One Team, Two Wins, and No Coke for You!
In the early 2000s, I was stationed at Beale Air Force Base (AFB) in California as a U-2 pilot. I enjoyed shooting and occasionally competed in weekend pistol matches.
Each year in mid-May, National Police Week honors law enforcement officers, particularly those killed in the line of duty. In 2003, Beale’s 9th Security Forces Squadron (SFS) marked the occasion with a “National Police Week Shoot.” The competition was open to anyone and featured three-person teams.
Meet Team Rod-n-Gun
My shooting buddy Neil and I decided this might be a fun event to try. Neil was the U-2 program’s GE engine guru. We needed a third teammate, so we recruited our friend and fellow shooter Ed, an analyst with the 9th Intelligence Squadron.
We needed a team name. Since we were all from different organizations, we decided to call ourselves “Team Rod-n-Gun” after the shooting range we frequented on base. We were a hodgepodge if there ever was one!
Taking on the Pros
As the day approached, we really did not know what to expect. When we got ahold of the roster, our trepidation increased. Fifteen teams had signed up, and the lineup read like a who’s who of police departments and SWAT teams from across Northern California. Among them were two teams from the 9th SFS. The hosting squadron had designed and set up the courses of fire, and its teams would be practicing them extensively before the event. Talk about a home-field advantage!
On the morning of the match—Friday, May 16, 2003—the three of us met at Spenceville, an outdoor range a short distance from Beale AFB. We spent some time warming up and making sure our equipment was in good order and everything was sighted in. We were going to get schooled by the pros today, but perhaps we could salvage some dignity and maybe not embarrass ourselves if we were at least warmed up going in.
The match was held at the 9th SFS police range on base. It consisted of three creative yet straightforward courses of fire, similar to the practical pistol matches we were already familiar with. It was well run, and we had a blast.
So Much for Getting Schooled
When it was all over and the scores were tallied, we were shocked to see that we had actually come in first! We each got a first-place trophy, and all was good with the world.
The event organizers even had a "Top Gun" plaque for the top individual shooter, and they were kind enough to give that bad boy to me!
I had some fun with my first-place trophy, replacing the police officer on top with a U-2 pilot.
The Diet Coke Challenge
In 2004, the 9th SFS announced another National Police Week match. Same format, same rules. By golly, we signed up right away.
Just about anything can be made more interesting with a side bet. A few days before the match, I called the 9th SFS and got ahold of the squadron commander. I told him who I was (Major Blazek, Wing Safety Office) and that I was scraping together a cats-and-dogs team (Team Rod-n-Gun) for their upcoming shooting competition. Would he be willing to make a little wager? My single amateur team against his two highly trained teams of steely-eyed Security Forces operators. Prize: A case of Diet Coke to the winning team.
He paused to confer with his associates. When he came back on the line, he declined my offer outright.
Our reputation had preceded us!
Back-to-Back Winners
The morning of the competition, the three of us met up again at the Spenceville range for a little warm-up practice.
Back onto the base, the event was well run, much like the previous year’s. The biggest difference for me was having two guys with video cameras filming me at every stage. It felt strange, and I think it got in my head a little bit.
No matter. We took first place again, beating SWAT and police teams from across Northern California!
Ed won the Top Gun award this time. He had been practicing and going to a lot of matches, so I was glad to see him rewarded for all that hard work.
Someone got some pix of me in action and sent them to me.
In 2005, the 9th SFS did not hold a Police Week Shoot. An ammo shortage was the reason given. Hmmm. I moved away from Beale after that, and word is that the competition never returned. The ragtag threesome known as Team Rod-n-Gun had apparently broken them for good!
I still wish I had some cold Diet Cokes to enjoy, but I’ll have to make do with the even sweeter taste of back-to-back victories!
More Fun at the Range
Over the years at Beale AFB, I also organized some fun shoots at the Rod and Gun Club, including events open to anyone looking for a little shooting fun. Here are a few of the flyers I posted around base.
I ran this one just for the folks in the Wing Safety Office.
