Command, Care, and Koalas: Our Camp David Medical Challenge Coin

Admin
Aug 6
6 min read

OKAY. CAMP DAVID. LET’S GO.

The second this project landed in our inbox, we knew we were in for a spiral. The good kind. The "everyone cancel your weekend plans because we’re emotionally compromised by a national landmark and also drawing eucalyptus" kind. Because Camp David? CAMP. DAVID. It’s not just a place. It’s a mood. A whisper. A plot twist. A presidential chessboard tucked into the Maryland woods where global history pivots quietly over a grilled hot dog and a handshake.

And then—because obviously our hearts weren’t full enough yet—you throw in Camp David Medical. The team behind the team. The guardians of peace and pulse. The medical professionals stationed there to ensure that the Commander-in-Chief (and any number of world leaders, their spouses, translators, and small dogs) are protected, treated, and supported when the stakes are unspeakably high… and the nearest hospital is not around the corner.

This wasn't just another design project. It was reverence wrapped in ridiculous excitement. A chance to honor the people who hold the line between “we’re good” and “we need an emergency airlift”—and who do it all with the calm of a mountain breeze and the readiness of a SEAL team. We were all in. Immediately.

A Place Like No Other

Let’s rewind for a hot sec.

Camp David—formally known as the Naval Support Facility Thurmont—sits high in the Catoctin Mountain Park, shrouded in trees and mystery. Built in the 1930s as a New Deal project and later reimagined by FDR himself as a presidential retreat, it’s seen everything from Cold War deliberations to Sunday family barbecues. Eisenhower named it after his grandson. Carter brought Middle East peace here. Obama hosted summits. Bush rode mountain bikes. Every president since FDR (except for Trump, who used it rarely) has found respite—or resolution—within its gates.

But what you don’t see on the official tour (which, to be clear, you will never be offered) is the team that makes that serenity possible: Camp David Medical.

Their job? Everything. Health screenings, emergency readiness, medication logistics, international dignitary protocols, preventive care, surgical contingency plans, and yes, probably bug bite ointment. They are on call 24/7, fully equipped and trained to handle anything from altitude sickness to diplomatic headaches. And they do it all in silence, surrounded by trees, under the weight of responsibility—and pine needles.

The Eucalyptus Moment

Now, here’s where the design spiral truly began.

We were mid-concept, knee-deep in reference images and presidential seal file formats, when someone said eucalyptus. We wish we could remember who. They deserve a trophy.

At first it felt a little random. But then the symbolism came rushing in like a freight train of aromatherapy and metaphors.

Eucalyptus is nature’s answer to resilience. It heals. It soothes. It clears your head and kicks germs in the teeth. It’s the universal symbol of quiet recovery—clean, cooling, medicinal. And suddenly, it became the botanical heartbeat of this coin. Because that’s exactly what the Camp David Medical team is: calm under pressure. Soothing but serious. Gentle in spirit, fierce in skill. The kind of people who can insert an IV while cracking a joke and managing international protocol. They don’t just treat symptoms. They radiate steadiness.

Which brings us to... the koala.

Yes. The koala. Listen. We tried to be cool. We tried not to lean in. But when we remembered that koalas literally survive on eucalyptus—digesting what other animals can’t, adapting to harsh environments with sleepy tenacity—it stopped being a joke and started feeling like destiny. Koalas are quiet strength. They’re comfort under pressure. They are eucalyptus personified. And the more we stared at their round little faces, the more we saw the soul of this team: grounded, unbothered, quietly doing the impossible.

So now we’re standing here, surrounded by sketches of trees, medical kits, presidential pathways, and yes, a sleepy koala or two—and we’re FEELING IT. The story. The reverence. The balance between calm and critical. Between nature and national duty. Between “it’s just a retreat” and “this is where the world changes.”

And we haven’t even opened Illustrator yet.

Camp David Medical Challenge Coin

Oh, this one had our whole team swooning. A Camp David Medical challenge coin?! YES, PLEASE. We were practically giddy from the first concept sketch—because when your design brief includes a secret presidential retreat and a eucalyptus-loving koala, how do you NOT go full heart-eyes emoji? (Spoiler: we did. Repeatedly.)

We knew this one couldn’t be loud. Camp David isn’t a parade—it’s a pulse. A quiet one. The kind of place where whispers shape history and healing happens in the background. So the design had to feel calm, steady, sacred. Think stillness under pine trees—but with top-level medical readiness humming beneath the surface. It’s not just a coin. It’s a metaphor in metal.

Let’s start with the front. We chose a high-shine silver finish because Camp David just has that quiet dignity, you know? That polished, precise energy. It’s not flashy—it’s intentional. The kind of shine that doesn’t scream for attention but commands it anyway.

And then—wait for it—we perched a raised silver koala right in the middle, nestled in delicate green eucalyptus leaves like it’s guarding Air Force One itself. This wasn’t a throwaway idea. We did research. We held actual eucalyptus oil bottles. We debated leaf shape accuracy in painful detail. At one point, someone on the team said, “I swear this Pantone green is eucalyptus-adjacent!” while eating pretzels over Illustrator. The point is: we CARED.

Why eucalyptus? Because it’s healing. Because it’s ancient and modern at the same time. It’s what you rub on your chest when you can’t breathe. It’s antiseptic. It’s antimicrobial. It’s…essential. (Literally and figuratively.) And for the medical team stationed at Camp David—those behind-the-scenes pros ready for ANYTHING—it felt like the perfect symbol.

Quiet strength.

Soothing power.

Life-saving calm.

Around the koala, a bold red enamel ring bears the word “EUCALYPTUS” in raised silver letters. Not just for style—though yes, it looks amazing—but because we wanted that one word to stand out like a whispered mission statement. This is who we are. This is what we do.

Now flip it, and cue the dramatic drumroll. On the back, we went full presidential mode. No shortcuts.

At the center, a raised silver Presidential Seal rests against a deep navy backdrop—one of those tones we test in four lighting setups to get just right. (Somewhere in our files is a moodboard labeled “Respect Blue.”) That eagle? It’s shielded, colorful, fierce, and calm—all at once. Which felt pretty on-theme for a place where barbecue lunch might follow a national security meeting.

Around the outer edge, we wrapped a crisp white enamel band with raised lettering: “PRESIDENTIAL RETREAT CAMP DAVID.” It’s formal, it’s official, it’s… grounding. Like a handshake in metal. But down at the bottom, we made space for the real MVPs: Camp David Medical. Centered. Bold. Proud. Because this crew isn’t just a footnote—they are the difference between risk and readiness, between worry and wellness.

This wasn’t the side of the coin you flip and forget. It’s the one that whispers, This matters. You matter. And history rests easier because you were here.

Behind the Design: Tension, Color Palettes & Koala Debates

The design process was… intense. In the best, most sleep-deprived way. We had eucalyptus leaves taped to the whiteboard. There was a full-blown Slack thread titled “Koala Koala Koala.” (One vote for a cartoon style got laughed out of the room—lovingly.) The silver finish? Chosen after heated debate between “high-polish” and “mirror-polish.” The red? Had to be medical without looking like an alarm. The green? Gentle, not gaudy. And don’t get us STARTED on the number of woodsy textures we rejected.

It was one of those projects that made us slow down and ask, What does peace look like when you’re ready for war? What does care feel like when no one’s watching? And how do you draw that?

The Legacy

Designing this coin felt like getting a backstage pass to something sacred. It’s serene and powerful. Official and personal. It tells the story of a place most people will never see—but whose presence we all feel, whether we realize it or not. It’s where history breathes. Where health is guarded with reverence. Where silence isn’t empty—it’s full of vigilance.

This coin was never meant to be flashy. It was meant to be foundational. A pocket-sized tribute to the people who prepare for the worst so the best can unfold. The medics who walk the woods with their radios on. The nurses who know the blood type of every world leader before they even arrive. The team who is always ready—and always calm.

And the koala? Let’s go back there for a second. Because sure, it’s adorable. But it’s also a symbol of resilience. Of conservation. Of surviving on what others overlook and still making it work. That’s the Camp David Medical team. That’s eucalyptus energy. That’s why we placed that little marsupial right at the heart of this design.

They hold history gently. Quietly. Carefully.

And now? The coin hugs it right back.