward with the mission started by the USS Shiloh. The crew of the USS Black Hawk adopted the motto "Fortune Favors The Bold...", which is also the motto of the current US Navy Ship Black Hawk. The statement comes from the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Favor the Bold", attributed to Captain Benjamin Sisko just before launching the attack that retook DS9. This was in addition to the official logo of the USS Shiloh, which was "To look to the Past in order to Seek the Future..."

Two of the USS Black Hawk's youth were recognized by Region 12 and STARFLEET. Commander Christopher Higdon won several youth awards during the R12 Summit in April, 2000, including Youth Leader of the Year. He was then nominated as one of three STARFLEET Cadets of the Year. Because of this, Commander Higdon was promoted to the rank of Captain by Region 12 Coordinator Brigadier Wade Hoover in August, 2000.

In May, 2000, Cadet First Class Elizabeth Cook was selected as the winner of the Miss Youth Winnebago County Teen. She received special recognition by Region 12 and was promoted by the Fleet Captain to the rank of Cadet Ensign, j.g.

Also during the R12 Summit, the USS Black Hawk received a Bronze Humanitarian Award for leading the fleet in Aluminum Collection on behalf of the Ronald McDonald House in Madison Wisconsin. Commander Karen Higdon, XO of the USS Black Hawk was awarded the Silver Pillar and was promoted by R12 Coordinator Brigadier Wade Hoover to the rank of Captain. In May, 2000, the Fleet Captain was awarded the Iron Star Award by Region 12.