Home of the US Air Force Fighter Weapons School, Red Flag, and various UFOs/aliens, a little known fact is that the producers of Top Gun asked the Air Force first if they would be interested in making a movie about fighter pilots. This fall, the Air Force will get a second bite. That smoke you see will be from the alien pitmasters.

Ever wonder where all those military aircraft go after they are retired? Well, I’ll tell you. They go to the “Boneyard” at Davis-Monthan. Located in the Sonoran Desert in Tucson, Arizona, D-M has perfect weather in October. That’s good, because we’ll be bringing the heat!

Home to the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence, these Soldiers rain bytes on our adversaries. In mid-October, with the assistance of the Recteq team, we’ll bring some bites of our own — glorious BBQ, that is!

Located near Fresno, California, NAS Lemoore is home to 5 carrier air wings and is home to more than half of the Navy’s F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets. That “sound of freedom” you hear may be one of the F-35C Lightning II fighter aircraft zipping by. Also, if last year is any indication, these Sailors are crazy for BBQ!

Just west of Clovis, New Mexico, Cannon is the home of the 27th Special Operations Wing. Between the AC-130s, MC-130s, MQ-9 Reapers, CV-22 Ospreys, and U-28 Dracos, I would not pick a fight with the commandos. But a healthy BBQ competition is in order.

Home of the Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill trains Soldiers to rapidly employ Fires in large-scale combat operations. I don’t know where I heard that field artillery wins battles, but I believe it. I also believe that Soldiers like my friend Jack. Jack Daniels, that is. In September, they’ll get reacquainted over BBQ.

Located just north of Seattle, Naval Station Everett is home to a carrier strike group (including an aircraft carrier, destroyer, figates, an air wing, and 7,500 Sailors). Everett is also home to 7 guided-missile destroyers; a Coast Guard cutter; and a Coast Guard patrol boat. Give these patriots BBQ!

The US Coast Guard Academy prepares future Coast Guard officers with a rigorous education on a beautiful waterfront campus. If they aren’t out sailing on the tall ship EAGLE, they’ll be playing with FIRE when we come to town.

Located just east of Colorado Springs, Schriever is home to 8,000 military and civilian employees. We’ll join these zany space cadets for their Sports Day in July, and inject some much needed BBQ into their lives.

Located near Spokane, Washington, Fairchild is home to the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, and for teaching survival training to most Air Force pilots. Instead of passing gas, this summer the Airmen will be firing up their grills.

Formed by the merger of Naval Air Station Point Mugu and Naval Construction Batallion Center Port Hueneme, Naval Base Ventura County adds San Nicholas Island to provide a deep water seaport on the west coast. This summer, the Sailors will be demonstrating their BBQ prowess while competing for the Jack Daniels barrelhead.

Home to the Naval War College and Naval Justice School, Naval Station Newport serves as a “Navy Center of Training Excellence.” Sharpen your pencils, because our pitmasters will be setting a new standard for BBQ pedagogy, with hands-on instruction in the Fire Arts.

Located just outside of Cheyenne, F.E. Warren is one of three strategic missile bases across the US. Think Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles. Not a great idea to go wandering about the base. A better idea is to soak up some BBQ goodness at our little soiree in June!

Rebuilt following Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Homestead is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing and the Air Force Reserve Command’s Tenth Air Force. Most important, it’s a short drive to the beautiful Miami beaches. Tanned bodies won’t be the only thing on FIRE in June.

Home of Air Force Global Strike Command, the Mighty Eighth Air Force, the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center, and the 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale is the very definition of airpower. When Firefest rolls into town, these warriors will reach a new plateau with unparalleled BBQ.

Home to the US Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear School; US Army Engineer School; and US Army Military Police School, Fort Leonard Wood is recognized as an Army Center of Excellence, training over 80,000 military and civilians every year. In mid-May, the base will transform into a BBQ Center of Excellence.

Team Registration through MWR

Responsible for teaching pilots from 14 of our North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners through the EURO-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, Sheppard Air Force Base has a storied history since 1941. In May, we’ll be smokin’ ribs and turkey, and see if Texas BBQ lives up to the hype.

Team Registration

Home of the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk is all about maintaining readiness to support global missions. In March, that smoke you see will be from the sweet sizzle of barbecue in the heart of Louisiana.

Home to four F/A-18 Hornet fighter-attack squadrons and two F-35B Lightning II training squadrons, MCAS Beaufort can be noisy. “That noise you hear is the sound of freedom.” Did you know that Marine pilots must attend Infantry School before pilot training? Oorah!

BBQ Blaze

1400 Load in/Check in
1430 Cooks’ meeting
1500-1800 Chicken Cookoff
1745 Judges in place
1800 Chicken Turn-In
1830 Awards Ceremony
1900 Load out

Register to compete through MWR.

Nestled deep in the Mojave Desert, Fort Irwin is home to the National Training Center, training Armored Brigade Combat Teams in a realistic environment. When our pitmasters are done, they’ll be even better!

If you like military fighter aircraft, you’ve come to the right place. Tyndall is home to the 325th Fighter Wing, responsible for training F-22 Raptor pilots, intelligence officers, and maintainers. Maybe some Bold and Beefy Blues Hog rub will spark the competitive juices to keep us ahead of our rivals! Details and registration

Home of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center… and great BBQ! Enjoy the campus atmosphere of Leavenworth, a short drive from Kansas City. When our pitmasters are on post, class is definitely in session! Learn more