Gonna say this up front: Helicopter pilots are some of the coolest dudes in the military.
I always respected & admired those guys; being able to operate freely without the limitations of terrain, serve as the guardian angel to everyone on the ground, and come to their rescue at a moment’s notice. They spend years learning and honing their skillset, and then many more years after in the service; most make a career of it. Once airborne, they operate autonomously, and with that comes to the freedom to move as they see fit, but also the responsibility to be at the right place the moment they’re needed. The result is confident, motivated bad-asses who give zero f*cks, taking on all challenges to help their battle buddies on the ground, while wearing cool shades in the process (we can’t wear aviators with our helmets…I know, lame).
When I deployed overseas, we actually painted our radio frequency in big, bold print onto the roofs of our trucks so if choppers were operating in our area, they could connect and offer support. As a lowly cavalryman, I’ll say it was awesome being out in-sector on patrol, all by our lonesome, and suddenly hearing them come over the net to join the party and provide cover ahead. Most of the time, I never got the meet the pilots who supported us; just their voice over the net until they signed off and made for the horizon.
So it was pretty baller when, in 2018, the commander of the newly formed Blackhawk company with the NH National Guard approached us, asking if they could use Able Ebenezer’s logo as their unit insignia and flight patch. Turns out he and a few of the pilots had become regulars at the brewery; our brand and stories resonated with them, and they wanted their new unit to carry the banner as well. “We wanted something that really emphasized the ‘Live Free or Die’ spirit of NH and it’s soldiers, and this feels like it,” their commander wrote to me that spring. We were obviously stoked.
Side note: chopper pilots are even cooler because I now know they get to pick their own unit name & logo.
They dubbed the new unit “Able Company.”
——————————
Later that year, we had the opportunity to visit the unit and tour their facility. Not going to lie, seeing the Able logo painted on the side of their Blackhawks brought a little tear to my eye (doesn’t happen often; usually just when “Rudy” is on TV).
In the years since, we’ve become good friends and supporters of one another. We still occasionally hang at the bar, where we partake in a soldier’s favorite pastime: sharing stories over beers.
A couple years later, Able Company deployed overseas for a year. Prior to their departure, they asked if they could take an Able flag with them (like the one hanging in our bar at the time) to post up at their HQ and use as a guidon. We took down the original and handed it over before saying our goodbyes.
Able Flag outside Able Company’s HQ overseas, and yet another reason pilots are cool: Tiki torches.
They made it back home a little over a year ago, just in time for Veteran’s Day, and the release of our first batch of Veteran’s Blend NEIPA. In honor of those guys, and in celebration of their safe return home, we placed their unit insignia on the label; a brand made specifically for them, and one which has meant a great deal to both of our teams.
Able Company had a surprise for us as well: they returned our flag (pretty sun-faded but that’s cool), along with a plaque - signed by the guys - showing all the places the flag had flown with them.
Needless to say, we had a lot of fun that night (some might say too much but whatever); a lot of beers and a lot of stories.
Next Friday (Vet’s Day, 11/11) will mark 1 year since that night, and the second release of Able Company’s Veteran’s Blend NEIPA. This year’s iteration once again uses the hop blend from Yakima Valley, whose proceeds go to support veteran non-profits; rich in fruity flavor and aroma, and smooth from start to finish. Looking forward to sharing it with our battle buddies once again at the release. To mark the occasion, we’ve also ordered fresh, custom glassware printed with the Able Company insignia to give away on Veteran’s Day.
The Able flag has since been returned to its spot overlooking the Able tap room, with the plaque hung alongside. Directly underneath, we placed our respective unit patches side-by-side on the patch board (Mike and I were 1st Armored Division, “Old Ironsides”).
Next Friday, we’ll all be at the bar beneath these tokens of our partnership/friendship, raising our glasses to one another’s service; I’ll be the guy in the Stetson, Mike will be wearing his red socks, and the Able Co guys are the good looking ones who (as stated at the top) look like the coolest guys in the room.
We hope you’ll join us and, especially for you fellow veterans, bring some good stories to share. Cheers!
-Carl
